Below is from Historical inscriptions of south india: sit back and
enjoy the amount of work that went into interwining fact with
fiction to give PS its timeless allure:

[A.D. c. 916-17. The reign of Kassapa V, king of Ceylon, came to an
end, according to Hultzsch's revised chronology, in A.D. 916, or
perhaps 917. His successors reigned only seven months, and then
Dappula V obtained the throne in 917. Shortly before the death of
Kassapa V, we are told in the Mahavamsa (ch. 1ii), the Pandya king,
Rajasimha III, sent many presents to, and begged aid from Kassapa
against the Cholas who had seized his country in or before A.D. 909.
Kassapa sent over to the mainland an army to his assistance.
Rajasimha led both armies against

Parantaka's troops but was defeated and retired leaving the
singhalese to carry on the war alone.But their army was attacked by
disease and their general died from it, and they returned to Ceylon.

Dappula V having become king of the island, Rajasimha, driven to
desperation, crossed over to Ceylon, and the two kings prepared for
a fresh war against the Cholas. But owing to grave internal
disturbances Dappula had to abandon the enterprise. And the Pandya
king fled to the Kerala country, leaving his crown and other
apparel ' in Ceylon. This event may have taken place in A.D. 917-18.
Amongst the apparel was ' the necklace of Indra ', as we learn from
the story of what took place later. (Mahawamsa, ch. 1iii )

This was the second war with Ceylon of Parantaka I, who then assumed
the title ' Samagrama Raghava.

[A;D. 952. King Mahindu IV of Ceylon came to the throne in this
year according to Dr. Hultzsch's Singhalese chronology. He was
attacked by an army sent from the Tamil country by .a king whom the
Mahavamsa, calls the ''chola-Vallabha?.* It Is not known 'to
whom this refers. ' Vallabha 'is a Chalukya title. The Chola kings
of the time of Mahinda IV (A.D. 952-968) were Gangaraditya and
Arinijaya. (Mahavamsa, ch. 1 iv]

This was the first year of Parantaka Chola II, alias Sundara ChSla,
Rajakesarivarman. Two of his queens are named, one being a Chera
princess who lived till 1012. He had a general named siriya-
Velar, who was killed in Ceylon in the king’s ninth year (see 116 of
1895). This would be in A.D. 963-64, during the reign of Mahindu IV,
king of Ceylon, and the war in which he lost his life would be the
same as is referred to above (s. v., A. D. 952).

The post is very good… I wanted to say exceptional, but ‘Peria kovil’ is taking up all the superlative to itself

Regarding your view that real characters should not be maligned, is there any inscriptional evidence about peria pazhuvettarayar for kalki basing his characterisation as a kind of villain?

Thanks much

Thanks - take your time. your comments help to keep me on my toes. Yes, trichy is pending - actually has been in the draft for over 6 months now - for want of a few photo angles. Just got them from another friend - will feature the two caves shortly!!!

anbudan
vj

rgds
vj

Are you talking of the ref from Sri Balakuramaran’s Udayar - if so then its Nisumbasoodhani. Its the Vadabadrakali temple which is attributed to Vijayala chola ( 850 AD). However, i would not want to mix fact with fiction, and would strongly advocate readers to refrain from thinking of her - like the brooding old witch - this depiction of a great person like her who is maybe personally to be credited with converting more brick n mortar temples to stone and thereby ensuring their survivial to date, than any other King. I wish writers of historical fiction could play around with characters of their creation and leave real characters intact.

( above are my personal views)

vj

எனக்கு உடையார் புதினம் கொஞ்சம் பிடிக்காது - அதில் அவர் , செம்பியன் மாதேவி என்னும் தமிழ் கோவில் கலைக்கு நிகரற்ற சேவை புரிந்த தெய்வப்பிரவியை, மிகவும் மோசமாக காட்டியதே காரணம்.

வரலாறு.காம் - ஐயா, இது கொஞ்சம் அதிகம், அவர்கள் ஆற்றும் பனி மிக உன்னதம். அவர்கள் கல்லூரி என்றால் இது துவக்கப்பள்ளி. எனினும் மிக்க நன்றி .

அடுத்த முறை நீங்கள் செல்லும் கோவில்களில் இது போல சிற்பங்கள் இருந்தால் படம் எடுத்து அனுப்புங்கள் - பலருடன் பகிர்வோம், நம் கலைவன்னத்தை உலகத்திற்கு மீண்டும் எடுத்து செல்வோம்.

நன்றி
விஜய்