We are currently looking at posts about the Tanjore trip. Next, let’s look at the twelfth page. Here in the glass box display are terracotta lamps , decorative pottery and decorative items made of rosewood. If we want to know about the antiquity of a country and its culture, we can know the antiquity of the country by looking at the remains of pots made of clay that can be excavated in that country.Carbon dating of pottery items mainly determine the age of a civilization.Thus terracotta items considered very important to know the culture of a country and their heritage and civilization.
Most items will decompose with the soil in a short period of time. But earthenware made of heated soil (terracotta) has the characteristic of not rotting with earth even for thousands of years. That is why these clay tiles help us to know the history of our ancestors.
I am proud to say that my ancestors who did the above historical profession were also pottery makers. Because these pottery plays a very important role in knowing the history.
Next, replicas of Chola period paintings are lined up here. Even though these paintings are a bit faded, they are very beautiful and unique. Why are these paintings seen by everyone as a surprise ? The reason is the Nayakas and Marathas painted their paintings on top of these Cholas during their rule. But these paintings still stand today and proclaim the painting knowledge of the Cholas to the world. I think we should find out who that Tamil scholar was who brought such a historic painting to light and thank him. This treasure is available to us only because of this admirable historian. These paintings and the artist are great surprises for us.
Adal Mangaiyar , musicians , alangu dog , wild boar and monkeys are all drawn in a sequence of these paintings. When we look at these, these paintings make it clear to us what kind of clothes and ornaments the people who lived in that time wore and how they used to keep guard dogs. The ornamental dog in this painting is also a reference to its use in wars during that time.
Next is a photograph of Karur Devar, Raja Raja Chola’s guru. He is a Siddhar who can time travel and also travel over the sky in seconds. There is also a story that when the Shiva lingam was placed in the great temple of Thanjavur, when th it was wobbly, he spat on it and fixed it.He had great spirutual and magical powers. There are many historical references about him. His portrait is also painted here.
Next the horses line up. These horse paintings tell us about their costumes and their existence during Chola rule.
There is a photograph of the special forces that protected the Chola kings and important representatives during that time. If we want to say more clearly about these special forces, then this servant force became a defense bulwark for the kings in those days just like the black cat security force for the Prime Ministers. In other words they were the Royal Body guards.Their photo is also placed here.
These bodyguards are dressed in very simple clothing. They wear a knife in their waist , a stick in their hand , a turban and a turban on their head , and wear clothes to act quickly in times of unexpected danger. They also have a custom of wearing Thiruneer on their foreheads and Kadukkan on their ears.
Next there are paintings showing the abhinayas of dancing maidens with their ornaments. But most of the photos and idols where the dancers are bare but when we read our Tamil literature, it says that women wear clothes to cover their breasts. I don’t know why temple sculptures and paintings show them without tops. It is also not known whether the cloth painted over it faded over time. I can post details about this only if I research it separately.
Here are a lot of photos of very old Chola period stone sculptures and sculptures. The Thirunageswaram temple stone sculptures , Fans made of feather being waved by women statues at Tarasuram, the elephant at Thirubhuvana , the lion yazhli sculpture block , and the beautiful Dakshanamurthy statue are also displayed here in photographs. There is a lot of information about the Cholas in this Tribhuvana. I intend to visit these places on my next trip.
The museum has many information boards with rare information about the Cholas. Let’s see them one by one.
There is an information board about the great battle of Koppam which exemplifies the bravery of the Cholas. This great battle of Koppam was in AD 1068 when the Chola king Rasathi Rasan I along with his younger brother Rajendra II invaded the Chalukya country and a great battle took place in the town of Koppam on the banks of the river Krishna. When Rasathi Rasan was leading his army and fighting valiantly on an elephant, the Chalukya soldiers rained arrows on the the elephant he was riding on. Rasathi Rasan was wounded in the chest and died sitting on an elephant. Seeing this, the Chola forces started to disperse and retreat.. In that situation, Rajendran II entered the battlefield on his royal elephant and raised an alarming voice, Anjel Anjel (Don’t be afraid), who fought many battles with his brother Rasathi Rasa and showed his bravery to the enemy nations, was crowned as the king in the battlefield itself. He instilled a sense of heroism in the Chola nation soldiers who had lost their king. Seeing the new emperor of the Chola country, the Chola soldiers once again fought with the Chalukyas and won a great victory. This was a great defeat for the Chalukyas.
Next to it was an information board explaining how the towns named after the kings originate and how over time the names changed to current form. In history, towns have been named after kings or awards. Over time, some become obsolete, some are given the same name, and some are given with a change with time.
Here there is an information board called Telugu Chola. Chola rule in Tamil Nadu did not last after the Sangam period due to the attack by Kalapiras etc. But the Cholas moved to Andhra and Karnataka and started ruling there. Thus the Cholas who went to the Andhra regions were called Telugu Cholas.
The museum also has references to the rule of Karikala Chola. He said that the rule of Karikala Chola was a monarchy and despite the fact that he had many countries under his management , he established friendly relations with all of them with great character.
He cut down the forests and converted them into land. He made the country prosperous by creating lakes and storing the flood water and making the lands fertile.History also says he won the war against Sri Lanka and captured 12000 people from there and built banks on both sides of Cauvery using the captured soldiers
Therefore, Karikalan has raised the banks of the Cauvery river by paving it and repairing its channel and increasing the wealth and pride of the country. It was Karikalan’s ancestors who invented and implemented the method of using monsoon wind to propel ships. Even till then the system of propulsion was followed by paddles. So sea trade started doing very well. This information board was placed to highlight this.
References have been made to Thalicherry maidens. At that time, they selected women who excelled in dance and Song and built houses for them and hired them permanently to conduct artistic programs in temples. They have spent their whole lives serving God and performing arts. At that time, Thalicherry women had great respect in people’s minds.
Next, the details of the forces that were the source of the Rasa Rasa were given. Details were given about the many sering forces/divisions managed and led by Rajaraja Chola such as the horsemen force known to Nigarili Chola therintha udanilai force , the elephant cavalry force known to Umudaya therintha Chola force , the Valangai infantry force known to Rajaraja. The information board mentioned that various types of Chola war implements like swords, gloves, knives, short swords, spears, bows, arrows and shields are located on Thanjavur Arms storage. But we don’t see it there. Check this out on your next trip. These tools have artistic design and symbols. The handles of the iron war tools are made with brass, copper, ivory and glass, and the war tools are further embellished and the war tools are decorated with artwork, which shows the artistic spirit of the ancient tamils and the spirit of supporting art.
A copy of one of the most important inscriptions of the Chola period, Raja Rajan I, which tells of the punishment given to those who killed his brother, and the details of who did the killing, is given. Ravi Dasan, Panchavan Brahmathirajan, the two younger brothers of Soman, who killed Adittha Karikalan, the brother of Rajaraja Chola I. Both Parameswaran and Irumudich Chola Brahmathirajan were sentenced. A direct order of the King was sent to the Oor Sabha (town council) asking that the properties of both of them and all their relatives should be confiscated and added to the government treasury. This was accomplished by the councilors of this town. It mentioned that the inscription is in the Vodiyar Gudi Anantigawam temple near Kattumannargudi in Cuddalore district.
Next details about Chola Pandyar are also mentioned. Although the Cholas subjugated the entire Pandyan country, the Pandyas continued to wage war from time to time. To avoid this, Rajendran I appointed his second son as the representative of the Pandya kingdom. Later, to appease the Pandya nadu Rajendra 1 gave the nickname Jatavarman to his son, which was actually the title of the Pandyans, and made him rule in the name of Chola Pandyan.
The Cholas were often involved in wars. It was customary for soldiers to fight only if wars were going on and to be active and valiant , and to cut lake ponds in times of non-war. The details of the kings who passed away during the Chola period were also clearly given.
Also details of Sangam Chola buildings at Poombukar (the original Poombukar is under water) such as water wells , boathouses , Buddhist monasteries , and underwater buildings are given. There is also a notice board about this. Check out these places on your next trip.
Next information about the Kongu Cholas is also mentioned. After conquering Kongu, Adittha Karikalan appointed representatives to rule the country under the Chola Empire. They eventually became a separate dynasty. They were later known as Kongu Cholas.
The most important painting on this page is that of Rajaraja Chola. It is the one of few picture that shows him
.It gives us a chance to know how this great man looked like,dressed like and the ornaments he wore.This museum highlights the valor and progressive thinking of the Cholas. We will move on to page 13, the last entry of this Tanjore trip.