Tamil King Rajarajan and his son Rajendra Chozha were great rulers of Tamil Nadu during 10th Century AD.
Raja Rajan bulit the famous Thnjavur Brihdeeswara temple, also called as the Big Temple in Thanjavur
It is architectural marvel and the logistics of building it is mind boggling.
Thanjavur Big Temple How it was Built Logistics
King Rajarajan’s tomb has been located in Mudikondan,Tamil Nadu..
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Recently the half buried slanted Shiva Lingam figured in the midst of plantain field and just behind the hut of Pakirisamy’s (a farmer) in Mudikondan river bed in Udayalur, Kumbakonam taluk. (Ref. Picture and You Tube video) The site and Shiva Lingam are being claimed as Raja Raja Cholan’s ashes’ burial place.
Both the Shiva Lingam and the inscription lead many people to link and believe the site as the pallippadai of Raja Raja Cholan – I. Pallipadai means a Shiva temple constructed on the cemetery of a king. Pallipadai is the Tamil name for sepulchral shrine. Raising sepulchral shrine on the burial / cremation ground was found common during later Cholas period (10th and 11th century). Inscriptions would point out with details about the construction of sepulchral temples over the remains of kings and princes.
Historian Kudanthai Sethuraman (of Raman & Raman Bus Services) published a paper Aaivukk Katturaikal – vol 2 on this subject during `1980s. In this paper he has reported about his field study and about the inscription and he could not establish any link regarding pallipadai.
According to Dr Kudavayil Balasubramanian, well known epigraphist and historian from Thanjavur district, the inscription speaks about some structures built in memory of Raja Raja Cholan I. The structure mentioned therein was renovated by Kulothunga Cholan I (1070 – 1120 A.D.). The pallipadai figured on the bed of River Mudikondan (a tributary of Cauvery) could be the part of pallipadai. The historian also related the pallipadai of Panchavan Madevi (one of the wives Raja Raja Cholan I) located at Pateeswaram (nearer to Udayalur). He also strongly believe that there could be the pallipadai of Raja Raja Cholan I located in the near by area since the emperor spent his last days at the palace in Pazahayarai.
The state Department of Archaeology (DoA) could not establish any such conclusion since they could not find any reliable evidence to prove it. Some people continued to claim that the Shiva Lingam site on the bed of River Mudikondan, being nearer to the erstwhile Chola capital Pazhayarai, could possibly be the sepulchral shrine since Raja Raja Chola I was buried about 1,000 years ago.
Dr. R. Kalaikkovan, Director of the Dr. M. Rajamanickanar Center for Historical Research visited both Paalkulaththu Amman Temple and the site at Mudikondan river bed in Udayalur along with his team and conducted the field study and analyzed the inscriptions. The article, ‘Udayaloril Pallippadaya?’ was posted in Varalaru.com (http://www.varalaru.com) – A Monthly Web Magazine dealing with history, culture and heritage of South India. http://www.varalaaru.com/design/article.aspx?ArticleID=11. The conclusion arrived by him indicate that nothing in the inscription could be related to pallipadai.
Reference and citation.
- Brihadishwara Temple, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. Skyscrapper city http://www.skyscrapercity.com/archive/index.php/t-179815.html
- Kailasanatha Sivan temple. Wikimapia. http://wikimapia.org/2157538/Kailasanatha-Sivan-Temple
- Monument sought for Rajaraja at his burial place. The Hindu. Saturday, Sep 25, 2010
- Pazhayarai. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pazhayarai
- Rajaraja Chola – 1’s Pallipadai Temple or Palace Memorial. Vira Rajendra. http://www.mayyam.com/talk/showthread.php?8770-Rajaraja-Chola-1-s-Pallippadai-Temple-or-Palace-Memorial
- Udaiyalur. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udaiyalur
- உடையாளூரில் பள்ளிப்படையா? இரா. கலைக்கோவன். varalaaru.com. http://www.varalaaru.com/design/article.aspx?ArticleID=11
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