Alongside Tirusoolam there is one Pancha Paandavar Hill [Pancha Paandavar Malai] with some big white stains on the rock which is believed to be caused by Dhrowpathi while cooking rice when the Pandavas were sojourninghere during Agnyaatha Vaasam. Strangely there is also a mosque or so in a cave in this hill.
Its a Pallava cave excavated by Mahendra pallava. ASI has published inscriptions from there with his title Guanbara. Is used a Dragah now with much of cave face plastered up
http://www.poetryinstone.in “*Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man*” – Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore
On Sun, Jun 10, 2012 at 8:12 PM, vancheeswaran gopal
*No. 13. (A. R. No. 369 of 1908).* *Pallavaram, Saidapet Taluk, Chingleput District.*
On the beams in the rock-cut cave now used as a ‘Darga’.
This inscription is engraved in Pallava-Grantha characters in a single line on the beams of the upper and lower verandahs of the rock-cut cave (plates II and IV.) It gives a long list of birudas, some of them obscure in their import, of the Pallava king Mahendravikrama (I) with whose name the inscription commences. These titles are in Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu and indicate the character, erudition and personal tastes of the king. Some of these birudas are also found in the upper cave at Trichinopoly (No. 8 above).
*The rock-cut temple is described in the Memoir of the Archaeological Survey of India, No. 17, page 16.
* http://www.poetryinstone.in “*Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man*” – Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore
The big Pallavaram Hill used to have wireless transmission centres of Tamilnadu Police and Southern Railways and the area is prohibited. We lived in Pallavaram [also called Pallavapuram] for nearly 20 years. I have the feeling that this area must have had hectic activity during the Pallava times and there may be so many things in this area to be unearthed. However, as our knowledge in this field was limited we could not do so and nobody took interest. At least now I think the area has drawn the attention of some people.
The tophill has an old mosque said to keep the hairs and robe of Mohamed Nabhi. Every year during one Muslim festival called "Santhana Koodu", this robe and the hairs will be made available for public exhibition. I do not know whether this continues now. During our college days we have roamed almost all parts of these hills unknowing of what is hidden there, just for the sake of fun in climbing the hills, including visiting the prohibited wireless centres where we had friends too.
We used to have one Youth Association and conduct Literary Meet every month, inviting eminent writers like Sivasankari, Chandilyan, Rajam Krishnan, Vikraman, Maniyan [Ithayam Pesugirathu Weekly]. Anuradha Ramanan, Dr M S Udhayamoorthyand film personalities like Gemini Ganesan, M S Viswanathan.and scores of others. Guru Nanak College Principal Shri Somasundaram was our mentor and ex-officio President of the Association and was the Founder Secretary ! We used to conduct Music Competitions also, inviting people andgive awards too. All the expenses will be sponsored by the local residents of the area to ourorganisation named "Join Hands International" ! Now it is more than twenty five years since I visitedthis area due to change in life, career and age ! You won't believe, on behalf of our Association, we were planning to set up a park on the hill to attract tourists !
Recently there was strong rumour that the area has abundant rare mineral deposits like patinum or so andthe local registrar office also refused to register any sale of land in Pallavaram area. I am not sure how far this is true. Well, Pallavaram, has come to the limelight and we welcome it.
Downhill there is a place called Zamin Pallavaram, where our residence was located. There is a mosque said to be very sacred for the muslims and there is a mosque too. Many orthodox muslims would love to have their residence in this area as there is something special for them. There lives one Mr Nagore Yousuff, who was my father's disciple in Carnatic Music. You won't believe, for every year on Vinayaka Chathurthi and Saraswathi Pooja, Mr Yousuff will have a carnatic music programme in our Karpaga Vinayagar Temple in Bharathi Nagar, Pallavaram, Chennai.
I am sorry for this big mail as the mention of Tirusoolam has triggered me to take a walk down memory lane !