Chidambaram. The abode of the Nataraja. THE temple in Shaivism. The gold plated temple.
Every one must have heard of Chidambaram in some form or another. We undertook a trip there, over the Republic day weekend, and boy was it fascinating! Not only did we go to Chidambaram(known also as Thillai), but also to Gangaikkonda Cholapuram. Veeranam lake, Senthamangalam, Poompuhar, Tranquebar, Thirukadaiyur, and Cuddalore.
On a cold chilly morning, six people were assembled in a van, waiting for three more to join them. They were going for a heritage trip, and were rearing to go. Soon, the other three joined them, and they picked up on more person on the way, before hitting the highway, and heading to breakfast.
On the way of course, as was the nature of the group, the topics discussed were this that and the other, ranging from the most mundane to the bonkiest bizzare.
Soon we reached our breakfast destination, and our breakfast was ordered, and eaten in record time. Bills duly paid and water bought, we got back into the van, and headed to our first stop, Senthamangalam.
Senthamangalam was the capital of the Kadavarayars, a clan that began as minor chieftains of a village in the reign of Kulothunga Chola II, with Kopperunjinga's grandfather, who gained prominence in the Chola court, at a time when the king's power was starting to fade. His son fought in Rajaraja II's campaigns, and his grandson, who was born into a very prosperous line of local rulers, found himself ruling an area in South Thondaimandalam, with his capital at Senthamangalam.
1204-05, the Pandya Maravarman Sundara Pandiyan captured Thanjavur, and invited Kulothunga III to rule as a subservient ruler. Kulothunga dies soon after, and his successor Rajaraja III comes to power, over a stretch of kingdom contained to the Chola's heartland in 1216 AD
Rajaraja III wants to regain the old extents of the empire, at least upto Nellore and Kanchi, his predecessors Northern limits, with most of the peninsula, except for the Cheras observing subserviency.
Alas for him, his first folly was sending an army to defeat the Pandyas. Maravarman soundly defeated it, and in his haste to escape from Gangaikondacholapuram, and join his ally the Hoysala(with whom the Cholas had marriage ties) he took just a few people with him. This allowed Kopperunjingan to surprise, ambush and take captive the Chola when he passed through his territory. Rajaraja now was confined to Senthamangalam.
The Hoysala ruler Narasimha swept down the country, and realising what had happened to Rajaraja, he started devastating the country. He even went as far as Rameswaram, and defeated Maravarman's successor.
Rajaraja was freed in due time, and Kopperunjingan was allowed to rule on as a vassal, but he was a vassal only in name, just like all the other kings swearing fealty to the Cholas at this point. The Hoysalas now took the stage, mediating between the Pandyas and Cholas, making sure neither got too powerful, and ensuring that both stayed within its control.
By 1279, Rajaraja's successor Rajendra III was dead, and the Chola line came to an end. The pandyas, under Jatavarman Sundara Pandiyan then controlled South India.
Source: Nilankanta Sastri's 'Chola'.
Every one must have heard of Chidambaram in some form or another. We undertook a trip there, over the Republic day weekend, and boy was it fascinating! Not only did we go to Chidambaram(known also as Thillai), but also to Gangaikkonda Cholapuram. Veeranam lake, Senthamangalam, Poompuhar, Tranquebar, Thirukadaiyur, and Cuddalore.
On a cold chilly morning, six people were assembled in a van, waiting for three more to join them. They were going for a heritage trip, and were rearing to go. Soon, the other three joined them, and they picked up on more person on the way, before hitting the highway, and heading to breakfast.
On the way of course, as was the nature of the group, the topics discussed were this that and the other, ranging from the most mundane to the bonkiest bizzare.
Soon we reached our breakfast destination, and our breakfast was ordered, and eaten in record time. Bills duly paid and water bought, we got back into the van, and headed to our first stop, Senthamangalam.
Senthamangalam was the capital of the Kadavarayars, a clan that began as minor chieftains of a village in the reign of Kulothunga Chola II, with Kopperunjinga's grandfather, who gained prominence in the Chola court, at a time when the king's power was starting to fade. His son fought in Rajaraja II's campaigns, and his grandson, who was born into a very prosperous line of local rulers, found himself ruling an area in South Thondaimandalam, with his capital at Senthamangalam.
1204-05, the Pandya Maravarman Sundara Pandiyan captured Thanjavur, and invited Kulothunga III to rule as a subservient ruler. Kulothunga dies soon after, and his successor Rajaraja III comes to power, over a stretch of kingdom contained to the Chola's heartland in 1216 AD
Rajaraja III wants to regain the old extents of the empire, at least upto Nellore and Kanchi, his predecessors Northern limits, with most of the peninsula, except for the Cheras observing subserviency.
Alas for him, his first folly was sending an army to defeat the Pandyas. Maravarman soundly defeated it, and in his haste to escape from Gangaikondacholapuram, and join his ally the Hoysala(with whom the Cholas had marriage ties) he took just a few people with him. This allowed Kopperunjingan to surprise, ambush and take captive the Chola when he passed through his territory. Rajaraja now was confined to Senthamangalam.
The Hoysala ruler Narasimha swept down the country, and realising what had happened to Rajaraja, he started devastating the country. He even went as far as Rameswaram, and defeated Maravarman's successor.
Rajaraja was freed in due time, and Kopperunjingan was allowed to rule on as a vassal, but he was a vassal only in name, just like all the other kings swearing fealty to the Cholas at this point. The Hoysalas now took the stage, mediating between the Pandyas and Cholas, making sure neither got too powerful, and ensuring that both stayed within its control.
By 1279, Rajaraja's successor Rajendra III was dead, and the Chola line came to an end. The pandyas, under Jatavarman Sundara Pandiyan then controlled South India.
Source: Nilankanta Sastri's 'Chola'.
Senthamangalam temple, with some fort walls
Koperunjingan(I and II) inscriptions-the only rulers to have carved here
A partial Telugu inscription
Inscriptions
Mandabam outside
A well with quite a bit of water.
Parts of the fort walls
A horse directly opposite the temple, on the other side of the tank. Fenced off, and overgrown.
There is a pair of them.
Location: Senthamangalam
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