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Tag: Kanyakumari

  • Homa Kunda In Kanyakumari 280 BC Tamils

    The Sanatana Dharma walked hands in  hand with Tamils.

    As early as  96 AD reference had been made by  an anonymous author about Kanyakumari.

    Periplus of Erythrean Sea” (81-96 AD) refers to Kanyakumari.

    Kanyakumari Temple.jpg
    Kanyakumari Temple.

    Eratosthenes 4 who visited India in about 276 B.C.

    In Poromcode, near Kaliyakkavilai, a neolithic celt was discovered which may roughly be dated to 1500 to 1000 B.C. (period of neolithic civilisation in Tamil Nadu).

    A hand made coarse earthern jar and other relics were found near Thoothur village in Kanniyakumari district. The shape, fabric and the decorations indicate that they are probably of the megalithic or early historic period.

    From the legends and traditions existing in these regions, it has to be believed, beyond doubt, that a great city flourished in these regions during the megalithic or early historic period and that it might have been similar to the one which existed in Mohanjadaro and Harappa. Since, the relics of this period remained in the sea bed, it has to be believed that this civilisation was wiped out due to sea erosion.

    ‘The Kingdom of the Ayis flourished to the South of the Chera Kingdom and it extended from Nelcynda’ 140 AD (obviously identical to Nelcynda of the Periplus) to ‘Komari’.-Ptolemy.

    : The earliest known rulers of this region belonged to the Ayi dynasty, whose remote ancestors are referred to as the ‘Hida Raja’ in the Asokan Rock Edicts II and XIV. The term ‘Hida’ is the variation of ‘Ida’ or ‘Idaya’ a synonym of ‘Ayar’ which takes its singlular form as ‘AYI’. Probably the region around ‘Pothiyil’ mountains was ruled by them. Thus the antiquity of the ‘Ayis’ dates back to 250 B.C. and possibly still earlier. The mention of them in the Asokan Edicts along with the Cholas, Pandyas, Cheras and Sathiyaputras as independent rulers outside the Mauryan dominion, enhanced their importance.

    Ayi Andiran : He was one of the many Vei Chieftains who ruled over several parts of the Tamil country. Legends are many about the ancestry of the Vel Cheiftains. To mention one, they are said to have issued from a ’Homakundam’.Domain of Ayi Andiran was the area around the Pothiyil Hill which is the Southern most section of the Western Ghats…

    Maduraikanchi, a literary work lends support to the view that Kanniyakumari was in possession of the Pandyas. ‘Purananuru’ mentions the Pandya ruler as the lord of the Pahruli river which had its confluence with the sea at Kanniyakumari. Besides early inscriptions also mention Nanjilnadu as part of the Pandya Empire. Vadimbalambaninra Pandyan, it is said, by his engineering skill harnessed the course of this river. The Goddess Kanniyakumari was regarded as the family deity of the Pandyas..

    This clearly shows the interaction between the Tamils and  Sanatana Dharma since  3 Century in Kanniyakumari.

    Let me add that Kanyakumari district has two famous temples, Suchindram Sthanumalayar Temple and Kanyakumari Temple at Kanyakumari.

    Suchindarm has a rare temple where Brahma , Vishnu ans Shiva are found in one idol.

    Kanyakumari was a part of Tamil Nadu when Tamils’s land extended beyond Kanyakumari  and the land was was consumed bya Tsunami.

    Reference.

    http://kanyakumariinformation.com/history/

  • Namboothiri Brahmins Of Kerala

    Nambhoothiris are a set of Brahmins who are settled and found in Kerala.

     

    Adi  Shankaracharya is from this sect.

     

    Namboothiris are reported to have settled in the western Coast of South India , Kerala.

     

    Parashurama created land from the Arabian sea and established the Namboothiri sect.

     

    The group is a closed group and they do not allow others to get married into their community, even of they are Brahmins.

     

    However this custom is changing now.

     

     There is said to be no provision nor ritual procedure in the Saasthrams for such an absorption.

    Only quite recently has there been some instances through adoptions followed by performance of Shodasakriyas.

     

    Sangam literature refers to Nambhoothiris which would date them to somewhere about 2000 years back.

     

    “Parasuraman created the land between Gokarnam and Kanyakumari and settled Brahmanans there in sixty-four Gramams or “villages”. As a result, the Brahmanans of Kerala share several common features with the Brahmanans of the Canarese coast; this also distinguishes them from their counterparts in the rest of South India. In the historical inquiry, this is extremely important. What is necessary is not to look for the place of their origin or the identity and date of Parasuraman but to ascertain the social function of such a tradition and examine the extent of linkages between the two regions and their cultures. It is stated that thirty two out of the sixty four gramams are in the Tulu-speaking region and the remaining thirty two, in the Malayalam- speaking region in Kerala. Recent historical research has identified these settlements on either side of the border. Those in Kerala proper are listed in the Keralolpathi, the narrative of Kerala history. They are:

    a) Between rivers Perumpuzha and Karumanpuzha:
    1.Payyannur, 2.Perumchellur, 3.Alattiyur, 4.Karantola, 5.Cokiram, 6.Panniyur, 7.Karikkatu, 8.Isanamangalam, 9.Trissivaperur, 10.Peruvanam.

    b) Between rivers Karumanpuzha and Churni:
    11.Chemmanda, 12.Iringalakkuda, 13.Avattiputtur, 14.Paravur, 15.Airanikkalam, 16.Muzhikkalam, 17.Kuzhavur, 18.Atavur, 19.Chenganatu, 20.Ilibhayam, 21.Uliyannur, 22.Kazhuthanatu.

    c) Between river Churni and Kanyakumari:
    23.Ettumanur, 24.Kumaraanallur, 25.Vennanad or Kadamuri, 26.Aranmula, 27.Tiruvalla, 28.Kitangur, 29.Chengannur, 30.Kaviyur, 31.Venmani, and 32.Nirmanna.”

     

    The villages were organised around temples, which owned landed properties in large measure. Committees known as ur (oor), urar, or uralar managed these temples and their properties. These committees consisted of the prominent Brahmanan landowners of the locality and were, basically, concerned with their own interests in the landed property. The strong sense of community exhibited by such committees is remarkable. The committees are shown to have had a corporate character, taking decisions unanimously and carrying them out ruthlessly. Idiosyncrasies of individual members were never tolerated; nor was anything detrimental to the corporate interest of the bodies. Elaborate procedures, often following the prescriptions in the Dharmasastra texts, could be seen in the records, such as what is called the Muzhakkala kacham, which earlier historians like Elamkulam P.N. Kunjan Pillai took as designed to protect the interests of the tenants. This solidarity rendered them a very powerful group in society and this, coupled with the ideological tools such as Varnaashrama Dharmam and the Agamaic religion of the temple, enabled them to dictate the pattern of society. It is this that enabled them to be the kingmakers in every possible way.

     

    Famous Namboothiris.

    Premji- National award winning Malayalam film actor.

     

    • Cherusseri Namboothiri-15th-century composer of Krishna Katha
    • Lalitambika Antarjanam-Malayalam author who wrote Agnisakshi (1980) which won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
    • Madampu Kunjukuttan- Malayalam novelist and short story writer
    • Moothiringode Bhavathrāthan Namboothiripad – Author of the famous Aphante Makal. He was social reformer especially of the Namboothiri society
    • Mullamangalath Raman Bhattathiripad- Writer, social reformer
    • O M C Narayanan Nambudiripad- Sanskrit scholar who translated the Rig Veda into Malayalam in the work Rigveda Bhasha Bhashyam . Also the uncle of Moothiringode Bhavathrāthan Namboothiripad
    • Poonthanam- 16th-century poet and author of Jnanappana, a devotional poem in Malayalam
    • Poonthottam Achhan Nambudiri-19th-century poet of the Venmani School
    • Poonthottam Mahan Nambudiri- Poet of the Venmani School. Son of Poonthottam Achhan Nambudiri
    • Leela Nambudripad- Well-known author of Children’s books under the pen name Sumangala. Daughter of O M C Narayanan Nambudiripad
    • Seevolli Narayanan Nambudiri-20th-century poet influence by Venmani
    • Tholan- (9th century AD) Believed to be the earliest Namboothiri poet. Made contributions to Koodiyattam, Koothu
    • Venmani Achhan Nambudiripad- Poet of the Venmani Illam, father of Venmani Mahan
    • Venmani Mahan Nambudiripad- 19th-century poet of the Venmani School
    • Venmani Vishnu Nambudiripad- Poet of the Venmani Illam, paternal uncle (Apphan) of Venmani Achhan Nambudiripad
    • Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri- Famous 20th-century poet and literary figure in Kerala

     

    • Pulleri Illathu Madhusoodanan Thangal-He was a member of the Madras Legislative Council from the year 1929 to 1934, was a member of Military Advisory Board also
    • E. M. S. Namboodiripad- Marxist leader and first Chief Minister of Kerala
    • Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri- 18th century Diwan of the Travancore Kingdom
    • Moothiringode Bhavathrāthan Namboothiripad – Author of the famous Aphante Makal. He was social reformer especially of the Namboothiri society
    • V. T. Bhattathiripad-Freedom fighter, social critic and dramatist[1]

     

    • Mezhathol Agnihothri- 4th century Shrauta ritualist who reinstated the ancient tradition of Yaagam
    • Poonthanam- Devotee of Lord Guruvayoorappan who composed the Jnanappana in the 16th century
    • Shivapuri Baba- (Born as Jayanthan Nambudiripad) Ascetic and Saint who travelled around India, Europe, America and preached religious unity
    • Vilwamangalam Swamiyar- 17th-century saint and ardent devotee of Guruvayoorappan who composed the Sreekrishna Karnaamritham

    Another element which helped them gain in power was the curious practice of arms which a section of Brahmanans in Kerala had. Known variously as the Chatter or Chattirar, these arms-bearing Brahmanans are seen in records from different parts of India from the post-Gupta period onwards. It is from Kerala that we have the clearest information about them. We hear about the significant institutions called Salais, which imparted military training to these Brahmanan youth in different parts of Kerala – some of them had been looked upon by the neighbouring rulers as a veritable military threat to them. They had no pretension of Vedic scholarship, but on account of their muscle power, they became a considerable force in society and politics. In the subsequent period, however, their profession of arms lost all relevance and they were reduced to the status of professionals performing the typically Namboothiri entertainment, part ritual and part art, known as Sanghakkali or Panayam Kali. In any case, Namboothiris had become a significant economic, social and political force by the time the Chera Perumals were ruling over Kerala. This justifies the statement of a modern historian that the polity under the Cheras of Mahodayapuram was in reality a Brahmanan oligarchy and that the Brahmanans constituted the real power behind the throne. And, there was indeed a council of Brahmanans in the Chera capital known as the Nalu Tali, the memory of which survives in four temples of Melttali, Keezhtali, Netiya Tali and Chingapuram Tali.

    When the Chera kingdom disintegrated in the twelfth century, the influence of the Brahmanans did not, nevertheless, decline. In fact, we see them deciding the course of history with renewed vigour. The practice that the eldest son succeeded to the estates of the family continued and was strengthened by accepting the custom, that only he was eligible to marry within the caste and father children to inherit the properties of the family, which nearly got the force of law. This resulted in the consolidation of the properties, but also led to the extinction of several families. The properties of such families went to their near relatives and this led to the rise of huge landed magnates among Namboothiris in these medieval centuries. Correspondingly, the insistence of unanimity in the meetings of the temple committees is no longer seen. Also, one comes across attendance by proxy being allowed in such meetings. All this led to the consolidation of feudal tendencies and the consequent growth of landlordism. It was not, contrary to what some historians have held, a case of the cruelty and caprice of Brahmanans who deprived the non-Brahmanan landowners of their landed properties. Differentiation on the basis of wealth also led to differences in ritual status. We start getting Namboothiris of infinitely varying ritual status from this period onwards. Increased wealth and political power led to greater leisure, which made possible the creditable intellectual and cultural contributions by members of this community. It also resulted in greater licentiousness. The literature of this period, in both Sanskrit and Manipravalam, which was a mixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam, gives us a picture of such easy-going life, as do other forms art in this period, including the Devadaasi dance and the theatrical performances such as Koodiyattam and Koothu. It is for this reason that this period earned the rather appropriate sobriquet of being the “orgiastic period” of the Namboothiris.

     

    Citation and for more details.

     

     

    http://www.namboothiri.com/articles/exclusive-community.htm

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  • Tamil Nadu Was Not The Whole Tamil Kingdom Sakat Dvipa

    It is an accepted but incorrect history that the Present day Tamil Nadu was inhabited by the three Dynasties of Tamil Kings, Chera ,Chola and Pandyas.

     

    There is sufficient eveidence in the Epics,Ramayana and Mahabharata that the area of the Tamils as much more than the present Tamil Nadu.

     

    Lemuria ith Bathymetric Studies
    Kumari Kandam Bathymetric studies. Image Credit.http://kumari-kandam.blogspot.in/

     

    While people give much credence to the names of kings mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature, the same attention has not been paid to the geographical description found therein.

     

    Lets us take the description of the Five Divisions of Land according to Tholkappiyama nd other Grammatical works.

     

    .

    The land mass here the Tamils lived as divided and named into Five distinct geographical entities.

     

    1.Kurinji-Hilly Terrain.

    2.Mullai-Forests.

    3.Marutham-Plains.

    4.Neydal-Seashore and

    5.Palai-Desert Region.

     

    One can n find these five regions is the present Tamil Nadu as it is to-day.

     

    The present conception of Lemuria or Kumari Kandam might explain this phenomena.

     

    This was a large landmass that got submerged in, possibly a tsunami.

     

    View. 1.

    There was a mountain chain  south of the Tamraparani River,which was an extension of the Wastern ghats.

     

    It as submerged in the sea.

     

    That as called the Malaya Parvatha and there are references to it in the Mahbharata and Ramayana.

     

    There was a king called Malayathvaja, whose daughter as Meenakshi and legend has it that she married Lord Shiva.

     

    That is now being called a Madurai , which is erroneous.

     

    The Madurai here Malayathaja ruled as The Madurai(South Madurai) which submerged.

     

    This continuation of the Western Ghats , Malaya Parvatha is called Sakatdvipa.

     

    One Sarangathdja fought with Asathama, after Drona as killed, in the Mahabharata War.

     

    There are refernces to the Pandyas being adorned with Sandalood paste obtained from the Malayamarutha.(Raja Suya Yaga, Mahabharata)

     

    This Sakat Dvipa resembled the ears of a Hare and it as described as hanging from the Bharatavarsha(Mahabharrata).

     

    This Malayaparvatham was reported South of Tamraparani,currently in Tirunelveli District.

     

    Silappathikaram also mentions that the sandalwood paste as from the forests where the Western Ghats and the Malaya Parvata meet.

     

    Kumari Kandam ith Cities.jpg
    Kumari Kandam ith Cities.

     

     

    Sakatdvipa was 25,600,000 mile

     

    The 49 lands

    This land was divided into 49 Naadu, or territories (probably of the size of small districts) between Kumari river and Pahruli / Prahuli / Pakruli river. These are named as seven coconut territories (Ezhu Tenga Natu), seven Madurai territories (Ezhu Maturai Natu), seven old sandy territories (Ezhu Mun-palai Natu), seven new sandy territories (Ezhu Pin-palai Natu), seven mountain territories (Ezhu Kunra Natu), seven eastern coastal territories (Ezhu Kuna Karai Natu) and seven dwarf-palm territories (Ezhu Kurum Panai Natu). All these lands, together with the many-mountained land that began with Kumari-Kollam, with forests and habitations, were submerged by the sea.

    Two of these submerged Nadus or territories of Kumari Kandam were supposedly parts of present-day Kollam and Kanyakumari districts.

    The above description match perfectly with  Kumari Kandam map developed using bathymetry studies since it shows the western extent of Kumari Kandam along the coast of Kerala where lies Kollam.

    ”

    இன்றைக்கு மஹேந்திர மலை என்பது திருக்குறுங்குடி என்னும் வைணவ திவ்விய தேசத்தில் இருக்கிறது. இங்கிருந்துதான் அனுமன் இலங்கைக்குத் தாவிச் சென்றிருக்கிறான். இந்தப் பகுதியைப் பற்றிச் சொல்வதற்கு முன்னாலேயே, தாமிரபரணி ஆற்றைக் கடந்தபின் மலய பர்வதத்தின் தொடர்ச்சியாக சொல்லப்பட்ட இடத்தில் கவாடபுரம் என்னும் பாண்டியன் தலைநகரைப் பற்றி சுக்ரீவன் சொல்கிறான். இது தென்கடலுடன் இணையும் மேற்குத் தொடர்ச்சி மலைப் பகுதியாகும். இந்தப் பகுதியைப் பற்றிய சுவையான தகவல்களை அடியார்க்கு நல்லார் மூலம் நாம் அறிகிறோம்.
    சிலப்பதிக்கார உரையில் (8-1), ஏழேழ் நாற்பத்தொன்பது நாடுகள் பற்றி அவர் கூறியதை முந்தின பகுதியில் கண்டோம். அவை எல்லாம் கடலுக்குல் அமிழ்ந்தன என்கிறார். அவற்றுடன் கடலுக்குள் அமிழ்ந்த பிற பகுதிகளில்,
    ’குமரி கொல்லம் முதலிய பன்மலை நாடும், காடும், நதியும், பதியும்,
    தட நீர்க் குமரி வட பெருங்கோட்டின்காறும் கடல் கொண்டு அழிதலால்’ என்கிறார்.
    குமரி கொல்லம் முதலிய பன் மலை நாடு என்று சொல்லவே, மலய பர்வதத்தை ஒட்டி அமைந்துள்ள இன்றைய கொல்லம் என்னும் கேரளப் பகுதி பாண்டியன் வசம் அந்நாளில் இருந்திருக்கிறது என்று தெரிகிறது. அந்த இடத்தில் குமரியின் வட பெருங்கோடு இருந்தது என்றும் இதன் மூலம் தெரிகிறது”.
    கோடு என்றால் மலைச் சிகரம் என்றும் பொருள். நீர்க்கரை என்றும் ஒரு பொருள் உண்டு. இங்கு குமரி ஆற்றைச் சொலல்வில்லை. ஏனெனில் இதே விளக்க உரையில், முதலிலேயே பஹ்ருளி ஆற்றையும், குமரி ஆற்றையும் சொல்லி அதற்க்கிடையே உள்ள தூரத்தையும் அடியார்க்கு நல்லார் சொல்லி விட்டார். எனவே இங்கு குமரிக் கோடு என்றதும், வட பெருங்கோடு என்றதும்,
    குமரி மலைத் தொடரின் வடக்கில் உள்ள மலைச் சிகரமான குமரி என்னும் சிகரம் என்றாகிறது. அது கொல்லத்தை ஒட்டி அமைந்திருக்கிறது. இவை எல்லாம் உண்மையே என்பதை இந்தியப் பெருங்கடலின் அடிவாரத்தைக் காட்டும் படங்களில் காணலாம்.”
    So the Tamil Kingdoms referred to included Lemuria and the present Tamil Nadu formed only a Part.
    Most interesting fact is that the Sanatana Dharma flourished there and I willl be posting archeological  evidence.


    https://ramanisblog.in/2014/03/07/india-puranic-names-its-current-names/

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    http://kumari-kandam.blogspot.in/2012/05/blog-post.html

  • Tamil Sangam Dates 17000 Years Extended To Equator

    It is generally believed that the Tamil Language existed and Kings nurtured it for a period of about 10,000 years ago.

    Tamil Inscription
    Old Tamil Inscription

    “According to P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar[23] who made research on this topic mentions in his book “History of Tamils” Chapter XVI on topic “Criticism of the legend”,[24] as the years mentioned for the Three Tamil Sangams are too vast. The First sangam lasted 4440 yrs and spanned 89 Succeeding Kings. The Second sangam lasted 3700 yrs and spanned 59 Succeeding Kings, The Third sangam lasted 1800 yrs and spanned 49 Succeeding Kings.”(wiki)

    By this reckoning the Age of Tamil is approximately 10’000 Years for the Sangam Period.

    But recent research says that a relic proves that the Tami land extended its landmass “extended southward below Cape Comorin (Kanya Kumari) incorporating present day Ilankai/ Sri Lanka. It had an enhanced offshore running all the way to the Equator. The maps portray the region as no history or culture is supposed to have known it. The much larger Tamil homeland of thousands of years ago as described in the Kumari Kandam tradition takes shape. It supports the opening of the Kumari Kandam flood tradition set in the remote pre-historic period of 12,000 –10,000 years ago. The inundation specialists confirm that between 12,000-10,000 years ago Peninsular India’s coastlines would have been bigger than what they are today before they were swallowed up by the rising seas at the end of the Last Ice Age.”

    With its description of submerged cities and lost lands, the Kumari Kandam tradition predicted that pre-historic ruins more than 11,000 years old should lie underwater at depths and locations off Tamilnadu’s coast. The NIO’s discovery and Dr. Milne’s calculations now appear to confirm the accuracy of that prediction. At that period of time, Ilankai/ Sri Lanka was part and parcel of South India. It is, however, in the inundation map for 10,600 years ago as seen that the island to the south of Kanya Kumari had disappeared to a dot, and the Maldives further ravaged.

    But more importantly, a neck of sea is seen separating Tuticorin in South India from Mannar in what is now Ilankai/ Sri Lanka. It is however in the map for 6,900 years ago that the separation of Ilankai/ Sri Lanka from the South Indian mainland is complete as it is today. Ilankai/ Sri Lanka’s separate existence as an island, so it seems, began 6,900 years ago or circa 4,900 BC. ..

    At present, no civilisation, as known to current history, existed in the Tamil lands of South India around 9,000 BC. Yet the discovery of the U-shaped structure by India’s marine archaeologists leads us to seriously consider that it was the work of a civilisation that archaeologists had failed to identify as its ruins lie submerged so deep beneath the sea. As Mr. S. R. Rao, the doyen of Indian marine archaeology, stated in February 2002, “I do not believe it is an isolated structure; further exploration is likely to reveal others around it”.

    Put it simply, the coast line of India , more specifically Tamils extended up to Equator.

    And this tallies with the descriptions of Tamil Kings in The Mahabharata during the Swayamvar of Draupadi , the reference to Arjuna having married the daughter of a Pandyan King and the mention of Cheran Perunchotruudiyan Neduncheraathan as having fed both the armies of the Panadavas and Kauravas during the Mahabharata War, among other refernces like the Tamil Knings donated Villages for Baramins po perform Vedic Rites daily in the Agraharas, ear marked for them.

    Sources.

    History of the Tamils by P.T .Srinivasa Iyengar Chapter XVI on topic “Criticism of the legend

    http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=256

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