TAMILAKAM - 2

So, let’s compare and contrast.

 

Openings:

           The temples around Tamil nadu usually have 9 openings, while Angkor wat has only 4.

Gopuram/ Central tower:

            There is a difference between the two. The Tamil temples have pyramid like gopurams, while the Angkor wat has a mount Meru shaped tower, which gives the tourists the dissimilarity between the art and architecture at the first glance.

Water body:

              Most of the Tamil temples have a central water body or kulam, while the Angkor wat has it around the temple premises.

The major deity:

               Lord Vishnu is the main deity here. While, the cholas were predominantly Shaivites, i.e., worshipping Lord Shiva. 

 

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KAMBUJADESAM AND TAMILAKAM.

Kambujadesam, present day Cambodia was not a far land for the then rulers of the country. Apart from overseas expedition , the cholas had great diplomatic overseas relation.

Suryavarman I (1006 – 1050 AD) of Khmer kingdom, had sent a chariot as a gift to Raja Raja Chola I as an appreciation of his exemplary architecture  and to maintain diplomatic relations.

He then sought the help of Rajendra Chola I to defeat the Tambralinga and Srivijaya kingdom. And that’s how Srivijaya was captured by Cholas.

The Khmer kingdom was predominantly Shaivaite , except for Suryavarman II , a vaishnavite.

Depiction of King Suryavarman II in Angkor Wat

Suryavarman II presented a valuable gem stone to Kulothunga Chola I , which the latter donated to the temple of Chidambaram in 1114 AD.Eventhough , the cholas were majorly Shaivaites , Kulothunga chola I was a secularist. May be this enriched the friendship between the kingdoms.

The Walls of Angkor Wat shows the inscriptons and depictions of the Ramyana, Mahabharatha , churning of the sea of milk , Lord Karthikeya – the prominent tamil god.

THE INDIANIZED ORIGIN.

To those who were fascinated after watching the Ezham Arivu movie and the pallava originate Bodhi Dharma, have you known that a great dynasty developed in the far-off lands by a pallava prince, who fled?

Weren’t you perplexed by the varma surname of the Cambodian kings , which usually denoted the Pallavan kings?

The Pallavas were no less than the Cholas in the influencing of South east Asian countries of the Tamil culture.

  The persent day Cambodia was anciently known as the ‘Kambujadesa’.

A Khmer legend and a Pallava inscription  states that a Hindu prince of Indian origins, KambuSwayambhuva, married a Naga princess named Mera. The combination Kambu and Mera became Khmer. The descendants of Kambu were referred to as Kambu’ja’ (meaning born of Kambu), their country was called Kambujadesa”. This unknown Hindu prince is said to be from the kingdom of Kanchi – the Pallavas . This led to the flourishment of Varma dynasty who ruled the Funan ,Chelan and Khmer kingdoms of Cambodia.

Also a Pallava Cambodian prince know as Nandivarman II (c. 731 – c. 796 CE) was a Pallava ruler who ruled in South India and built the Vaikuntha-Perumal Temple. This was much before Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II.

THE TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

 All the four kingdoms of the tamilakam have their own achievements . The braveness of Rajarajachozhan ,Sundara Pandyan , Narasimhavarman should be instilled in our hearts.

The real pride and courage of Sembiyan Mahadevi , the brave stone  hearted woman , who brought up Rajaraja chozhan and ruled the kingdom for several decades without a stable king should be vitalized. 

  Even though , the Tamil kingdoms shoudn’t be given the whole credits , they also hold a major role in the Indianized Cambodian architecture of Angkor Wat.

  Tamil,a language spoken in as many as five countries – India ,Sri Lanka , Malaysia , Mauritius  and Singapore .Scripts brought by Tamil traders to Southeast Asia, like the Grantha and Pallava scripts, induced the development of many Southeast Asian scripts such as Khmer, Javanese Kawi script, Baybayin and Thai , such a proud language should be cherished , Isnt it ? 

The tamil kingdoms and their present day immortal existence – the temples , need to be paid homage and protected. 

                 “Thamizhanendrusolladaa, Thalainimirndhunillada..!!”