Karikal Chola Performed Aswamedha Kumhabhisheka

Contrary to the Pseudo Tamil protagonists who thrive by spreading the lie that Tamil was independent of Sanatana Dharma and it was imposed by the Aryans from the North,the early Tamil King Karikal Valavan,the great Chola King built temples,introduced the worship of Indra,calling it the Indra Vizha of which the Silappathikaram speaks highly and performed the Aswamedha Yaga!

Aiyarappar temple built by Karikala Chola.Image credit.wiki.

Karikala Chola Sculpture in Ekambaranathar Temple.

‘Karikala was a great city & temple builder :
There is evidence in Purananuru for Karikala Cholas faith in the Vedic Hinduism in the Tamil country. During Karikala’s reign, the capital city was moved to Kaveripattanam from Uraiyur. He made Kanchi a city of palaces. According to historical sources, Karikala Chola a great ruler before proceeding to the Himalayas first set his foot on the divine land of Kanchi. Some say that his conquests and building of Kanchi palaces are as debatable.

Poompuhar (Kaveripattanam) – a port city of cholas : It was the capital city of Cholas. The ancient Kings like Sembiyan, Musugundhan, Manuneethicholan and Karikala cholan, who carried myths with them, added to the glory of Poompuhar town. Poompuhar grew into a great city during the region of Karikala cholan. The excavation has also been taken up near Champapthi Amman and Pallavaneswaram temples. Remains of a brick building and a boat jetty were discovered at Keezhaiyur area at Poompuhar. Copper coins were also found. These coins are both of rectangular and circular shapes. The chola emblems of the tiger with upright tail and the sun were engraved on them. These coins are considered to be those of KarikalaCholan. Among the Chola kings, King Karikalan renovated and built the renowned port of Poompuhar (located in Nagapattinam district).

Lord Villiswara Temple : Thiruttani and Velanjeri Copper Plates are perhaps the earliest Chola record to refer to the exploits of Karikala. One more inscription throws a different light about uruthirang kannanar A mandapa was donated to kannanar by Karikala. 16 km north of Coimbatore, houses shrines for Lord Villiswara and His consort Vedanayaki. It is of historical and religious significance. This is an ancient shrine, one of a sacred cluster built in the Kovai region by Emperor Karikala Chola.

Perur Patteeswaraswamy Temple : This temple was built by KarikalaCholan. It is situated near the river Noyyal and is about 7 kms west of Coimbatore on the Siruvani main road. temple is at its decorative best in march, when the Panguni Uthiram festival is celebrated. This ancient shiva temple built by Karikala Chola early Christian era is having a Swayambumoorthy and is dedicated to Lord Shiva by Karikala. This temple is also known as Mel Chidambaram, the exquisite sculptures in Kanagasabai are the main tourist attraction. There are some priceless sculptures in the Kanagasabai Hall in the temple, which also has a large number of statues. The King Vishnuvardhana of Hoyasala dynasty converted many shiva temples to vishnu temples and became an enemy to Karikala Chola who was a staunt Shivaite and who ruled the country around Srirangam.

Arulmigu Shree Velayudhaswamy Thirukoil – Senjerimalai is located at 46 KMS from Coimbatore. As Lord Muruga set out with his battalion to subdue the demon Surapadma, Lord Shiva summoned Muruga to the Thenserigiri hills and, initiated him to certain mantras, endowed him with invincible powers to route and destroy the demon and his retinue -this is the legendary origin of this temple. Since then Lord Muruga came to be worshipped as Manthragiri and Sri Velayudhaswami.This temple was originally built by Karikala Chola and renovated by veeraballalai III dates back to 13th Century. A holy spring called ‘Gnanatheertha Sunai’ and a sacred tree known as ‘Karunochi’ can be seen.

Thirupasur Shiva Temple : It is one such rich shrine that has come to us from a very distant past. Built by Karikal Cholan, it is on the Thiruthani National Highway, about 60 km. away from the city of Chennai, to the east of Thiruvalankadu and west of Thiruvallore Veeraraghava Swamy temple. We have the Sathiamurthy Saagaram on the north and the grand old shrine of Thiruvooral or Thakkolam on the Southeast.

According to the legend, there was a thick growth of bamboo in this place. The presiding deity of the temple of Thiruppaasur, a Swayambu Lingam, was covered by the wild growth. They were startled when their ‘vaasi’ accidentally hit upon the deity. Their instrument had already caused deep cut-marks on the idol. They rushed to king Karikalan and he constructed a temple for the Lord and consecrated the deity. ‘paasu’ is another name for bamboo and the shrine is therefore known as Thiru-paasu-oor. The holy shrine of bamboo. ‘vEy’ is another name for bamboo. Since the deity was a Swayambu that appeared amidst bamboos, the Lord is known as vey-eendra-naadhar. The Lord born of bamboos.

Another legend has it that Karikalan, who ruled a vast territory and had a large army, could not withstand the attack of a very minor chieftain. Going into the reason, Karikalan understood that the chieftain was under divine protection of Kali. A devotee of Lord Shiva, Karikalan worshipped the Lord, who sent Veerabadhra along with him. Veerabadhra shackled Kali, thus enabling Karikalan to win the war. There is a deity of the shackled Kali in Thiruppaasur, known as Swarna Kali, in the outer corridor. The statue of Swarna Kali Amman was damaged by the passage of time and another idol was consecrated in June 1986.

Tiruchattamangai : The Chola King Karikalan is said to have built this temple. This is a shrine closely associated with Tiruneelakka Nayanar. Sambandar is said to have arrived here after visiting Tirunallar, along with Tiruneelakanda Yaazhpaanar. This is a Shivastalam in the vicinity of Tiruppugalur, Tiruchenkattankudi and Tirumarugal and is located in a hamlet surrounded by lush coconut groves. It is located 11 km to the east of Nannilam. It is considered to be the 81st in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located south of the river Kaveri.

‘The Silappatikaram (c. sixth century C.E.) which attributes northern campaigns and conquests to all the three monarchs of the Tamil country, gives a glorious account of the northern expeditions of Karikala, which took him as far north as the Himalayas and gained for him the alliance and subjugation of the kings of the Vajji, Magadha and Avanti countries.

The Sthalapuranam of Tiruvaiyaru near Tanjore relates that as the king returned after conquering northern India, near Tiruvaiyaru his chariot wheel sank into the mud; when it was being dug out seven idols belonging to Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, and Saptamātṝkās were discovered. A voice from the sky instructed the king to install them in the Panchanadeswara Temple in Thiruvaiyaru and performed Kumbhabhishekham, which the king personally participated in and completed. There are also epigraphs that relate to this incident. They say that the king commenced his ashvamedha sacrifice and subdued a total of 66 kingdoms all over the world and extended and empire up to the mythological Lokaloka.

Citations and references.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karikala_Chola

http://mudiraja.weebly.com/28-king-karikala-cholan.html