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Rajaraja Cholan, The Great Chola King

Rajarajan constructed the Great Bragtheeswarar Temple at Thanjavur, his capital, remembering the pious religious works of his ancestor Parantaka I. The temple is a stupendous monument of the religious instinct of the sovereign. The king was ardent devotee of Lord Siva and was highly tolerant in matters of religion. Everybody received equal favour at his hands. he also granted large endowments to the Cudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam built by Sailendra king, Sri Mara Vijayatunga Varman.


As a worshiper of Sri Thyagaraja at Thiruvarur, the king heard the recital of the holy presence, that remained the current collection of the Thevaram hymns of Saint Sundarar, Thirunavukkarasar and Jnanasambandar. King concerned about the loss of priceless Saiva devotional treasure, and set out for their search.He sought Adi-Saiva Nambiandar-Nambi of Thirunaraiyar's help and discovered the collection of the Thevaram - Divine garland of hymns- in a room at the back of the Sri Nataraja's sanctum at the Chidambaram temple. At the instance of the king, Nambiandar-Nambi compiled them and Rajaraja arranged to have them sung in the Saiva shrines.

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'Chaste women of Madurai

Heroine of the story by Ilango Adigal' Cilapathikaram, the story of Jewelled Anklets, is rooted in the ordinary lives of the early Tamils of the Pandyan Kingdom in the first century A.D.

''Kovalan, the son of a wealthy merchant in Kavirippattinam, married Kannagi, the lovely daughter of another merchant. For some time they lived together happily, until, at a festival at the royal court, Kovalan met the dancer Madavi and fell in love with her. He bought her favours and in his infatuation forgot Kannagi and his home. Gradually he spent all his wealth on the dancer. At last he was penniless, and returned repentantly to his uncomplaining wife. Their only fortune was a precious pair of anklets, which she gave to him willingly. With these as their capital they decided to go to the great city of Madurai, where Kovalan hoped to recoup his fortunes by trade."

"On their arrival at Madurai they found shelter in a cottage, and Kovalan went to the market to sell one of Kannagi's anklets. But the queen of Nedunjeliyan, king of the Pandyas, had just been robbed of a similar anklet by a wicked court jeweller. The jeweller happened to see Kovalan with Kannagi's anklet, and immediately seized it and informed the King. Guards were sent to apprehend Kovalan, who was then killed on the King's orders. When the news was brought to Kannagi , she went out into the town,with her eyes ablaze with anger, carrying the remaining anklet in her hand as proof of her husband's innocence."


'Chaste women of Madurai, listen to me!
Today my sorrows cannot be matched.
Things which should never have happened have befallen me.
How can I bear this injustice?' ...

'All the folk of the rich city of Madurai
saw her, and were moved by her grief and affliction.
In wonder and sorrow they cried:
'Wrong that cannot be undone has been done to this lady!
"'Our King's straight sceptre is bent!
What can this mean?

Lost is the glory of the King Over Kings,
the Lord of the Umbrella and Spear!''
"'A new and a mighty goddess
has come before us,
in her hand a golden anklet!
What can this mean?

"'This woman afflicted and weeping
from her lovely dark-stained eyes
is as though filled with godhead!
What can this mean?'

"Thus, raising loud accusing voices,
the people of Madurai befriended and comforted her,
and among the tumultuous throng
some showed her her husband's body
"She, the golden vine, beheld him,
but her he could not see. ...

"Then the red-rayed sun folded his fiery arms
and hid behind the great mountain,
and the wide world
was veiled in darkness.
"But he saw not the agony of her grief
as she mourned in sorrow and wrath. ...

"Are there women here? Are there women
who could bear such wrong
done to their wedded lords?
Are there women here? Are there such women?

"Are there good men here ? Are there good men
who cherish their children
and guard them with care?
Are there men here? Are there such men?

"'Is there a god here? Is there a god
in this city of Madurai, where the sword of a king
has slain an innocent man?
Is there a god here? Is there a god?'

"Lamenting thus she clasped her husband's breast,
and it seemed that he rose to his feet and said,
'The full-moon of your face has faded,'
and he stroked her face with his hands.

She fell to the ground, sobbing and crying,
and clasped her Lord's feet with her bangled hands;
and he left behind his human form
and went, surrounded by the gods.

'I will not join my lord
till my great wrath is appeased!
I will see the cruel King,
and ask for his explanation!'
"And she stood on her feet,
her large eyes full of tears,
and, wiping her eyes,
she went to the gate of the palace.''

'Then came a cry from the gate:
'Ho, Gatekeeper! Ho, Gatekeeper!
Ho, Gatekeeper of the King who has lost wisdom,
whose evil heart has swerved from justice!!
Tell the King that a woman with an anklet,
an anklet from a pair of tinkling anklets,
a woman who has lost her husband,
is waiting at the gate.'

"And the gatekeeper went to the King and said:
'A woman waits at the gate.
She is not Korravai, goddess of victory,
with triumphant spear in her hand. ...
Filled with anger, boiling with rage,
a woman who has lost her husband,
an anklet of gold in her hand,
is waiting at the gate.' "

Kannagi was then admitted to the King's presence.

'Cruel King, this I must say. ...
'My Lord Kovalan came
to Madurai to earn wealth,
and today you have slain him
as he sold my anklet.'
'Lady,' said the King,
'it is kingly justice
to put to death
an arrant thief."'

Then Kannagi showed her anklet to the King.
On comparing it very carefully with the remaining anklet of the pair
belonging to the Queen, he realised that Kovalan had been innocent.

When he saw it the parasol fell from his head
and the sceptre trembled in his hand.
"'I am no king,' he said,
'who have heeded the words of the goldsmith.

"'I am the thief. For the first time
I have failed to protect my people.
Now may I die!'
[And he fell to the ground, dead.]

Kannagi said to the Queen:

"'If I have always been true to my husband
I will not suffer this city to flourish,
but I will destroy it as the King is destroyed!
Soon you will see that my words are true!'

"And with these words she left the palace,
and cried out through the city, ' Men and women
of great Madurai of the four temples,
listen! Listen you gods in heaven!

"'Listen to me, you holy sages!
I curse the capital of the King
who so cruelly wronged
my beloved lord!'

With her own hand she tore the left breast from her body.
Thrice she surveyed the city of Madurai,
calling her curse in bitter agony.
Then she flung her fair breast on the scented street. ...

"And the burning mouth of the Sire-god opened
as the gods who guarded the city closed their doors.
"The high priest, the astrologer and the judges,
the treasurer and the learned councillors,
the palace servants and the maids,
stood silent and still as painted pictures.

"The elephant-riders and horsemen,
the charioteers and the foot-soldiers
with their terrible swords, all fled from the fire
which raged at the gate of the royal palace. ...

"And the street of the sellers of grain,
the street of the chariots, with its bright-coloured garlands,
and the four quarters of the four classes
were filled with confusion and flamed like a forest on fire. ...

"In the street of the singing girls
where so often the tabor had sounded
with the sweet gentle flute and the tremulous harp .
the dancers, whose halls were destroyed, cried out:
Whence comes this woman! Whose daughter is she?
A single woman, who has lost her husband,
has conquered the evil King with her anklet,
and has destroyed our city with fire!'"


At last the patron goddess of the city interceded with Kannagi, and she agreed to withdraw her curse, and the fire abated. Weak with loss of blood from her self-amputated breast, Kannagi struggled to a hill outside the city, where after a few days she died, and was reunited with Kovalan in Heaven. Meanwhile the news of her death spread throughout the Tamil Land. She was deified, temples were raised and festivals held in her honour, and she became the patron goddess of wifely loyalty and chastity.''

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STILL HE IS A YOUNG MAN

Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabhudin Adbul Kalam, was born on the 15th October, 1931, at Rameshwaram in TamilNadu. He did his B.Sc. at the St. Joseph's College, Tiruchi, and DMIT in Aeronautical Engineering at the MIT, Madras, during 1954-57. He joined the DRDO in 1958. During 1963-82, he served the ISRO in various capacities.

As Project Director, SLV-3, he was responsible for carrying out design, development, qualification and flight testing of 44 major sub systems. In 1982, as Director, DRDO, was entrusted with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. He conceived the programme cnstituting 5 major projects for meeting the requirements of the defence services and for establishing re-entry technology.

The development and successful flight test of Prithvi, Trishul, Akash, Nag, and Agni established the indigeneous capability towards self reliance in defence preparedness. The successful launching of 'Agni' surface-to-surface missile is a unique achievement which made India a member of an exclusive club of highly developed countries. Thus, through SLV and Guided Missile Programme a solid foundation has been created in the indigeneous testing and development of high technology Aerospace Projects.

An Advanced Technology Research Centre, called Research Centre Imarat has also been established by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as an extension of DRDL to undertake development in futuristic missile technology areas. He has also established a unique 3 tier management structure to integrate and commit technologists, academic institutions, Industries etc. As a crowing glory to all his achievements, he was appointed Scientific Advisor to Raksha Manthri and Secretary, Dept. of Defence Research and Development.

He is a member of Indian National Academy of Sciences, Astronautical Society of India and many other professional bodies. He has published two books.

Awards He has been Awarded with the India's Highest civilian Award "The Bharat Ratna" in 1997.
Starting with Anna University's first D.Sc., Honoris Causa, he has received many such including the one given by IIT, Bombay, BHU and others.
Other prestigious awards include Dr.Biren Roy Space Award, Om Prakash Basin Award for Science and Technology, National Nehru Award, Arya Bhatta Award.
Dr. Abdul kalam, is praised as a welder of people and a Gandhian Missile Man by R.K. Laxman, in his cartoon in "Times of India."
As a humanitarian and with his extreme simplicity, easy access, he has become a National Hero. He loves Tamil poetry and is interested in carnatic music. He has himself written poems in Tamil. He adores his Gurus of MIT and cherishes his education and training at MIT.

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Kodi Kaththa Kumaran - Kumaran who saved the Flag.

Tiruppur Kumaran (1904 - 1932) was an Indian revolutionary, who participated in the Indian independence movement. Kumaran was born in a small village in the Tamil Nadu region of south India. Kumaran died from injuries sustained from a Police assault during a protest march against the British colonial government. Kumaran died holding the flag of the Indian Nationalists, which had been banned by the British.

Kumaran is revered as a martyr in Tamil Nadu and is known by the epithet Kodi Kaththa Kumaran - Kumaran who saved the Flag.

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DR. SARVAPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN

r. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September, 1888 in Tirutani, a well-known religious center in the Madras State. He was the second son of Veera Samayya, a tehsildar in a zamindari. It was a middle-class, respectable Hindu Brahmin family. Indeed, the place, the time and the family were most suitable, from every point of view, for the advent of a new philosopher-statesman, so directly needed in those turbulent days of the awakening of a very ancient and glorious nation, drowsy and dormant in its own ignorance and indolence, for reasons well known to all.

As usual in those days, Radhakrishnan was married in 1906, at the tender age of 18 and while still a student, to Sivakamamma, and spent a happy conjugal life with her for half a century before she died in 1956.

Bright and brilliant, with a scholarly disposition and a serene and saintly demeanor, from the very beginning, Radhakrishnan spent the first eight years of his life happily and fruitfully in his home town with his parents.The peaceful and exhilarating atmosphere of that well-known and well-loved place, as well as the benign influence of his parents who, as was common in the South, were intensely religious in the traditional sense, went far in moulding his character and sowing a lively seed of religiousness and moralism in him.

It was, indeed, an indubitably significant fact that Radhakrishnan's parents, though orthodox, thought it fit to send their beloved son to Christian Missionary schools and colleges: Lutheran Mission School, Tirupathi (1896-1900), Vellore College, Vellore (1900-1904), Madras Christian College (1904-1908).

The wonderful far-sightedness, open-heartedness and broad-mindedness of his revered and beloved parents, which enabled them, in those days of blind prejudices and equally blind social taboos, to send their son to well-known, well-managed, well-disciplined Christian educational institutions - stood him in good stead throughout, making it possible for him to acquire specially Occidental qualities like a sense of duty, punctuality, discipline, sobriety and the like, together with specially Oriental qualities of religiosity, calmness, patience, faith in God and men.

Radhakrishnan's choice of Philosophy as his main or Honours subject in his B.A. degree course was due to a very fortunate accident. At that time, he was really rather baffled as to what particular Honours subject to choose from amongst the possible five, viz., Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Philosophy and History. Then, purely accidentally, and out of a mere boyish curiosity, he read three well-known works on Philosophy, passed on to him by one of his cousins who had that year obtained the B.A. degree with Philosophy Honours; and that definitely decided his future course of studies.

He studied Sanskrit and Hindi also; and had a good deal of interest in the traditional languages of India. He read also the Vedas and the Upanishads with great care and reverence.

In fact, Radhakrishnan was, and is, still today, a reader and a digester in the true sense of the terms. For, what he read - and he read widely and lovingly all kinds of good books - did not remain an external acquisition, an ornamental decoration, with him; but blossomed forth in him in fullest glory and grandeur.

It is not always that in this strange world of ours inner worth is accompanied by outer success. But Radhakrishnan is a glorious exception in this regard. For, all throughout his brilliant career, honour after honour was showered on him. The following are some of the main posts held by him most fittingly and efficiently: Lecturer in Philosophy, Presidency College, Madras, in the Madras Provincial Educational Service, after graduation; Assistant Professor of Philosophy in the same College for five years; Professor of Philosophy, Mysore University (1918-1921); King George V Professor of Philosophy, Calcutta University (1921-1931) and again (1937-1944); Vice-Chancellor of the Andhra University (1931); Spaulding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics, Oxford University (1932-1953) - first Indian to be so appointed; and Vice-Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University (1942). Among the cultural posts held by him may be mentioned: Leader of the Indian Delegation to UNESCO many times (1946-1950); Chairman of the University Education Commission (1948) appointed by the Government of India; Chairman of the Executive Board of UNESCO (1948); President of UNESCO (1952); Delegate to the P.E.N. Congress (1959); Vice President of International P.E.N.; Honorary Fellow of the British Academy (1962); Representative of the Calcutta University at the Congress of Philosophy, Harvard University, U.S.A. (May 1962).

Among the political posts held by him may be mentioned: Ambassador-Extraordinary and Minister-Plenipotentiary to the U.S.S.R. (1949-1952),Vice-President of India (twice: 1952-1956 and 1957-1962); and President of India (1962-1966).

Among the Lectureships held may be noted: Upton Lecturer, Manchester College, Oxford; Harwell Lecturer in Comparative Religion, University of Chicago; Hibbert Lecturer, University College, London and Manchester (1929).

Among the Honorary degrees and distinctions achieved were: Knighthood (1931); Honorary D. Ph. (Teheran University, 1963); Honorary D.Litt. (Tribhuvan University, Nepal, 1963); Honorary Doctor of Law (Pennsylvania University, 1963); Honorary Ph.D. (Moscow University, 1964); Honorary Doctor of Law (National University of Ireland, 1964); over one hundred Honorary degrees including those from Oxford, Cambridge and Rome Universities; Honorary Member of the Order of Merit, Buckingham Palace (12 June, 1963). He also made Goodwill tours to Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and China (September-October 1956); to Belgium, Poland, Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, Hungary and Bulgaria, African countries like East and Central Africa (June-July 1956); to Indo-China States, China, Mongolia and Hong Kong (September, 1957). He also paid State visits to Great Britain (June 1963), to Nepal (November 1963) and to U.S.S.R. and Ireland (September 1964).

Radhakrishnan was, and still is, one of the most celebrated writers of the present generation. His works are many and varied on philosophical, theological, ethical, educational, social and cultural subjects. He contributed also numerous articles to different well-known journals, which too, will prove to be of immense value to generations to come.

But what is most felt after reading any of his valuable works or articles is its wonderful liveliness. Truly, his articles are not merely outer expressions of his inner thoughts, but, what is more, infinitely more, emblems and embodiments of his very life - life that merrily dances forth in the fortuitous, zig-zag way of the world, removing all its obstacles in its own inner irresistible urge and boundless boldness. Hence, it is that his works, written in an incredibly simple, sublime, soft and serene way, are so very enchanting, enlivening, exhilarating to all. As a matter of fact, as is well known, it is very difficult to express very abstract and abstruse philosophical thoughts in easily intelligible and enchantingly sweet language. But Dr. Radhakrishnan, like the great and revered Rabindranath, is one of the few who could accomplish this apparently impossible feat. That is why his philosophical writings are not ordinary scholarly dissertations, but also melodious poetical perfections of great and permanent value.

His first book, 'The Ethics of the Vedanta and Its Material Presupposition', being his thesis for the M.A. degree examination of the Madras University, published in 1908, at the tender age of twenty only, at once established his fame as a great philosophical writer of undoubted ability. All his later works are landmarks in their respective fields, like 'The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore' (1918), 'Idealistic View of Life' (1932), 'Eastern Religions and Western Thought', 'Reign of Philosophy in Contemporary Thought', Kalki or The Future of Civilization', 'Indian Philosophy (2 vols.), etc.

Dynamic in personality, quiet in demeanor, austere in habits, unostentatious in behaviour, just in decision, prompt in action, simple in his dress, sympathetic in his dealings - such is our revered Dr. Radhakrishnan. He is a living, loving symbol and lovely emblem of our age-old Indian culture and civilization. Nothing much need be said here regarding his ideas and attitude towards different issues. For, the central refrain of his Life's Music reverberates through every walk of his blessed life. That is why he is a Monist in Philosophy, believing in one Reality, viz., Spirit; a Monotheist in Religion, believing in one God; an Eudemonist or Perfectionist in Ethics, believing in inner perfection as the summum bonum or the highest end of life; a Socialist in Politics, believing in mass or universal uplift. His whole glorious life proves anew the eternal truth of that well-known Platonic maxim, viz., "Those States only flourish where kings are philosophers, philosophers, kings" (Plato's Republic).

Radhakrishnan is considered as the greatest living philosopher of India, and one of the greatest living philosophers of the world. In 1952 the Library of Living Philosophers, an institute of world-wide repute, brought out a massive volume on 'The Philosophy of Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, devoted wholly to a critical appreciation of his philosophical doctrines. This proves beyond doubt that he is universally considered to be one amongst the most notable of modern philosophical luminaries, like G.F. Moore, Bertrand Russell and Karl Jaspers, about whose works also the above Library published separate volumes.

According to our Indian view, the highest aim of human life is to be, step by step, a 'Brahmachari' (or one who lives and moves about and believes in Brahman), a 'Brahmajnani' (or one who knows Brahman or the Absolute) and finally, a 'Brahmavadin' (or one who speaks or writes about Brahman or the Absolute). Here, we find Knowing, Doing and Speaking or Writing all go together; or, are intimately, intrinsically, indissolubly connected. Thus, Theory must end and fructify in Practice, Knowledge in Action, Philosophy in Ethics - in short, the root in the fruit. Dr. Radhakrishnan - himself a real 'Brahmachari', a real 'Brahmajnani' - subscribed to this theory all along. In his very first work, 'The Ethics of the Vedanta and Its Material Presupposition', published as early as 1908, he clearly and forcefully asserts this. Compare - "Philosophy in India is not an abstract study, remote from the life of man…. The Civilisation of India is an effort to embody philosophical wisdom in social life".

Dr. Radhakrishnan is, indeed, a versatile genius - a great scholar, a great philosopher, a great seer, a great writer, a great orator, a great statesman, a great administrator, all combined.

And above all, he is a Man - a full real Man, who has always lived men, served men, worshipped men, not as a superior being, not as a superman; but only as a Man, as their fellow being, as their friends, as their nearest and dearest one.

Jawaharlal Nehru, who was one of his closest friends throughout, said about Radhakrishnan: "I join you in paying my tribute to our President, Dr. Radhakrishnan. He has served his country in many capacities. But above all, he is a great Teacher from whom all of us have learnt much and will continue to learn. It is India's peculiar privilege to have a great philosopher, a great educationist and a great humanist as her President. That in itself shows the kind of men we honour and respect".

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Sri Ramanuja and the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya

When the religion of the Vedas became weakened due to the influence of less intelligent men who blindly performed ritualistic ceremonies and wantonly killed animals in the name of Vedic injunctions, Buddha appeared on the scene as a great reformer. Totally rejecting the Vedic literatures and substituting his rational, atheistic views, Buddha advocated the path of ahimsa —nonviolence and nirvana —the negation of reality as we know it— as the ultimate goal of life. Soon after, the philosophy of Shankaracarya overpowered Buddhism and spread throughout India.

The authority of the Upanishads and other Vedic literatures were revived by Shankara and employed as weapons to fight the Buddhist doctrine. Interpreting the Vedas to draw a particular conclusion, Shankara established the doctrine of non-dualism, adwaita-vedanta, stating that all living entities were on an equal level with God. He prominently stressed those texts which afforded an answer to the rationalistic atheism of the Buddhists, yet the teachings of Shankara were also not wholly theistic, and thus a further unveiling of the ultimate reality was destined. That destiny was fulfilled through Sri Ramanujacharya.

Ramanuja was born in India during the year 1017 A.D. when, according to astrological calculations, the sun was in the zodiacal sign of Cancer. His parents were Asuri Kesava and Kantimati, both from aristocratic families. Ramanuja passed his childhood days in Sriperumbudur, the village of his birth. At the age of 16 he was married to Rakshakambal.

Only four months after his wedding, Ramanuja's father was struck with a severe illness and died. Upon the death of his father, Ramanuja became head of the household and decided to move to Kanchi, a holy city famed for its scholars and magnificent temples.

In Kanchi there lived a scholar named Yadava Prakash, who was renowned for his scholarship in the doctrine of adwaita-vedanta, non-dualism. No one could surpass Yadava in his ability to explain Shankara's commentaries on Vedanta-sutra. Ramanuja enrolled in Yadava's school and engaged in the study of Sanskrit and Vedic literature. Although not at all convinced by the Shankarite conception, Ramanuja learned his lessons well and soon became one of Yadava's favorite students. Thinking Ramanuja to be a sincere follower of the conclusions of Shankara, Yadava showed Ramanuja special affection. But that affection did not last for long.

One day, after delivering a discourse on the Chandogya Upanishad, Yadava asked Ramanuja to massage his body with oil, as was the customary service to be performed by a student in those days. While giving the massage to his teacher, another student came to Yadava for some clarification on a point from the morning discourse. The boy had failed to grasp the meaning of the seventh verse of the first chapter, which began with tasya yatha kapyasam pundarikam evam akshini. Yadava proceeded to expound an interpretation which described the sublime qualities of the Godhead in a manner which was flagrantly objectionable. On hearing the words of his teacher, the heart of Ramanuja, which was full of love for the Supreme Godhead, was saddened, and hot tears streamed down from his eyes and fell on the thigh of Yadava. Looking up at the touch of the hot tears, Yadava could understand that something was troubling Ramanuja. When he inquired about Ramanuja's distress, Ramanuja replied, "O great and wise master, I have been sorely afflicted at heart to hear such an unbecoming explanation from a noble soul like you. How sinful it is of you to debase the Supreme, who is endowed with all gracious qualities and who is the source of all beautiful things in this world. From the mouth of such a learned man as yourself I would never have expected such a low and deceitful interpretation!"

Yadava became so angry that he could hardly control himself. "Well then," he scorned, "maybe you would like to give your own interpretation since you obviously think you know better than I!"

In a very gentle voice Ramanuja replied, "Revered sir, there is no need to give a low-minded interpretation to the verse when the real meaning is direct and glorious."

"Then let us hear this meaning of yours which is so glorious!" said Yadava. Ramanuja then stood and with great humility recited the meaning of the verse. "The two eyes of the Supreme are as lovely as two lotuses that are blossomed by the rays of the sun."

"I see," said Yadava. "You speak as though there actually was such a 'Supreme Person.' That is due to your childish ignorance. You have not learned your lessons properly. You should always remember that the Supreme is without form, without name, and without attributes. That is the teaching of the great Shankara. In the future you should not voice your foolish sentiments!" The words of Yadava were painful to Ramanuja's ears, but out of respect for his teacher he remained silent.

A few days later a second incident occurred. While explaining a verse from the Taittiriya Upanishad beginning with satyam jnanam anantam brahma, Yadava said that Brahman was intelligence, truth, and the infinite. Hearing this explanation, Ramanuja politely added, "Brahman is endowed with the qualities of intelligence, truth, and the infinite— this means that He is not covered by ignorance as are ordinary living entities, He is never untruthful, and His energies are unlimited, not limited. The Supreme Brahman is the reservoir of all good qualities, yet He is superior to those qualities, as the sun globe is superior to sunlight."

The agitation which Yadava felt within his mind made his voice tremble. "You young fool!" he shouted. "Your conclusions do not agree with those of Shankara or any of the previous masters! If you are going to persist with this useless talk about a personal God, why come here at all simply to waste my time? Why don't you start your own school and teach whatever you like? Now get out of my classroom immediately!"

As Ramanuja rose from his seat and quietly left the room, Yadava began to reflect, "This Ramanuja is not an ordinary boy. If he starts his own school, the philosophy of devotion might become a threat to the philosophy of non-dualism. For the sake of preserving our doctrine, this fool should be killed!"

Shortly thereafter, Ramanuja opened a small school at his home, and in no time many people began to come to him to hear his devotional discourses. Ramanuja's lectures were wholly theistic. He rejected the concept that the jiva, a living entity, could be equal to the Supreme Brahman or become God as postulated by Shankara. The living entity, Ramanuja taught, is a particle of Godhead, and as such, his position is to serve the complete whole. He said that as the hand is part of the body and thus a servant of the body, similarly the living entity is part of the Supreme and thus his constitutional position is to serve the Supreme.

Ramanuja's philosophy became known as visishtadwaita or qualified non-dualism. Accordingly, the living entities are believed to be qualitatively one with the Supreme and at the same time quantitatively different. Ramanuja's assertion was that the quantitative difference means that the fragmentary parts of the Supreme are dependent on the Supreme but they cannot become the Supreme.

The philosophy of Shankara stated that everything is Brahman and Brahman itself is absolutely homogeneous, undifferentiated, and without personality; individuality arose only due to illusion or maya. But this concept was staunchly opposed by Ramanuja. His philosophy stated that there can never be knowledge of an unqualified object; knowledge necessarily points to an object as characterized in some way. Ramanuja never admitted to an attributeless, undifferentiated Brahman, but rather a Brahman which is an attribute of a greater reality: Godhead Himself. He reasoned that as the living entities are individual personalities, so too is the Supreme also a personality—the Ultimate Personality.

Ramanuja further reasoned that if illusion could cover the identity of the Supreme, then illusion was greater than Godhead. Therefore he asserted that we are eternally individual personalities and the Supreme is eternally the Supreme Personality, but due to our finite nature we are sometimes subject to illusion.

Ramanuja also accepted the theory of transformation rejected by Shankara. According to Shankara the material world is false; it has no existence. Ramanuja, on the other hand, said that the material world is the energy of Godhead, and the subjective reality does not undergo any change of substance in the matter of material manifestation in the same way that a singer who creates a song out of his own energy is not diminished due to his creation; rather, he becomes more glorious.

Neither the material world nor the living entities are conceived of as being independent of the Supreme Personality in the system of visishtadwaita philosophy. The living entities are a different manifestation of the Supreme due to their being endowed with free will, whereas the material energy is manifest directly under the will of the Supreme. The free will of the living entity is an all-important factor, since that free will is considered to be the basic principle of reciprocal relations between Godhead and the living entity.

Ramanuja presented the living entities' relationship with Godhead as being one of eternal service. According to Ramanuja, when the living entities are freed from the illusions produced by the material energy by the method of devotion and natural love of God-like the dealings between an affectionate servant and his master—then the soul enters the spiritual sky known as Vaikuntha. Once having reached the Vaikuntha world, the soul engages in eternal service to the Supreme Person, Narayana (Vishnu). This sublime message was daily imparted by Ramanuja to his listeners.

Seeing the growing popularity of Ramanuja and the influence which he had on the people of Kanchi, the proud and arrogant Yadava Prakash became restless. Gathering his faithful students by his side, Yadava said, "This impudent Ramanuja is a heretic! He is a nuisance to society and a threat to our doctrines of non-dualism. I can see no other solution to the problem than to kill this rascal! What do you say?" Yadava's disciples were in complete agreement with their teacher since they too were envious of Ramanuja. Thus they devised a plan to kill him.

On the plea of worshiping the sacred river Ganges, Yadava and his disciples made arrangements for a pilgrimage to Banaras and asked Ramanuja if he would like to join them. Unsuspecting of their treacherous plan, Ramanuja accepted the invitation. As the group was about to depart, Ramanuja requested his cousin Govinda to accompany him. On the fourth day of their journey, Govinda was taken into confidence by some of Yadava's younger students who disclosed the plan to kill Ramanuja.

Shocked at the evil intentions of Yadava and his followers, Govinda took Ramanuja to a secluded place in the forest and informed him of the danger. Govinda requested Ramanuja to flee into the forest immediately before it was too late.

Govinda then returned to the camp and told the others that while he and Ramanuja were looking for wild berries in the forest, a tiger had pounced upon Ramanuja and dragged his helpless body away. Outwardly Yadava and his disciples displayed symptoms of sorrow, but inwardly their hearts leaped with joy. Ramanuja was now gone from their lives forever. Or so they thought.

While wandering across the countryside trying to find his way home, Ramanuja came to a well where a man and woman were busy drawing water to take to their village. The couple offered Ramanuja a cup of water to relieve his thirst. After drinking, Ramanuja laid down to rest and fell into a dreamful sleep. He dreamt that while walking in the forest he saw the incarnation of Godhead Ramachandra and His consort Sitadevi, who showed him the way to his village. When Ramanuja awoke from his dream, the man and woman at the well were gone. As he looked around he saw that he was now on the outskirts of Kanchi. How he had gotten there he could not ascertain, save and except that it was by a miracle.

Ramanuja resumed his normal life at Kanchi and did not reveal to anyone that his life had been in danger. Several months passed until one day, Yadava and his disciples finally returned to Kanchi after completing their pilgrimage. They were staggered at the sight of Ramanuja-alive and conducting his school as usual. Thinking that their plan might have been discovered, they became fearful and abandoned any further plans to kill Ramanuja.

The fame of Ramanuja continued to spread far and wide. One day as Ramanuja sat in the solitude of his study, a venerable saint named Yamunacharya came to his door for alms. Extending his full courtesy, Ramanuja welcomed the saint into his home. Ramanuja learned that Yamuna was from Sri Rangam, the famous temple of Vishnu. In the course of their discussion, Ramanuja soon realized that Yamunacharya was a qualified spiritual master of the science of devotion. Overwhelmed with ecstasy and jubilation, Ramanuja fell at his feet and asked to be accepted as his disciple.

Yamuna instantly raised Ramanuja up from the floor, and embracing him with deep love, said, "My child, I am blessed today by seeing your devotion to God. May you live a long and fruitful life always being intent in the service of Narayana, the Personality of Godhead." Ramanuja then circumambulated his guru to invoke auspiciousness, and Yamuna left for Sri Rangam.

Now more than ever, Ramanuja preached the doctrine of devotion with strength and conviction. So convincing was Ramanuja in his presentation that even Yadava Prakash and his followers surrendered and became the disciples of Ramanuja.

Then one day, a messenger came from Sri Rangam and informed Ramanuja that his guru was ill and on the verge of death. Ramanuja immediately departed for Sri Rangam, but was not able to reach there in time. Shortly before Ramanuja arrived, Yamuna left his body and entered the blissful realm of Vaikuntha.

Crossing the river Kaveri, Ramanuja reached the island on which the temple of Sri Rangam was located, and went directly to the place where his guru was lying. Surrounded by a group of his disciples, Yamuna laid on a bed with his eyes closed, his arms outstretched at his sides, and his face shining as if immersed in thoughts of infinite beauty.

Momentarily, everyone's attention focused on Ramanuja as he entered the room and came to sit by the side of his guru. Tears of love filled his eyes and he wept, his heart feeling great separation from his master. The left hand of Yamuna was poised in the yoga posture for peace, with three fingers extended and the thumb and forefinger joined together at the tips. His right hand, however, was at his side but clenched into a fist. All the disciples were struck with wonder about the position of their guru's right hand, and none of them could understand the meaning. As everyone looked on in wonder, Ramanuja broke the silence by declaring, "Our guru, the revered Yamunacharya, has three desires that he wishes to be fulfilled. I will protect the people in general who are deluded by impersonalism by bestowing upon them the nectar of surrender at the lotus feet of Narayana."

As Ramanuja spoke, one of the fingers on Yamuna's right hand extended outward. Then Ramanuja said, "For the well-being of the people of the world, I will prepare a commentary on the Vedanta-sutra which will establish the Supreme Person as the ultimate reality." At this, a second finger extended, and Ramanuja continued speaking. "And in order to honor Parasara Muni, who in ancient times established the relation between jivas, living entities, and Iswara, the Supreme Person, I shall name one of my disciples who is greatly learned and devoted after him."

Ramanuja then became silent and the third finger on the right hand of Yamuna extended. Everyone present was amazed to see this miracle, and from that day on they all accepted Ramanuja as their leader and guide. Ramanuja continued to live at Sri Rangam for the remainder of his life and in due course all three vows were fulfilled by him.

Although he lived for many years as a successful householder, Ramanuja was destined to accept the path of renunciation. Eventually he took up the renounced order of life, sannyasa, by going before the deity in the temple and praying to be exclusively engaged in the service of Godhead. From that day forward Ramanuja always wore tilok —the symbol of Narayana— on his forehead, dressed in saffron cloth, and carried the renunciate's three-sectioned staff, which signified service to God by body, mind, and words.

So powerful was Ramanuja that the philosophers of non-dualism soon found it difficult to maintain their position in any kingdom. Ramanuja established the tenets of devotion so firmly that none could oppose him. Many great and learned scholars came to hear him speak and became his disciples.

Feeling oppressed by the growing popularity of devotion, a certain group of impersonalists went to see the Chola king, Krimikantha, at Kanchi. Bowing humbly before the king, who was himself an impersonalist, they asked him to do something to stop Ramanuja. After some discussion it was decided that the king would invite Ramanuja to take part in a philosophical debate at the palace. Thus the king's messengers were sent to Sri Rangam to fetch Ramanuja. The king had it in mind to convert Ramanuja —by force if necessary. Once Ramanuja had been indoctrinated, he thought, then everyone in his kingdom would return to the fold of Shankara.

After meeting with the king's messengers at Sri Rangam, Ramanuja prepared to go to Kanchi. However Kuresh, a wise disciple of Ramanuja, did not trust the intentions of the king, and pleaded with his guru to allow him to go in his place. Kuresh insisted, and Ramanuja had to submit. Kuresh then dressed in the saffron robes of his guru and appeared before the messengers with staff in hand. Thinking Kuresh to be Ramanuja they started for Kanchi. Meanwhile, dressed in white robes, Ramanuja remained behind.

When Kuresh reached the palace, King Krimikantha greeted him with respect, thinking him to be Ramanuja. But later, when Kuresh refused to be intimidated by the behavior of the king, Krimikantha, in a mad rage, ordered his soldiers to arrest Kuresh and burn his eyes out. The king's men took Kuresh to a prison, and after blinding him, released him in the forest. During the entire horrifying experience Kuresh never once protested. He found strength within knowing that his guru was safe.

With the help of some people from Kanchi who were appalled by the action of the king, Kuresh was able to rejoin his guru at Sri Rangam. Within a matter of days after committing that grave offense against Kuresh, King Krimikantha was stricken with an incurable disease and died a miserable death.

At Sri Rangam, Ramanuja took Kuresh before the deity of Narayana, and with fervent prayers asked the deity to restore his sight. "O master of the universe, You are the protector and well-wisher of Your devotees. Kindly be merciful and renew the eyes of Kuresh, who without protest has made the supreme sacrifice." At that very moment Kuresh felt a gentle breeze blow across his brow and he immediately regained his sight.

Ramanuja continued living at Sri Rangam, serving the Deity of Narayana and imparting enlightenment to whoever came to him until he was 120 years old. One day while worshiping the Deity, he prayed, "Dear God, whatever I could do to preserve the essence of the Vedas, to uplift the fallen souls, and to establish the shelter of Your lotus feet as the supreme goal in life, I have done. Now my body has grown tired after many years in this world. Kindly allow me to depart from this mortal world and enter Your supreme abode."

With this prayer Ramanuja returned to the assembly of his disciples and announced his desire to depart from this world. Thrown into an ocean of grief, the disciples clasped the feet of their guru and petitioned him to remain with them. "It is unbearable for us to conceive of the disappearance of your divine form, which is the supreme purifier, the abode of all that is good, the destroyer of all afflictions, and the fountain of unlimited joy. Out of pity for your children, please stay with us for some time longer."

Ramanuja remained on Earth for three more days. To appease their afflicted hearts, Ramanuja spoke his last instructions to those who were most near and dear to him. "Always remain in the company of and serve those souls devoted to Godhead just as you would serve your own spiritual preceptor. Have faith in the teachings of the Vedas and in the words of the great saints. Never become the slave of your senses; always strive to conquer the three great enemies of self-realization: lust, anger, and greed. Worship Narayana and take pleasure in uttering the holy names of God as your only refuge. Sincerely serve the devotees of Godhead; by service to the great devotees, the highest service is done and one quickly gains the supreme mercy. Remembering these things you should live happily in this world for the attainment of the next."

With these departing words, Ramanuja, keeping his head on the lap of Govinda and his mind fixed in spiritual trance, relinquished his mortal body and entered the realm of Vaikuntha.

Ramanuja was indeed a great theologian whose life and teachings have had a lasting influence on the development of theistic thought in India. Ramanuja's introduction of the Godhead as the absolute entity with supersubjective characteristics —and his having pioneered the dawning of devotion to Godhead— opened the door for future theistic reformers who would in due course fully reveal the highest potential of the soul in a loving relationship with God and His eternal servants.

"I take refuge at the feet of Sri Ramanuja, our venerable master, who, during the dark night of the impersonal conception of divinity, carried the torchlight of knowledge and thus illuminated the path of devotion to the Personality of Godhead."

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C. Rajagopalachari -rajaji

A leader gifted with amazing intellectual brilliance, a multifaceted personality, popularly known as ‘Rajaji’ was born in Thorapalli, an interior village near Hosur in Krishnagiri district. He held the position of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during the pre and post Independent periods. He had the distinction of being the first Indian to occupy the position of Viceroy and he was also the last Governor General of India. An eloquent speaker and a great writer his works are cherished even today. From the presidentship of Salem town municipality to the Governor General of India, he bestowed luster on the positions he held.

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Founder of Swadeshi Shipping industry

V.O. Chidambaram Pillai (VOC) was born on September 5,1872 in a Vellala family of old time pleaders as the son of Lokanatha Pillai and Paramay Amma, in Ottapitaram in Tirunelveli (present Tuticorn ) district of Tamilnadu. Drawing inspiration from Ramakrishnanada , a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, VOC broke the monopoly of British shipping in costal trade with Ceylon. On October 16,1906 he formed the “Swedesi Steam Navigation Company Ltd”. VOC succeeded in defeating the design of the alien rulers who wanted to nip the swadeshi initiative in the bud. He procured two ships-Calia & Levo -with the help of Lokamanya Bal gangadhara Tilak and Aurobindom Ghosh. The company threw a tough challenge to the colonialists. VOC was a radical Congress man and disciple of Tilak and plunged in to the freedom movement along with revolutionary poets, Subramania Bharathy and Subramania Sivan. VOC was arrested in March 1908 on charges of sedition and sentenced to a double transportation for life. Thouh detained in Indian jails. VOC was subjected to inhuman torture. He was yoked to the oil press like an animal and made to work it in the cruel hot sun. He was finally released on December 12,1912.Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company was forced to wind up as it could not withstand the onslaught of the British pressure, in the absence of VOC’s leadership. The disheartened VOC retired from active politics and passed away on November 18,1936.”Meyyarivu”, “Meyyaram”, “Manampol vazvu”, “Akamepuram” and “Valmacku margam” are famous books written by VOC. The extraordinary zeal of this Vellala patriot from the South will always remain a source of inspiration for generations to come. “Kappalottiya Tamilian tarring Sivaji Ganeshan, ”is the Tamil film based on the life of this patriot .In his memory Rajaji released the Ship-V.O.Chidambaram on 9.2.1949.Government of India released a postal stamp in his memory. .V.O.Chidambaram College in Chidambaram Nagar in Tuticorn is a famous Educational centre.

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Legends from the South: Veerapandiya Kattabomman

The struggle for freedom from the British, saw the emergence of many patriots who fought, made sacrifices and even lost their lives defending the country. Exhibiting great courage, Tamils were among those who sowed the seeds for the freedom movement. One such pioneer was Veerapandiya Kattabomman.
Eighteen kilometres north west of Tirunelveli lies the hamlet of Panchalankurichi, a place of historical significance. The chieftains ruling Panchalankurichi put up stiff resistance against the British East India Company, between 1798 and 1801.
Veerapandiya Kattabomman was a fearless chieftain who refused to bow down to the demands of the British for agricultural tax on native land, a brave warrior who laid down his life for his motherland. The fight he launched in Panchalankurichi has been hailed as the inspiration behind the first battle of independence of 1857, which the British called the Sepoy Mutiny.
Azhagiya Veerapandiapuram (Ottapidaram of today) was ruled by Jagaveera Pandiyan. He had a minister Bommu who had migrated from Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu who was a brave warrior. He was known as Gettibommu in Telugu to describe his strength and fighting qualities. This, over a period of time, became Kattabomman in Tamil. Kattabomman ascended the throne after Jagaveera Pandiyan, who had no issue, and later came to be known as Adi Kattabomman, the first of the clan of Kattabomman.


Legend has it that during a hunting trip into the forests of Salikulam (close to Azhagiya Pandiyapuram) Kattabomman watched the spectacle of a hare chasing seven hounds. Kattabomman was amazed at this miracle. Believing that the land possessed great powers that could instil courage in people, he built his fort there and named it Panchalankurichi.
Born in this clan of Adi Kattabomman was Veerapandiyan on January 3, 1760 – the 47th king of Panchalankurichi – to Jagaveera Kattabomman and Arumugathammal. He had two younger brothers Dalavai Kumarasami and Duraisingam. Veerapandiyan was fondly called ‘Karuthaiah’ (the black prince), and Dalavai Kumarasami, ‘Sivathaiah’ (the white prince). Duraisingam, a good orator, earned the sobriquet ‘Oomaidurai’, which actually meant the very opposite – the dumb prince.
On February 2, 1790, Veerapandiyan, thirty, became the king of Panchalankurichi. The Nawab of Arcot who had borrowed huge sums of money from the East India Company gave them the right to collect taxes and levies from the southern region in lieu of the money he had borrowed. The East India Company took advantage of the situation and plundered all the wealth of the people in the name of tax collection. All the ‘poligars’ paid taxes except Veerapandiyan.
Kattabomman refused to pay his dues and for a long time refused to meet Jackson the Collector of the East India Company. Finally, he met Jackson at ‘Ramalinga Vilasam’, the palace of Sethupathi of Ramanathapuram. The meeting ended in a skirmish in which the Deputy Commandant of the Company’s forces, Clarke was slain. Kattabomman and his men fought their way to freedom and safety, but Thanapathi Pillai, Kattabomman’s secretary was taken prisoner.
The Commission of Enquiry that went into the incident fixed the blame on Jackson and relieved him of his post, thinking the Company’s plan to take over the entire country gradually could be marred by Jackson’s fight with Veerapandiya Kattabomman. The new Collector of Tirunelveli wrote to Kattabomman calling him for a meeting on 16th March, 1799. Kattabomman wrote back citing the extreme drought conditions for the delay in the payment of dues and also demanded that all that was robbed off him at Ramanathapuram be restored to him. The Collector wanted the ruling house of Sethupathis to prevent Kattabomman from aligning himself with the enemies of the Company and decided to attack Kattabomman.
Kattabomman refused to meet the Collector and a fight broke out. Under Major Bannerman, the army stood at all the four entrances of Panchalankurichi’s fort. At the southern end, Lieutenant Collins was on the attack. When the fort’s southern doors opened, he was killed by Kattabomman’s warriors.
After suffering heavy losses, the English decided to wait for reinforcements from Palayamkottai. Sensing that his fort could not survive a barrage from heavy cannons, Kattabomman left the fort that night.
A price was set on Kattabomman’s head. Thanapathi Pillai and 16 others were taken prisoners. Thanapathi Pillai was executed and his head perched on a bamboo pole was displayed at Panchalankurichi. Veerapandiya Kattabomman stayed at Kolarpatti at Rajagopala Naicker’s house where the forces surrounded the house.
Kattabomman and his aides fled from there and took refuge in the Thirukalambur forests close to Pudukkottai. Bannerman ordered the ruler of Pudukkottai to arrest Kattabomman. Accordingly, Kattabomman was captured and on October 16, 1799 the case was taken up (nearly three weeks after his arrest near Pudukkottai). After a summary trial, Kattabomman was hanged unceremoniously on a tamarind tree. The fort of Panchalankurichi was razed to the ground and all of Kattabomman’s wealth was looted by the English soldiers.
A fort constructed by the Tamil Nadu Government at Panchalankurichi in 1972 stands as a monument to this great hero from the south who played a pivotal role in the freedom movement of our country.

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M.S.Subbulakshmi

Born on September 16, 1916, in Madurai to Subramania Iyer and Shanmukhavadivu, Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi, her brother Saktivel and sister Vadivambal grew up surrounded by classical music. Her grandmother Akkammal played the violin and her mother was a veena artist.

M.S., as she came to be known, was initiated to music young, learning her first lessons from her mother. She appeared on stage when she was just 13. By the time she moved to Chennai in 1936, she was already a popular Carnatic vocalist. It was then that she met T. Sadasivam, a senior executive in Ananda Vikatan, the Tamil weekly. They were married in 1940.

M.S. received a large number of awards during her illustrious career spanning more than 50 years. India's top civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, was conferred on her in 1998.

In 1968, M.S. became the first woman musician to be honoured with the Sangita Kalanidhi title by the Music Academy, Chennai. After a brief foray in films, she devoted her time to music.

The other honours conferred on M.S. include the Padma Bhushan (1954), Padma Vibhushan (1975), Kaalidas Sanman (1988) and the Ramon Magsaysay award (1974). She gave the inaugural concert at the India Festival, London in 1982, and has also performed in Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore and Malaysia. She introduced Carnatic music to the West at the Edinburgh Festival (1963) and at the United Nations (1966).

She was conferred the degree of Doctor of Letters by many universities, including the Sri Venkateswara University (1971), Delhi University (1973), Benaras Hindu University (1980) and the University of Madras (1987). The Desihothama (doctoral degree) was conferred on her by the Viswa-Bharati University, Shantiniketan. She donated the money made from recordings and concerts to many causes. With her husband to guide her, M.S. raised crores of rupees for charity through her concerts. The first charity concert was for the Kasturba Memorial Fund in 1944.

The institutions that benefited include the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, the Ramakrishna Math, the Nanak Foundation, the Subramanya Bharati memorial at Ettayapuram, the Hindu Temple in Flushing, New York, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, the Kamakshi temple in Kancheepuram, Sankara Nethralaya, the Cancer Institute and Voluntary Health Services and the Music Academy (all in Chennai).

Starting with `Seva Sadan" in the 1930s, M.S. had a brief stint in Tamil films. She also played the male role of Narada in "Savitri" (1941) to raise money for launching Kalki, her husband's nationalist Tamil weekly. Her title role of the Rajasthani saint-poetess Meera in the eponymous film (1945) gave her national prominence. 'This movie was re-made in Hindi in 1947.

Her voice held the world in a spell. She has sung bhajans in 10 languages, each setting high standards in purity of diction and emotional content.

Many leaders and political giants of that period, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajaji, praised her abilities as a vocalist. 'M.S. was an ardent devotee of the Kanchi Paramacharya.

It was the Paramacharya who composed the benediction "Maitreem bhajata" which M.S. sang at the conclusion of her concerts at the U.N. and in Carnegie Hall.WATCH AND LISTEN HER GOLDEN VOICE

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Srinivasa Ramanujam

One of the most creative mathematicians of all time was Srinivasa Ramanujam, who was born in Tamil Nadu, India, on December 22,1887. He died at a regrettably young age, on April 26, 1920. By that time, however, he had come up with a remarkable number of mathematical discoveries. This creative genius often neglected to provide long, logical proofs for what he did. Often, he said, the solutions to problems came to him in his dreams, revealed as part of a sacred vision.

Early life


Born to a family of modest means, Ramanujam struggled in his early life and the establishment of his career. Unable to access the latest information on the mathematical advances of his time, he spent some of his time independently rediscovering mathematical ideas and concepts that were already well known.

In 1914, convinced of his mathematical genius, Hardy, a mathematician at Cambridge University in England, helped to arrange for Ramanujam to come there to study and conduct research. Littlewood, a professor who was given the task of filling in the gaps in Ramanujam's knowledge, said that every time Ramanujam was exposed to something new, he came up with "an avalanche of original ideas" on the subject.

In his short life, Ramanujam produced a prodigious amount of work. He left behind three notebooks containing several thousand original formulae. Much of what he knew through his intuition and creative genius are only now being proven with the aid of computers. The French writer Nonn, says: "At Ramanujam's level, mathematics acquires an artistic quality. It is beautiful. It is almost poetry."

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Gangai Konda Cholapuram

" Gangaikondacholapuram, now in the Udaiyarpalayam taluk of Tiruchi district, in Tamilnadu, was erected as the capital of the Cholas by Rajendra I, the son and successor of Rajaraja I, the great Chola who conquered a large area in South India at the beginning of the 11th century A.D. It occupies an important place in the history of India. As the capital of the Cholas from about 1025 A.D. for about 250 years, the city controlled the affairs of entire south India, from the Tungabhadra in the north to Ceylon in the south. The great temple of Siva at this place is next only to the great temple of Tanjore in its monumental nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality.

The city was founded by the eminent Chola emperor probably to commemorate his victorious march to the Ganges and reflected his personality throughout the days of its eminence and continues to do so because of its great temple, though its role as a capital of the south has been forgotten by its inhabitants...

The temple of Gangaikondacholisvara is approached through the northern entrance from the road. The passage passes through the enclosure wall and leads on to the inner court.

As one steps in, the great Vimana arrests the visitor's sight. The Vimana with its recessed corners and upward movement presents a striking contrast to the straight-sided pyramidal tower of Tanjavur. As it rises to a height of 160 feet and is shorter than the Tanjavur tower, it is often described as the feminine counterpart of the Tanjavur temple.

The Vimana is flanked on either side by small temples; the one in the north now housing the Goddess is fairly well preserved. The small shire of Chandikesvara is near the steps in the north. In the north-east are a shire housing Durga, a well called lion-well (simhakeni) with a lion figure guarding its steps and a late mandapa housing the office. Nandi is in the east facing the main shrine. In the same direction is the ruined gopura, the entrance tower. The main tower surrounded by little shrines truly presents the appearance of a great Chakravarti (emperor) surrounded by chieftains and vassals. The Gangaikondacholapuram Vimana is undoubtedly a devalaya chakravarti, an emperor among temples of South India.

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MAHABALIPURAM (Mamallapuram)

The Dravidians founded the beautiful State of Tamil Nadu 5,000 years ago. Today it is home to some of the most magnificent sculptures and architectural wonders of the world.

About 350 years ago, Tamil Nadu's capital city Chennai was created by the East India Company. The last king of the vanishing Vijayanagar Empire, Rajah of Chandragiri offered Francis Day, an East India Company trader, a three-mile long strip of land. In july 1639 Francis Day and his superior built a factory, which was named Fort St. George.

When the British were in complete control of the city, after a decade's feud with the French, they expanded the city by encompassing the neighbouring villages of Triplicane, Egmore, Purasawalkam and Chetput to form the city of Chennapatnam, as it was known then.

Besides being Britain's first bastion from which flourished an empire, Chennai, formely known as Madras retains a harmonious blend of the old and the new. Elaborate pujas are part of every home. Women still wear flowers in their hair and young girl pratice the age-old Bharatanatayam Dance everyday. In this charming city modernization has not dampened the rich heritage handed down from generation to generation.

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BHARATHI

sadagoban


Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiyar is is celebrated as one of India’s greatest poets, with many of his composed poems and songs in the Dravidian language Tamil, being popularised in schools, movies and households across India over the years. He is a renowned poet of Tamil Nadu, South India, and his literature is popular among Carnatic musicians.

As a person, Bharathiyar was a simple man, interested in his writing alone. His wife would leave the house to bring food somehow, while he wrote and brought in little income for the poor family. However, his writings have earned him the title (or laudatory epithet) “Mahakavi,” which in Tamil means “Great Poet.” Bharathi was prolific and adept in both prose, and poetry, known for its appeal to the liberty and strength of the people - which also helped rally the masses to support the Indian independence movement in Southern India. Bharathi lived during an eventful period of Indian history; his contemporaries included other prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement such as Mahatma Gandhi, Tilak, Aurobindo and V.V.S.Aiyar.

Born to Chinnaswaamy Iyar and Lakshmi Ammal in 1882 at Ettiyapuram, he lost his mother at 5, and at 11 was invited to a conference of Ettiyapuram court poets and musicians. There he was given the title Bharathi for his ability to compose poems and songs - he accepted a challenge and composed a Chindu on the model of a Kavadi Chindu of Annamalai Reddiar. He married Chellamal in 1897, and in 1898, his father died.

At 22, he became a Tamil teacher at Setupati High School in Madurai and the same year was appointed Assistant Editor of a daily newspaper called “Swadesamitran.” In 1906, he was editor of a weekly magazine called “India” in Madras and the next year a friend of his, Krishnaswaamy Aiyyar received from him songs he had composed on patriotism and published them, titled “Sudhesa Geetangal”. In 1908 the government wanted to arrest him, but he escaped to Pondicerry (under French rule) and published “India” from there. In 1912 he translated the Bhagavad Geeta into simple Tamil (making it accessible to Tamils who couldn’t understand Sanskrit) and composed songs on Krishna (Kannan Paattu), “Kuyil”, and “Panchali Sabadam” (on Draupadi of the epic Mahabharata). Other types of songs he composed can be distinguished by; Patriotic, Phillosophical, Auto-biographical, Devotional, Killikani (Kavadi Chindus), Kannamma (songs addressed to his wife, Chellamma), Taalaatu (lullabies) and Miscellaneous songs. When he left Pondicherry in 1918, he was arrested and later released.

His national integration songs earned him the title “Dhesiya Kavi” (National Poet). He composed Tamil keertanais on love, devotion, fearlessness, mysticism. His stepbrother C. Vishwanaata Iyer and V.V.S. Iyer tells us that he himself set his songs to music and could sing them well in a variety of raagams. In “Bharata Dheviyin Thiru Dasangam” he used 10 different raagams. His patriotic songs emphasize nationalism, unity of India, equality of man and the greatness of the Tamil language, set himself to folk tunes. He sang these himself at Congress meetings at the Madras beach.

Though he was fluent in Sanskrit (and other languages including Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Kutchi, French and English), he only composed 2 compositions purely in Sanskrit, with the vast majority being in the rich language of Tamil. His voracious appetite for learning ancient and contemporary Tamil literature derived some very astonishing insights from the ancient poems.

In an article “Sangeeta Vishayam” (Issues in Music), Bharathiyar rebukes musicians for singing songs of the Trinity, Patnam Subramania Iyer and others without knowing the meaning because the songs are all in Sanskrit or Telegu. Without knowing the meaning, singers are unable to sing with proper expression. He also says songs usually portray devotion and love and not other emotions like courage, anger, wonder, fear, and hatred. He emphasized that musicians should not sing songs which they don’t understand and should learn from Hindustani musicians how to train their voices.

Bharathi’s health was badly affected by the imprisonments and by 1920, when a General Amnesty Order finally removed restrictions on his movements, Bharathy was struggling in penury and failing health resulting in his tragic premature death. Bharathi was struck by an elephant at Parthasarathy temple, Thiruvallikeni, Chennai. He however survived the mishap. A few months later his health deteriorated and he died on September 11, 1921, not yet forty years of age. His funeral was attended by only seven people. BHARATHIYAR SONGS

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CHOLA KANCHIPURAM

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CHITHAMBARAM TEMPLE

Temples of Tamil Nadu, India
The site India Travel Destinations offers you tour booking and online reservation for tours to the temples of Tamil Nadu in South India.
Tamil Nadu is known as the temple town of the south as there are quite a few amazing architectural marvels here that were built by the several rulers who reigned in this region in the ancient times. Most of the temples located in the State of Tamil Nadu are dedicated to the Hindu deities Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Most of these temples are magnificent examples of Indian art and architecture. Some of the most popular temples in Tamil Nadu, India are: Chidambaram, Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Kapaleeswarar Temple, Rameswaram, Palaniandavar Temple, Kumari Amman Temple and the Swamimalai.
Chidambaram
Chidambaram is located at a distance of 250 kilometers from Chennai the capital city of Tamil Nadu, South India. During your tours to temples of Tamil Nadu, India this is one temple town that you must pay a visit to. The Chidambaram Nataraja Temple is an excellent example of a unique amalgamation of a number of architectural styles. The innermost sanctum inside the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple has idols of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. The Chitsabha inside the temple is an interesting piece of architecture. This shrine is built of wood and is supported with pillars that are also made of wood. The other fascinating and important shrine located inside the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple is the Govindaraja Perumaal.
Sri Parthasarathy Temple
The Sri Parthasarathy Temple is located in Triplicane in Chennai, India. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu.
Kapaleeswarar Temple
The Kapaleeswarar temple is located in Mylapore located in Chennai, India. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Shiva. This temple is of special significance as it finds a mention in ancient devotional hymns sung by the Hindu Nayanmars sometime in the 7th century. This ancient temple was constructed almost a thousand years ago though historians are not very clear about the exact age of this ancient temple.
Rameswaram
During your tours to the temples of Tamil Nadu, India you may visit Rameswaram that is a tiny island that is located at a distance of 160 kilometers from Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India. Rameshwaram is an important Hindi pilgrimage. According to legend Hindus who undertake a pilgrimage to Kashi should end by bathing in the sacred waters near Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, India. Another important pilgrimage in the region is the Dhanuskodi that is located in Rameshwaram. There are quite a few tiny temples in the area.
Palaniandavar Temple
The Palaniandavar temple is located at Vadapalani in Tamil Nadu, India. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Subramanya. This area is located in the north of Chennai, India. The local people worship Lord Subramanya as Pazhani Andavar.
Kumari Amman Temple
The Kumari Amman Temple in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, India is one of the most important temple sites in South India. This shore temple is famous for a legend according to which the temple deity did a penance to win Lord Shiva's hand in marriage but since she could not marry him she vowed to remain a virgin all her life and thus the name 'Kumari' Amman Temple.
Swamimalai
Swamimalai is one place that you must visit during your tours to the temples of Tamil Nadu in South India. This temple is supposed to be one of the six abodes of the Hindu deity Lord Subramanya. This ancient temple has been constructed atop an artificial hill and a flight of steps leads up to the main temple. The temple architecture is such that the temple complex has 3 gopurams and 3 praharams

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Airavateeswara temple

The vimanam of the Airavateeswara temple at Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. Chola architecture of the 12th Century AD. A UNESCO protected heritage siteThe old district of Thanjvur in Tamil Nadu has hundreds of temples of varied antiquity. The temples at Thanjavur, Gangai konda Cholpuram, Darasuram and Thibhuvanam were built during the reigns of the Cholas- Raja Raja Cholan I (985-1014AD), Rajendra Cholan (1014-1044AD), Raja Raja Cholan II (1146-1173 AD) and Kulottunga Cholan (1178-1218 AD) respectively. Unlike traditional Tamil Temples, these four temples have taller Vimanams (tower above the sanctum sanctorum) compared the the Gopurams (tower above the entrance) . The Vimanam of Darasuram is 85 feet tall whereas the one in Thanjavur is 216 feet tall. Hope you will have an opportunity to visit Tamil Nadu.

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Shore Temple

This is the famous Shore Temple that was build very close to the beach at Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu India (just south of Chennai). This ancient Hindu temple was damaged during the tsunamis of 2004 (the blue tarp visible on one side is where some repair work is being done).

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