The Darkest Night - Conclusion

The Darkest Night it was !... Continuation

 "Neyyidai Nallathor Sorum Niyathamum Athaanich Chevagamum

kaiyadai Kaayum Kazhuthukkup Poonodu Kaathukkuk Kundalamum

Meyyida Nallathor Saanthamum Thanthu Ennai Velluyiraakka Valla

Paiyudai Naagap PagaiKodiyaanukku Pallaandu Koruvaney "

The hymns of Periyaazhvaar Thirumozhi from Divyaprabandam was echoing in Aahavamallan's ears. He was gradually recovering from his deep sleep and dizzyness and the moment his eyes opened completely, he had the shock of his life! He just realised that he was arrested by the valorous Chola Soldiers. He started to recollect the events that had happened to him last night.

Aahavamallan, for the third time, was caught by Chola Army red-handed and he felt ashamed of it. However, on top of his arrest, the mystery about the people, place and the deity had not been clarified or solved yet.

As he began to gaze all over the place, he started to get the answers one after the other on whatever he had visualized the previous night. The place wasn't a Siva temple. Instead, it was a Vishnu Temple in Thirumukkoodal built on the banks of the Sangam of Three Rivers Paalaru, Seyyaru and Vegavathi. The deity was Appan Venkatesa Perumal who was standing huge and majestic in front of him when he peeped through the hole on the Sanctum door. Only then he realised, the Cholas were not only towards Shaivism but were acquainted with Vaishnavism also.

"But, what about the scents of medicine throughout the temple complex which made me dizzy the previous night?", he looked all around thinking. He asked the same question to a Chola Solider who was standing right next to him. The answer he got from the soldier made him still more surprised.

The place wasn't just a temple. The temple encompassed a hospital (Aathulachaalai in Tamil) and a Vedic school.

RigVeda, Yajurveda, Roopavathaaram and Viyaakaranam were taught in this school of Vedas. There were 20 students who were learning Rig and Yajur Vedas taught by 1 teacher and the same numbers learning Viyaakarana also. Per day, the teacher who was responsible to teach Rig and Yajur Veda was given a considerable quantity of grains as salary and per year, they were given 4 coins (Porkasu) . Similarly, the teacher who was responsible for teaching Viyaakarana was given a considerable quantity of grains per day as a salary and per year he was given 10 coins (porkasu) as salary.

The hospital within the temple complex was called as VeeraChozheswaram.There were 20 different Medicines prepared with the raw materials within the hospital. Details of the medicine names, its ingredients, and what does the medicine cure were all inscribed in small plates, leaves and were maintained as records within the complex. During times of war, tons and tons of such herbal medicines 

were sent in sacks and huge bronze vessels in bullock carts to the warriors in the battlefield . In addition to this, medicines to the people of JayamKonda Chozha Mandalam (as this place was called as  - Mandalams are subdivisions ) were sent from this place.

Aahavamallan was awestruck. This is just brilliant! As he was into the world of surprises, his revenge just crossed his mind and he suddenly started hearing the sounds of Parais and Murasu outside the temple complex. Wanting to know, what is it for, he turned to his right towards the entrance of the building.

The Meikeerthi or the Salutations starting as "Thiruvalarthiral Puyathu" was sang in unison by a huge crowd of teachers, doctors,soldiers and people around and as the praising continued in the highest pitch, there entered the mighty Chola King, Rajakesari, Veera Raajendira Chola with his ministers and subordinates. Veera Rajendira Chola was the son of the Great Rajendira Chola and the grandson of the mighty RajaRaja Chola. The king was accompanied by his sons, Mathuraanthagan and Gangai Konda Chozhan. It was a visual treat for the people around to see the Chola king who entered the premises, his walk and eyes, that of a ferocious tiger as the one in the Chola flags.

Even tigers had a sense of humour and the Chalukya King's successive defeats was a prey to the Chola Tiger's humour. Aahavamallan was warned that if the Chola army had seen him moving this way in the Chola country, he wouldn't have survived to stand in front of him. Aahavamallan was very carefully taken out of the Chola country and an ultimatum was sent to him in the next few days for a war.

In the next few days, Veera Rajendira Chola with the army of Chola tigers, their giant elephants and fastest-moving horses in the world marched towards the Chalukya kingdom.

The Lord watching all these had to feel pity for the enemies of the ferocious Cholas !!

PS: Again, an imaginative write up. But the information about the temple and the defeat of Ahavamallan to Veera Rajendira are facts.

This place is called as Thirumukkoodal, near Walajabad. It takes an hour from Chennai by car. It is just 10 to 15 km from Walajabad. The first time when I went to this place, there was no water at all. But after the 2015 flood in Chennai , there was a considerable amount of flow in the three rivers Paalaru, Seyaru andVegavathi that, this place looked stunningly beautiful. The inscriptions in this place hold the details of the medicines, its ingredients and cure and they are documented.

Do visit and enjoy !!