Chapter 43 - Chapter 43

We invite the viewers to visit Pazhaiyaraipathi with us before Vandhiyathevan goes through many difficulties on the way and escapes many dangers and reaches Pazhaiyarai town.

Let us stand on the south bank of the Arisilaru and see the city. Damn! Is this just a city? Isn't it like the ornament hanging on the beautiful forehead of Mother Tamil? Isn't it like a mouse on a forehead studded with green emeralds, red gems and sapphires?

Rivers, streams, lakes and lakes are full of fresh water. Many colourful flowers bloom in them. Coconut trees and punnai trees spread cool greenery. In between, the golden urns of the skyrocketing bell towers and the golden stupas on the tops of the temple towers gleam.

Oh my gosh! How many small towns are there in this big city called Pazhaiyarai? The Cola capital of Pazhaiyarai includes Nandipuravinnagaram, Tiruchathimutram, Patteesvaram, Harishchandrapuram and their temples. There are four Shiva temples on the four sides of Pazhaiyarai namely Vadathali, Kilthali, Mettrali and Thenthali. There are four Veerapuris namely Arya Padai Veedu, Pudhupadai Veedu, Manapadai Veedu and Pampai Padai Veedu where soldiers reside. It was a separate palace before Vijayalaya Chola. Then it takes a thousand eyes to see new mansions rising next to the old Chola palace for every prince and every princess. The imagination of ten thousand poets is not enough to describe.

Sekkizhar Peruman came two hundred years later.

"The streets of the chariot are the best

Pazhaiyarai"

One can imagine how extravagant this city must have been during the reign of Sundara Cholar.

However, when we first visited this ancient place, we could not enjoy it in full spectacle.

Emperor Sundara Chola did not come here and see us during his reign sitting in the Chola palace of this city.

After the emperor fell ill and went to Thanjai city, the visits of petty kings, diplomats, ministers and generals from foreign countries ceased to come here. The usual entourage with them had dwindled.

Half of the soldiers who lived in the four army houses were now establishing the valour of the Tamils in the battlefields of Eelam Nadu.

Others were partly on the northern border and the other at Madurai.

So the barracks were now mostly old men, ladies, boys and girls.

The Velakara soldiers who lived in Mazhavarpadi had gone to Thanjavur with their families and the town was deserted with locked houses.

The ministers, peacekeepers and officials who were running the diplomatic affairs all went to Thanjavur with their families.

In spite of all this, there was no shortage of crowds and bustle in the streets of Pazhaiyarai. The streets were now mostly thronged by temple sthapathis, sculptors, Shiva devotees, Thevaram reciters, palace servants, temple servants and people from other places to have darshan of the Lord in the temples and to watch the festival scenes.

Today it looks like a festival. Men, women, boys and girls are walking in the streets wearing beautiful clothes and ornaments. Crowds of people are gathered on street corners. In the midst of the crowd, people in disguise are dancing and singing. Let's take a look. Well yes; They have disguised themselves as Krishna and Gopalas. In the midst of this crowd is a Krsna standing with a mountain uplifted? Isn't Indra, the king of gods, coming and worshipping him? In the middle of another crowd, Lord Brahma with four faces comes and worships Krishna. Aha! Now it seems. Today is Shree Jayanti; Kannan's birthday. That is the festival that people celebrate with such joy. Uriyadi festival is celebrated here and there. Yellow water is poured out.

This festival is celebrated around the Nandipura Vinnagarathu Perumal Temple. What is this?

"I saw, I saw, I saw

I saw it!"

Who sings that? It's a familiar voice! Here is our old friend Azhvarkadiyar Nambi and stands as a witness! He stands and sings. A crowd gathers around him. Some listen with devotion. Others begin to scoff. We are afraid that someone's head will be damaged by Azhvarkadiar's stick.

There was a rustle at the door of the Celestial Temple. The chariots and palanquins parked on the roadside come to the temple entrance. Some Madarasi come from inside the temple. These women must be women of a great clan.

Well yes; Well yes! These are the queens and princesses who live in the palaces of Pazhaiyarai.

First of all, Chempian Mahadevi, who is hailed as 'Periya stateswoman' throughout the country, arrives. She is the daughter of Mazhavaraiyar; Sivagnana Selvan Kandarathithar's Patta Mahishi. What a glow on his face even in the guise of an old widow! Behind him comes Rani Kalyani, the daughter of Arinjaya Cholar's wife Vaidumparayar. Aha! Tell me what his beauty is! Even in his old age, he has such a smile on his face! What would he have been like in his youth? Is it any wonder that his son Sundara Cholar is famous for being a handsome man?

He is followed by Parantaka Devi, daughter of Cheraman, another wife of Sundara Cholar.

Still further come Kundavai stateswoman, Vanathi, and the royal ladies we saw on the banks of the Arisilaru who resembled the celestial maidens who came straight down from the sky.

The Chola dynasty has been worshipping Shiva and Durga as their family deities since the time of Vijayalaya. But they have no hatred towards Thirumal and other religions. Perumal might have come to the temple today as it was the birthday of Krishna.

When the elder stateswoman Chempian Mahadevi was about to climb into the palanquin, he heard Azhvarkadiar's song. Perhaps that is why Azhvarkadiar sang loudly. Chempian Madevi made him come near her.

Azhvarkadiar came with a humble attitude.

"Thirumalai! Haven't seen you for a few days? Did you go on a pilgrimage?"

"Yes, Madam! I went on a pilgrimage. I visited Tirupati, Kanchi, Veeranarayanapuram and many other kshetras. Everywhere I went, I saw and heard many strange things!"

"Come to the palace tomorrow and tell me the wonders you saw and heard on the pilgrimage!"

"No, Mother! I have to leave again tonight."

"Then come and go this evening!"

"I'm coming, Mother! Your will is my privilege!"

The palanquins and chariots all started and rushed to the palace.

When Kundavai Pratti pointed to Azhvarkadiar and said something, the other queens laughed 'Kaleer'.

Azhvarkadiar looked that way to find out the reason for his laughter. Kundavai Pratti's eyes spoke to Azhvarkadiar in some code language. Azhvarkadiar bowed his head as a sign that he understood the news.

Chempian Mahadevi's palace was the centre of the Chola palaces. In the assembly hall sat the old woman on a throne studded with precious stones made of gold. The descendant of Karaikalammaiyar, Thilakavathiyar and other Shiva devotees was wearing white silk dress, wearing vibhuthi and Rudraksha mala, without wearing any other ornaments, she was proving that she could live as a zealous seelai amidst immense wealth and ashtaiswariyas. Though she wore no crown or other ornaments, her majestic appearance and selfradiant face showed that she was a royal princess of royal birth. It is not surprising that all the members of the Chola royal family, without exception, respected and celebrated this great lady as a deity and did not say anything against her wishes.

But such reverence was now tainted. The queen's son Mathuranthaka Thevar disobeyed his mother's order and married into the Pazhuvertaraiyar tribe. Not only that, the news that he was aspiring for the Chola throne had also reached Chempian Mahadevi's ears and caused him some anxiety.

In the courtyard of Chempian Mahadevi's palace and in the Sabha hall, a group of sculptors and a troupe of Thevaram singers used to assemble called JJ. Siva devotees and Tamil poets from far off countries used to come frequently to receive prizes. The crowd of priests who bring Shiva puja prasadam is also high.

On that day, sculptors and Shiva devotees from Thirumudhukundram (Vridhachalam), Thenkurangaduthurai, Thirumalapadi and other places came to their respective places seeking the help of the queen to renovate the temples with granite. Pictures and doll temples were brought to show in what places and in what manner the temples were to be built.

After promising to help in the renovation of the first two temples, he said, "Malapadi? Which Mazhapadi?" asked the elder stateswoman.

"The Lord who called out to Sundaramoorthy Swamigal and got his songs is the seated Mazhapadi!" said the villager.

"What is that incident?" asked Selvi of Mazhavaraiyar, and the Mazhavadikarar said:

"When Sundaramoorthy Swamigal was on a pilgrimage to Chola Nadu, he had to cross a river.

He began to cross the river and move beyond. Then he said, 'Sundaram! Have you forgotten me?' a voice asked.

Sundaramoorthy was startled and realized that it was the voice of God who had possessed him.

He asked his disciples, "Is there a Shiva temple near here?"

"Yes, Swami! There is a Shiva temple in Mazhapadi village under the cover of those Konnai trees!' said the disciples.

Sundaramoorthy immediately went there. There was a small temple under the cover of the flowering konnai trees. Sundaramoorthy went there and had the darshan of the Lord and sang with his heart. He admired the gracious power that had called him today and blessed him, as if he had been stopped the other day. 'Swami! Shall I forget you? What question did you ask? Who else will I think of if I forget you?"

Ponnar Maniyan!

Squeeze the tiger skin

Minnar Senjadaimel

The one who wears the sparkle

Manne maamaniye

Mazhapadiyil Manickam!

Anne Unnayal

Who am I thinking of now?

He sang. Mother! The temple is still a small temple under the cover of konnai trees. That is why we demand that the renovation work should start immediately."

"So be it!" said Chempian Madevi.

Azhvarkadiar and another man with him had come forward and were listening intently to all that had happened.