A long name to chew on. But we had plenty of time, having to cut across the length of Kumbakonam(already a small town).
For the reader, let me break it down. Thiru(a title assigned to almost all temples) Vudai-Maru-Thur.(Pronunciation:Theeru Veedey Maroo Dhoor).
This is an ancient Chola temple built on 107 acres. Magnificent, right? Wrong! The authorities have had a field day removing all the inscriptions and some pillars, replacing them with modern...stuff from the 70's, when renovations took place.
Right now, the only reason we were going there was to see a lamp, burning out of Marathi love.
The Bhonsles were in Thanjavur, having ousted the Tanjavur Nayaks. Amar Singh, or Amarasimha, uncle to Serfoji II, will feature, but for now, we will settle for his son, Pratapasimha. Pratapasimha was to be married, engaged to a cousin. But soon before his wedding, he died of an illness. His fiancee then decided that even though they were not yet married, she would take on the duties of a widow. So she comissioned a 1000 lamps, to burn in perpetuity, in the temple which they patronised.
999 were made in a divine form. The 1000th lamp was made in her own form, to show her devotion to her God and to her husband to be. This is the only lamp left burning.
So said Pradeep Chakravarthy, in the van.
But this lamp's oil had gone cold, figuratively speaking. As we entered the temple, we noticed the grandeur of the place, but we were all busy following Pradeep. We were in three batches. The batch right ahead, even ahead of Pradeep, rushed on through, oblivious to everything, following his directions.Through a series of corridors, lined with an array of many eras of pillars, and modern paintings on the walls, Finally we reached a pair of wooden doors. But what is this! They were being shut! We ran forward, and squeezed our way through, I being in the middle group, with Pradeep, as the temple authority tried to push us back, shouting rudely. A few of us made it. The majority did not. Priya ran back, and coaxed and cajoled him to open it, but he insisted we had overshot the time. It was 12:05. The temple was apparently closed by 12. He told those of us who had gotten in, to take a side route and exit the temple premises.
Luckily that rushing, forward group had got to have a quick look at the deity before the last set of doors were closed to them and they were chased out.
We glumly walked by the side of the temple, leaving the premises.
Luckily, the next item on the agenda was a palace, with no opening or closing time - the palace of Amarasimha Bhonsle!
After our almost fruitless visit to the grand temple, we were in Thiruvudaimaruthur , and passing some old structures on the road. Balaji Thatha, who was sitting at the opposite window pointed out a building with intricate window lintels, with weeds spilling out of them. He said that he had been impressed by the structure. Simultaneously he asked Pradeep if we would be stopping there. Apparently that was the palace!
In 1792, the regent of Serfoji/Saraboji II, Amarasimha, declared himself Raja of Thanjavur. But in order to do this, he had to prove that Serfoji's adoption by his father, Thuljaji,(he was not the biological son of Amarasimha's half brother) was reason enough to prove that he was the true regent. Unfortunately, some of Serfoji's father's Ranis, including a very powerful one contested that, and with the help of a Christian missionary Schwartz who had happened to be a friend of theirs, (and who hoped to spread Christianity in the tiny state of Tanjore through this) they battled out Amarasimha's contention in court.
So that he could be the legitimate ruler, Amarasimha also locked up Serfoji in a small room, and starved him, in the hope that he would die. The Governor used this against him.
Amarasimha tried to bribe some priests, and present his case in Bengal, but the Governor General, Welleselly, the brother of the famous Duke of Wellington, had some Bengali pundits look into the matter, and they said that according to Hindu custom, an adopted son had equal claim to the throne as a biological one.
That more or less ended Amarasimha's suit, and in 1798, he was forced off the throne of Thanjavur, but Serfoji, feeling some pity, let his uncle rule as a regent in Thiruvidaimaruthur, with a court, which became a centre of art and learning, some poetry and music being composed here.
Now the palace lies in pieces. One section, the entrance, has been bought to be restored, and was where we entered from. The large portion abutting the road has been let out to shops, and the part of it that faces inward is not visited for fear of snakes. The centre has been demolished.
The temple: Thiruvudaimaruthur Mahalingaswami temple
After some time here, speaking to the caretakers and looking around, we headed off to a very late lunch in a village lefted from the 19th century which was to be our final stop: Sengalipuram!
For the reader, let me break it down. Thiru(a title assigned to almost all temples) Vudai-Maru-Thur.(Pronunciation:Theeru Veedey Maroo Dhoor).
This is an ancient Chola temple built on 107 acres. Magnificent, right? Wrong! The authorities have had a field day removing all the inscriptions and some pillars, replacing them with modern...stuff from the 70's, when renovations took place.
Right now, the only reason we were going there was to see a lamp, burning out of Marathi love.
The Bhonsles were in Thanjavur, having ousted the Tanjavur Nayaks. Amar Singh, or Amarasimha, uncle to Serfoji II, will feature, but for now, we will settle for his son, Pratapasimha. Pratapasimha was to be married, engaged to a cousin. But soon before his wedding, he died of an illness. His fiancee then decided that even though they were not yet married, she would take on the duties of a widow. So she comissioned a 1000 lamps, to burn in perpetuity, in the temple which they patronised.
999 were made in a divine form. The 1000th lamp was made in her own form, to show her devotion to her God and to her husband to be. This is the only lamp left burning.
So said Pradeep Chakravarthy, in the van.
But this lamp's oil had gone cold, figuratively speaking. As we entered the temple, we noticed the grandeur of the place, but we were all busy following Pradeep. We were in three batches. The batch right ahead, even ahead of Pradeep, rushed on through, oblivious to everything, following his directions.Through a series of corridors, lined with an array of many eras of pillars, and modern paintings on the walls, Finally we reached a pair of wooden doors. But what is this! They were being shut! We ran forward, and squeezed our way through, I being in the middle group, with Pradeep, as the temple authority tried to push us back, shouting rudely. A few of us made it. The majority did not. Priya ran back, and coaxed and cajoled him to open it, but he insisted we had overshot the time. It was 12:05. The temple was apparently closed by 12. He told those of us who had gotten in, to take a side route and exit the temple premises.
Luckily that rushing, forward group had got to have a quick look at the deity before the last set of doors were closed to them and they were chased out.
We glumly walked by the side of the temple, leaving the premises.
Luckily, the next item on the agenda was a palace, with no opening or closing time - the palace of Amarasimha Bhonsle!
After our almost fruitless visit to the grand temple, we were in Thiruvudaimaruthur , and passing some old structures on the road. Balaji Thatha, who was sitting at the opposite window pointed out a building with intricate window lintels, with weeds spilling out of them. He said that he had been impressed by the structure. Simultaneously he asked Pradeep if we would be stopping there. Apparently that was the palace!
In 1792, the regent of Serfoji/Saraboji II, Amarasimha, declared himself Raja of Thanjavur. But in order to do this, he had to prove that Serfoji's adoption by his father, Thuljaji,(he was not the biological son of Amarasimha's half brother) was reason enough to prove that he was the true regent. Unfortunately, some of Serfoji's father's Ranis, including a very powerful one contested that, and with the help of a Christian missionary Schwartz who had happened to be a friend of theirs, (and who hoped to spread Christianity in the tiny state of Tanjore through this) they battled out Amarasimha's contention in court.
So that he could be the legitimate ruler, Amarasimha also locked up Serfoji in a small room, and starved him, in the hope that he would die. The Governor used this against him.
Amarasimha tried to bribe some priests, and present his case in Bengal, but the Governor General, Welleselly, the brother of the famous Duke of Wellington, had some Bengali pundits look into the matter, and they said that according to Hindu custom, an adopted son had equal claim to the throne as a biological one.
That more or less ended Amarasimha's suit, and in 1798, he was forced off the throne of Thanjavur, but Serfoji, feeling some pity, let his uncle rule as a regent in Thiruvidaimaruthur, with a court, which became a centre of art and learning, some poetry and music being composed here.
Now the palace lies in pieces. One section, the entrance, has been bought to be restored, and was where we entered from. The large portion abutting the road has been let out to shops, and the part of it that faces inward is not visited for fear of snakes. The centre has been demolished.
The temple: Thiruvudaimaruthur Mahalingaswami temple
After some time here, speaking to the caretakers and looking around, we headed off to a very late lunch in a village lefted from the 19th century which was to be our final stop: Sengalipuram!
The entrance to the temple
Just inside the temple
The wall
Thiruvudaimaruthur palace
Palace windows from the road
Richly decorated windows
The palace
From the entrance
Inside the temple
A pano of the area enclosed within the walls of the palace, taken on the steps that lead to the terrace. The man in the dhoti, pointing, is the caretaker.
Nandan...This makes fascinating reading, but I think you should proof read before you post.
ReplyDeleteWill edit now!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed it totally. Balaji Thatha? What about you, of your title?
ReplyDeleteHa -- I thought you were going to break the name down and tell me the meaning!
ReplyDelete