pudukkottai - its contribution to tamil culture
DESCRIPTION
Pudukkottai, a princely state during the British time is rich in archaeological monuments. It has produced eminent people in many walks of lifeTRANSCRIPT
India, our motherland, can boast of an unbroken
tradition of 5000 years.
Truly, a nation of unity in diversity.
by
S. Swaminathan([email protected])
Tamilnadu, the land of our forefathers,
is a land of culture and arts.Tamil, our language, is ancient and classical, and at the same time modern.
Our tradition has a hoary past.It is unique;
unique in many respects.
Thol-kaappiyamnot just a treatise on grammar; but a treasure-house of contemporary Tamil tradition...
Kuralwon the appellation of ‘world gospel’.
Sangam poetry, a collection of marvelous dramatic monologues.
Bharathinot only the morning star of modern Tamil literature,but also a leading light of the 20th century renaissance in Indian life and letters.
Thus would go on our unique culture
PUDUKKOTTAI, a district of Tamilnadu,
is a museum of South Indian arts and can be called an archaeological
paradise.
PUDUKKOTTAI
Public Office Building,
Pudukkottai
PUDUKKOTTAI
This tiny slice of South India has a glorious past and
can be proud of its contributions to Indian culture,
especially to Tamil culture.
The palace of the last Maharajah (present Collectorate) in Indo-
Saracenic style
THIRUVARANGULAM
This is Lord Nataraja performing the cosmic
dance.This beautiful bronze is
from Tiruvaran-gulam,Pudukkottai
One may see this imposing bronze at the entrance of the National Museum, New Delhi.Some even say that this the second best bronzeever sculpted by humankind.
AVUDAIYARKOIL
Thiru-p-perum-thurai, a place blessed by the SaintManikka-vasagar.
A great story of great significance is attached to this place. Every one knows the story how jackals became horses.
Now known asAvudaiyarkoil,
the temple in addition, is well known for
its exquisite sculptures.
Manikka-vasagar
SITTANNAVASAL
A scene from the Sittannavasal
paintingSittannavasal the best known archaeological site of the district.The celebrated paintings here of the 9th century AD are considered to be second only in importance to the paintings in the Ajanta caves.
A Pre-Historic burial site
This is a pre-historical burial site, at least 3000 years old.
SITTANNAVASAL
Ancient Tamil inscription found
around this Jaina bed
Here are some highly polished stone bedsin which the Jain sages fasted unto death as religious
austerityfrom the 3rd century BC onwards. The famous inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi of the 3rd century,Vattezhuththu of the 2nd century AD
& later Tamil inscriptions are
milestones in Tamil history
SITTANNAVASAL
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
The district can boast of largest number of cave temples in Tamilnadu.
Thiru-go-karnam Thirumayam
Malayadippatti Kudumiyanmalai.
The celebrated ones are
Kodumbalur
Most of the early templesthat led to the great Chozha temples, like the Brihadisvara Temple can be seen in the Pudukkottai tract.
Narttamalai, Kodumbalur, Kaliyapatti,
Panangudi, Kannanur, Tirukkattalai etc
are some of the early Chozha temples
Narttamalai
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
SCULPTURES
Pallava-s initiated the tradition of temple building in Tamilnadu, starting from cave temples and perfecting structural temples. Their sculptures are of great beauty, unexcelled even by the Imperial Chozha-s. Their equals are here in Pudukkottai.
Kalari-moorthi andRishabha-rudha are
some of the masterpieces
one finds in Muvar-koil
of Kodumbalur.Kalari-moorthiRishabha-rudha
IDENTITY OF PUDUKKOTTAI
Many places in Pudukkottai tract find mention in Sangam literature.The traditional boundary between the Chozha-s and the Pandya-s was the river Vellar which runs in the middle of Pudukkottai tract. CHOZHA-S
PANDYA-S
RIVER VELLAR
The present Pudukkottai District has become an administrative entity from the time of the Thondaimans in 17th century. Rule of the Thondaiman dynasty continued with the support of the British, until its merger with the Indian Union in 1948.
IDENTITY OF PUDUKKOTTAI
Rajah Ramachandra Tondaiman in
Darbar
Rajah Rajagopala Tondaiman,
the last Maharajah
Amman KaasuCoin minted by
the Thondaimans.
IDENTITY OF PUDUKKOTTAI
The Pudukkottai town is one of the few fully planned towns in India, thanks to the great administrators.
EPOCH MAKERS FROM PUDUKKOTTAI SOIL
W. Blackburn TottenhamSashiah Sastri
William Blackburne 200 years ago laid the foundation
stone.
Tottenham whose administrative procedures
are followed through out Tamilnadu.
Sashiah Sastri 100 years ago completed the task.
EPOCH MAKERS FROM PUDUKKOTTAI SOIL
Veeramamunivarthat is Fr. Beschi, a great Tamil savant,
was living in Avur during 1732 AD, and during the turbulent days of Carnatic war
the Father bore ill-treatment by the
army of Chanda-Saheb with unruffled equanimity
EPOCH MAKERS FROM PUDUKKOTTAI SOIL
Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy
the first woman MBBS in the country. Also the first woman to be elected
to a legislative body in the country. Her contribution to women emancipation
is immense
EPOCH MAKERS FROM PUDUKKOTTAI SOIL
Sathyamoorthy
the famous freedom fighter.
EPOCH MAKERS FROM PUDUKKOTTAI SOIL
Akhilan
the first Tamil to receive Bharatiya Jyanpith award.
EPOCH MAKERS FROM PUDUKKOTTAI SOIL
The famous poet for children.
Pudukkottai was an important centre for publishing.
Its contribution to children’s literature is substantial.
Al. Valliyappa
Pudukkottai’s contribution to music and dance is impressive. It is believed that Saint Thyagaraja first sang in the Thondaiman court
PERFORMING ARTS
The nada upasakar and laya vidwan Mamundia Pillai created Kanjira
and established the Pudukkottai
school of mridangam.
PERFORMING ARTS
Mamundiya Pillai
Dhakshinamoorthy
Among his worthy disciples was the redoubtable Dhakshinamoorthy Pillai.
PERFORMING ARTS
The veena brothers, Subbarama Iyer and
Sambasiva Iyer, perfected the Thanjavur bani
of veenai playing.
PERFORMING ARTS
Sivarama Nattuvanarand a host of dance teachers of
this princely state were celebrated all over the dance world
PERFORMING ARTS
Rukmani Devi Arundale was mainly responsible for making Bharathanatyam an art
form fit for concerts.
The list of musicians, dancers and dance
teachers hailing from Pudukkottai is long and
their contribution to their chosen field is considerable
PERFORMING ARTS
In the popular field of cinema Pudukkottai-ans
carved a place for themselves.
PERFORMING ARTS
Raja Sandow, the hero of the silent movie, who made a mark in Mumbai too.
PU Chinnappa, the then superstar.
Gemini Ganesan, the romantic hero
AVM Rajan, a well known actor of yesteryears.
One may go on...... This is our PUDUKKOTTAI.
It is certain that there are similar reasons
for every person to be proud of his/her own district.
THE PRESENT SCENARIO
But, how many of us are aware of our own history?
THE PRESENT SCENARIO
Those who are born in Pudukkottai andlived in there for considerable time would be aware of some part of its history and its importance.
But most, particularly belonging to the younger
generation, may not.
Worse we witness helplessly destruction of our heritage, our
history.
THE PRESENT SCENARIO
Most of the priceless paintings of Sittannavasal are
damaged by vandalism and apathy.
THE PRESENT SCENARIO
The celebrated temples are dilapidated.
This is not due to lack of resources,but for lack of historical sense.
THE PRESENT SCENARIO
Valuable documents, palm-leaf manuscripts, books,
personal memoirs and those that can help trace history
are irrevocably lost, and being destroyed.
I now take the pleasure of presenting Sittannavasal, which, along with
Kodumbalur and Narttamalai form a Golden Triangle of Pudukkottai.
SITTANNAVASAL MONUMENTS
Location of Sittannavasal
a small village in the Pudukkottai district
of Tamilnadu, is a world-famous archaeological site.
Sittannavasal,
It lies at 15 km from Pudukkottai on the road to Illuppur.
Trichy
Thanjavur
Pudukkottai
KaraikkudiTo
Mad
urai
To Illupur
It is renowned for its mural paintings in the Jaina cave temple.
These paintings are second only in importance after Ajanta paintings and have an important place in the Indian art history.
It was a flourishing centre of Jaina influence where Jainism flourished for over 1200 years (3rd century BC to 10th century AD).
Arivar-koil
There are four interesting monuments on and around a large rocky hillock:
Sittannavasal monuments
Sittannavasal monuments
There are a number of natural caverns with polished stone- beds in this hillock where Jain ascetics performed austerities.
One of such caverns, called Ezhadippattam, contains 17 stone-beds, with inscriptions in Tamil dating from 3rd century BC.
Ezhadippattam
Sittannavasal monuments
A tarn situated on the northern part of the hillock, with a submerged rock-cut shrine inside.
Navachchunai
Sittannavasal monuments
This village was one of the oldest inhabited sites in this area.
The megalithic burial sites here testify to this.
Burial sites
ARIVAR-KOIL
Originally thought of an excavation of Mahendra-varma Pallavan, this is now considered to be a Pandya contribution
Still there is uncertainty regarding the origin of this temple
Arivar-koil
This is a Jaina cave temple,
excavated before the 9th century AD
and has the famous mural paintings
Arivar-koil
The cave temple lies on the west face of the hillock, near the northern end.
A walk of about 100 feet over the sloping rock takes the visitor to the cave temple.
ARIVAR-KOILarchitecture
Garbha-griham
Ardha-mandapam
Pillared-veranda
an ardha-mandapam
A mukha-mandapam that was added
in 9th century AD has collapsed.
The pillared veranda is a later addition
in the 20th century.
The cave temple consists of a garbha-griham,
and a pillared veranda.
Originally the entire space, except the floor, had been plastered and painted.
But only a part of the paintings on the ceiling and
patches elsewhere remain.
Pillared-veranda
This pillared veranda, in front, is a later construction, added in the 20th century by the Tondaiman-s of Pudukkottai.
It provides much needed protection from rain and sun.
Pillared Varenda
It mentions about the repair and extension of the cave temple by a Jaina Acharya called Ilan Gautaman,during the reign of the Pandya king, Srimaran-srivallabhan (9th century AD).
Pillared Varenda
It is from this inscription we find that the cave temple was excavated before the 9th century.
A 17-line Tamil inscription on the rock-face of the original cave can be seen from here.
Ardha-mandapam
Ardha-mandapam
From the front veranda one enters
this ardha-mandapamwhich is
22½ feet by 7½ feet.
On the side walls are two niches containing sculptures of a Tirthankara and an Acharya.
The ardha-mandapam contained some exquisite paintings,
of which precious little remains.
Garbha-griham
Garbha-griham
Beyond the ardha-mandapam is this Garbha-griham.
It is 10 feet by 10 feet.
On the back wall are three images carved in relief. On the ceiling is carved a Dharma-chakra.The ceiling contains relics of paintings.
ARIVAR-KOILsculptures
There are only five sculptures,
all in relief, in this cave temple.
Two of them are
in the ardha-mandapam, on the side-walls.
The garbha-griham
contains three figures in a row,
on the rear-wall.
These sculptures are of Jaina Tirthankara-s and Acharya-s.
Ardha-mandapam
The niche on the southern wall contains a figure of Parsvanatha,
the twenty-third Tirthankara.
He is seated cross-legged in the dhyana (meditative) pose.
There is a five headed serpent spreading its hood over his head identifying him as Parsvanatha.
Ardha-mandapam
The niche on the northern wall is a figure of a Jaina Acharya seated in the same pose.
There is a single umbrella over the head of the image, which indicates that it is not a Tirthankara.
Ardha-mandapam
Garbha-griham
The northern and central figures have ‘mukkudai’ (‘triple umbrella’), indicating them to be Tirthankara-s.
The southern figure has a single umbrella, and probably a Chakravarti or an Acharya.
On the back-wall of the garbha-griham are three images carved in relief in a row.
All of them are in the same dhyana (meditative) posture.
Garbha-griham
ARIVAR-KOILpaintings
Indian Paintings
Sittannavasal paintings are an early example of post-Ajanta period painting and
are of the classical Ajanta style with variation in the handling of the material
by the artists.
Ajanta, 200BC-600AD
Indian Paintings
Kanchipuram7th century AD
The paintings in Kailasanatha Temple in Kanchi antedate the Sittannavasal paintings.
Indian Paintings
The paintings in Brihadiswara Temple in Thanjavur are the continuation of the Sittannavasal tradition.
Thanjavur1100AD
Sittannavasal Paintings
The technique used is known as fresco-secco, that is, painting done on dry wall.
In this process,the surface is first covered with lime plaster,then
coated with lime-wash and the painting done on it.
Mineral colours of permanent nature were employed for the painting.
The subjects of the Sittannavasal paintings include
the Samava-sarana of the Jaina mythology,
a few solo-pictures, that includes dancing damsels,
birds, floral decorations, and
various carpet canopy designs.
Sittannavasal Paintings
Originally the entire cave temple, excluding the floor, including the sculptures was covered with plaster and painted.
Only traces of these are now extant.
All these paintings, which would rank among the great
paintings of India, are barely visible now,
mainly due to vandalism with in the last 50-60 years.
Sittannavasal Paintings
But Jouveau Dubreuil and T.A. Gopinatha Rao brought it before the archaeological world in 1920.
This Jaina site and its paintings werefirst noticed by a local historian
S. Radhakrishna Iyer in 1916.
Sittannavasal Paintings
The layer of painting, which we see today and admire,
is probably the work of Ilan-Gautaman (9th century AD),
mentioned in the inscription.
In 1942, Dr. S. Paramasivan and K.R. Srinivasan found that there are two layers of paintings, an earlier and a later superimposed over the earlier one.
These are some of theearliest frescos in South India and
only example of early Jaina frescoes.
Sittannavasal Paintings
Ceiling of ardha-mandapam
On the ceiling of ardha-mandapam, canopies of floral pattern are painted over the two relief
images.
The samava-sarana composition
In Jainism, where worship of great souls occupies an important place, Tirthankara-s are the most venerated religious prophets.
One of the five important events in the life of a Tirthankara is the first sermon after attaining the kevala-jnana (realisation),
in a specially designed complex called Samava-sarana.
This Samava-sarana is a favourite motif
for representation in the Jaina temples.
Ceiling of ardha-mandapam
The scene painted in the ardha-mandapam is a lotus tank which is a part of the Samava-sarana complex.
It is the second region, called khatika-bhumi (region-of-the-tank).
Here, we see, the bhavya-s (the good ones), rejoice while washing themselves,
as they pass on from region to region in order to hear the discourse of the Lord
in the heavenly pavilion of Samava-sarana.
The samava-sarana composition
Ceiling of ardha-mandapam
This painting shows bhavya-s enjoying themselves in a pool, full of flowering lotuses.
Flowers with their stalks and leaves, various kinds of fishes frolicking, a makara (mythical fish), buffaloes, elephants and numerous birds are shown with simplicity, charm and naturalness.
The samava-sarana composition
Ceiling of ardha-mandapam
One is picking lotus flowers with his right hand and has a basket of flowers slung on the other.
The pose and expression of the bhavya-s shown in the picture have a charm and beauty, which compel attention.
The samava-sarana composition
Two of them are shown together in one part of the tank.
His companion carries a lotus in one hand, the other is bent gracefully, the fingers forming the mrigi-mudra (‘deer-gesture’).
The samava-sarana composition
The three figures are naked, except for their loin-cloths.
The hair is neatly arranged and the lobes of the ears are distended.
The third bhavya, an extremely beautiful figure,
carries a bunch of lotus over his left shoulder and lily over
his right.
The samava-sarana composition
The three figures are naked, except for their loin-cloths. The hair is neatly arranged and the lobes of the ears are distended.
The samava-sarana composition
The samava-sarana composition
Ceiling of ardha-mandapam
Pillars of ardha-mandapam
There were some exquisite paintings of dancing girls on the pillars.
These priceless treasures are now lost forever and only their outlines are traceable today.
These animated figures, with their broad hips, slender waists, and elaborate ornaments,
recall the beauty of the apsara-s of mythology; their pose and expression
suggest rhythm and dynamic movement.
These portraitures of dancers must rank as one among the best
in the whole of India.
One of them has her left arm stretched-out in lata-hasta pose and right arm bent at the elbow.
Pillars of ardha-mandapam
Her ears are adorned with olai (patra-kundala), rings set with gems, and her arms decked with bracelets and bangles.
The other is even more graceful. Her left arm stretched-in
lata-hasta pose, while her right arm is bent at the elbow.
The head-dress and the ornaments of this dancer are very distinct. The hair is decked with flower garlands.
Pillars of ardha-mandapam
There is also remnant of a painting of a royal couple, on the southern pillar.
Pillars of ardha-mandapam
There are paintings on the corbels, beam and cornice. On the corbel are scroll designs with lotuses.
Painted lotuses in different stages of flowering.
Cornice & beam of ardha-mandapam
In front of each of the two pillars are painted hamsa (mythical swan).
The painting on the cornice is made up of carpet designs with lotuses.
On the northern wallare the figures of fruits and flowers in yellow and red.
Cornice & beam of ardha-mandapam
Ceiling of garbha-griham
The painting above the three relief sculptures suggests a carpet, with striped borders and irregular squares and circles interlinked.
Within the squares are lotus flowers.
Inside the circles is a cross, with two human figures on upper side andtwo lion figures on the lower side of the horizontal arm.
EZHADIPPATTAM
Ezhadippattam
Ezhadipattam is the name given to a natural cavern where over more than a thousand years since 3rd century BC, Jaina ascetics practiced severest penance
such as Kayot-sarga (meditation-till-salvation-in-standing-pose) and sallekhana (fasting-unto-death).
A few hundred meters south of the cave-temple is the beginning of the path that leads to Ezhadippattam.
Ezhadippattam
The cavern is near the top of the centre of the hill,
on the eastern side. But the approach is from the west.
Originally this path to the cavern, along a narrow ledge was difficult and dangerous.
The Cavern
Ezhadippattam
Entry to the Cavern
The cavern is roomy but low. The floor is marked out into spaces
for seventeen beds, each with a sort of stone pillow.
They are highly polished.
The stone-beds
Most of the beds are inscribed. But all these inscriptions are barely visible now, due to vandalism within last 50-60 years.
One of the beds, the largest, is the oldest It contains an inscription in Tamil
in the Tamil Brahmi script of the 3rd century BC. This is one of the oldest lithic records of South India.
Inscriptions
It mentions that Ilaiyar of Tenku-ciru-posil made this seat for Kavuti born at Kumizhur in erumi-naadu (probably in Karnataka).
Inscriptions
Near other beds, names of other Jaina ascetics who practised
penance are inscribed.
There are a number of inscriptions belonging 7th to 10th
centuries AD.
There are a number of stone-beds and inscriptions around Ezhadippattam.
Ezhadippattam; stone beds & inscriptions nearby
There is also a passage to reach the hill through a very narrow cavern,
now under disuse.
NAVACH-CHUNAI
Navach-chunai
The pool takes its name from a naval-maram (Syzygium jambolanum) close by.
Jambunatha submerged cave temple
The sunai contains a submerged Pandya rock-cut shrine inside.
It contains a lingam in the centre and a narrow passage to walk around. The water is occasionally baled out, and the lingam is worshiped.
However, there is no clue as to why such temples were excavated at all.
MEGALITHIC BURIALS
Megalithic Burials
Certain typical modes of disposing the dead in the mega-lithic period
(3rd century BC to 1st century AD) are preserved in the Pudukkottai tract.
Excavations reveal three types of burials in Pudukkottai region:
• grave-burials, practised by poor people,
• urn-burials, in which the dead men were buried in a sitting posture in a large earthenware pot and
• burials in deep stone-chambers formed of stone slabs (cists).
Megalithic Burials
Quite a few burial sites are found in Sittannavasal
Megalithic BurialsLoosely called ‘dolmans’,
these are stone-capped burial monuments with chambers in stone.
Mudu-makkal-thazhi (‘burial-pots-of-the-old-people’) is the most widely used local name.
These are easily identifiable by the appearance of a circle of laterite or granite stones
and small boulders on the surface of the spot.
OTHER INTERESTING PLACES
Other places of interestAt the foothills of the hillock, on the western side,
are two temples in ruins.
One is dedicated to Siva and
another to a Goddess.
There are a few loose sculptures
near to these shrines.
These two temples have not been studied in detail yet.
Other places of interest
There are shrines for local deity, Ayyanar with the customary
terracotta sculptures of horses, etc. nearby.
The Sittannavasal Complex offers an opportunity to travel in time
from the 3rd century till modern times,and to savour certain unique features of our past.
Thank you
S. Swaminathan Kiran & Pandian
Sudharsanam,a centre for arts and culture,
Pudukkottai, Tamilnaduand the presenters acknowledge
their gratitude to the trustees.
This presentation is made possible by