Now we want to take the viewers to Mamallapuram, which they already know well.
More than three hundred years have passed since Mahendra Pallava and Mamalla Narasimha made this port town a dream through their wonderful sculptures.
The appearance of the city has somewhat faded. The change does not make us happy.
The mansions are in ruins. The streets and the harbour were not as crowded as before. There was not much expansion of trade. There are no big warehouses. There were no mountains of import and export on the streets.
We have seen earlier that the sea penetrated the earth and formed a deep channel where ships could dock safely. Now the sand in the canal has been washed away and the depth has reduced considerably. Only small boats and boats could come up in the shallow waters. Boats and ships must stand at some distance in the sea. Merchandise should be carried in boats and delivered on those vessels.
It should be mentioned that Mamallapuram had acquired some new specialities during the intervening period, especially the beautiful stone temple on the seashore. It is not like the temples that were carved out of the hills during the Mahendran-Mamallan period. The temple was built by removing stones from the hills. It looks like a beautiful jewel crown on the head of the Ocean King. Damn! What is the beauty of the temple structure?
Apart from this, there is a Vinnagara temple in the heart of the city where Lord Perumal reclines with the three worlds. Parameswara Pallavan who cherished Saivism and Vaishnavism like two eyes renovated this temple. Tirumangai Alwar had darshan of Lord Thalasayana Perumal in this temple and sang Tamil songs overflowing with devotion. The Pallava Empire flourished even during his time and Mamallapuram was a prosperous port as can be seen from the following hymn:
"Grasp the money
Amidst the lotus pond serene, Where fragrant breezes dance unseen, I wandered lost, my heart afloat, As petals swayed in gentle moat.
The ocean's flower, in tranquil sleep, My heart, like waves, begins to sweep, Oh, how my soul begins to soar, In the embrace of nature's core.
Within my heart, a whispering plea, To blend with nature's symphony, Oh, my dear heart, with joy untold, In nature's arms, forever enfold."
The sun of the Pallava empire had set in a hundred years after the time of Tirumangai Azhwar. The importance of 'Kanchi' city which is unparalleled in education has also diminished. The commercial prosperity of the 'sea of vessels' was also declining.
But there was no dearth of the magnificent sculptural arts of the immortal city which was meant to bring immortal glory to Tamilnadu. The exotic carvings on the rock walls and the vimana chariots carved out of the hills were as fresh today as they were when they were built three hundred years earlier. The crowd of merchants who came to export goods was far greater than the crowd of merchants who came to enjoy the treasures of sculpture.
A beautiful vimana chariot drawn by twin horses passed through the streets of Mamallapuram. The ornamentation of the horses, the carvings of the chariot, and the canopy of the chariot, covered with gold, shone like another sun in the evening sun, indicated that its occupants must be royalty.
Well yes; Three royal men were seated in the spacious interior of the golden chariot. One of them was Athitha Karikalan, the brave warrior and the eldest son of Sundara Cholar. At a very young age, he went to the battlefield and performed heroic deeds. He killed Madurai Veera Pandyan in the final battle and earned the title "Veera Pandiyan-headed Kopparakesari". Sundara Cholar fell ill as soon as Veera Pandiyan attained Veera Heaven and the Pandya country came under the Chola Empire. To establish beyond doubt that Athitha Karikalan was the next heir to the throne, he crowned him as Yuvarajya. Athitha Karikala also got the right to inscribe his name on the first inscriptions.
Then Athitha Karikalan travelled to the north country to free Thondaimandalam completely from the domination of Kannara Deva of the twin mandalams. There too, he performed heroic deeds in many battlefields. He drove the forces of the twin mandalams north of the northern pennai. Further expeditions to the north necessitated an increase in military strength. So he came to Kanchi and started collecting an army and ammunition for the invasion. At this juncture the Pazhuvertaraiyars began to hinder his efforts. It was said that the northern invasion could begin only after the war in Ceylon was over. All sorts of other rumours began to float in the air. It came to light that the army that had gone to fight in Ceylon had not received enough food from the Chola country. Because of all this, Athitha Karikalan's brave heart was throbbing and turbulent.
For about three hundred years, before and after the time of our story, heroic sons like the great heroes we read about in epic epics were appearing in the womb of Mother Tamil. Warriors like Veema, Arjuna, Bhishma, Drona, Ghatotgaja and Abhimanyu were born in Tamilnadu. They performed heroic deeds that astonished the world. Every victory in the battle added more pain to their shoulders. The old men were strong enough to move the mountain. Young men of prey were capable of soaring through the air and reaching the crest of the sky and shedding the stars.
At that time two such warriors were sitting on the same seat with Athitha Karikalan in the chariot he was riding.
One of them is Thirukovalur Malaiamman. The name of the Malayamanadu he ruled was shortened to 'Malad' and 'Miladu'. Hence he earned the title 'Miladudaiyar'.
Vanamadevi, the second wife of Sundara Chola emperor was his wealthy daughter. Hence, he is the grandfather of Athitha Karikalan. In old age and abundant knowledge he resembled Bhishma, the grandfather of the Kauravas. Though Athitha Karikalan was a great devotee of him, his advice sometimes tested the patience of the brave prince.
Another person in the chariot was Parthipenthiran. He was descended from the old Pallava dynasty. He is a little older than Athitha Karikalan. Since he had no sovereignty, he wanted to show his prowess on the battlefield and establish his heroic reputation. He reached Athitha Karikalan. He helped Athitha Karikalan as his right hand in the war with Veera Pandyan. Thus he became the personal friend of Athitha Karikalan. From the day Veera Pandiyan fell, the two became inseparable companions.
When these three went in the chariot, they were talking about the news that had come from Thanjavur.
"I cannot tolerate the arrogance of these Pazhuvertaraiyars even for a moment. Day by day they go beyond the limits. How arrogant must they be to accuse the messenger I sent as a spy? Didn't they boast of a reward of a thousand gold pieces for those who caught him? How can I endure all this? The sword in my sheath is stunted in shame. But you preach patience!" said Athitha Karikalan.
"I didn't preach patience. But I only said then and there not to send Vandhiyathevan on such an important matter. I knew that nervous man would spoil the thing! Is it enough to know how to throw a sword and throw a sword? A messenger for a royal purpose should have intelligence ..." Parthipenthiran said.
Parthipenthiran does not like the affection shown by Prince Karikalan to Vandhiyathevan. He was always complaining about himself. He will find fault with anything he does. So on this occasion also he made the accusation.
"Have you begun your story? If you don't say something about Vandhiyathevan, you won't have time. If he is not intelligent, who else has? He has carried out my order to hand over the letter to the emperor in person. That is why the Pazhuvertaraiyars are angry. What is Vandhiyathevan's fault in this?" asked Athitha Karikalan.
"He wouldn't have stopped at what you told him to do. He would have interfered in other unwanted things as well!" said Parthipenthiran.
"You be quiet! Grandfather! Why are you so silent? What is your opinion? Why not gather a large army and rescue the emperor from Thanjavur and bring him to Kanji? How long will we keep the emperor like the Pazhuvertaraiyars in prison? How long will we spend our time fearing the Pazhuvertaraiyars?" said Athitha Karikalan.
Thirukovalur Malaiamman – Miladudaiyar – who had seen sixty-six battlefields in his lifetime cleared his throat to reply. By this time the waves of the sea were visible in front of him, "Let's get down from this chariot first, brother! Let's go to the usual place and sit down and talk. Am I not old? It is not easy to speak in a moving chariot."