The novel of Kalki Krishnamurthy, Sivakamiyin Sabatham, set in the reign of Pallava King Mahendravarman and his son Narasimhavarman I, begins with the journey of two important characters to Kancheepuram: Naga Nandhi, the Buddhist monk, and Paranjothi, a youth, who would later secure fame as the general of the Pallava army that vanquished the Chalukyas and gutted their capital Vatapi (642 AD). Paranjothi is also known as Siruthondar, one of the 63 Saivaite saints.
Paranjothi, a native of Tiruchengattankudi, an abode of Lord Siva, is praised in the hymns of Saivaite minstrels. Kalki Krishnamurthy describes him as a mischievous youth a constant worry to his widowed mother. Her efforts to educate him failed and he decided to go to Kancheepuram to study at the Mutt of Thirunavukkarasar, the Saivite saint, after repenting for the troubles he had caused to his mother. It was during the journey on a single narrow road to Kancheepuram that he met Naga Nandhi and later became a great warrior and close aide of Narasimhavarman I.
In Kancheepuram
In Sivakamiyin Sabatham, Paranjothi’s first day (actually night) in Kancheepuram runs like a thriller as he challenges an elephant with his spear and saves the heroine Sivakami and her father and fictitious sculptor of the Mamallapuram rock-cut temples.
A visitor to Tiruchengattankudi may have a similar experience of travelling through a narrow road snaking through paddy fields. The temple tower in the distance is the only guide to the sleepy ancient village. Sundarar, another Saivite minstrel, in his Thiruthondathogai, refers to Paranjothi as “Chengattankudi Meya Siruthondar”. Kalki Krishnamurthy says Paranjothi was born in a family of the Mamathirar community, who were famous warriors and had served the Cholas. The fall of the Cholas and the emergence of the Pallavas also eclipsed the community and they were forced to take up agriculture. “So far we have no reference to Mahamatras in Pallava epigraphy. Paranjothi, or Siruthondar, who served Narasimhavarman I, is said to have been born in the family of Mahamatras, but here the term refers to a clan of physicians,” writes C. Minakshi in her book, Administration And Social Life Under The Pallavas.
A scion of the Mahamathirar
Periyapuranam, a biography of 63 Saivaite saints, gives a detailed account of Siruthondar. Sundarar, another Saivite minstrel, in his Thiruthondathogai, refers to Paranjothi as “Chengattankudi Meya Siruthondar”. Kalki Krishnamurthy says Paranjothi was born in a family of the Mamathirar community, who were famous warriors and had served the Cholas. The fall of the Cholas and the emergence of the Pallavas also eclipsed the community and they were forced to take up agriculture. “So far we have no reference to Mahamatras in Pallava epigraphy. Paranjothi, or Siruthondar, who served Narasimhavarman I, is said to have been born in the family of Mahamatras, but here the term refers to a clan of physicians,” writes C. Minakshi in her book, Administration And Social Life Under The Pallavas.
A scion of the Mahamathirar
Periyapuranam, a biography of 63 Saivaite saints, gives a detailed account of Siruthondar. Sekkizhar, the Chief Minister of Chola King Kulotunga in the 12th Century, also calls Siruthondar as a scion of the Mahamathirar.
R. Gopalan, author of the History of the Pallavas of Kanchi, gives a detailed account of the war between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas and the role of Paranjothi. It began, shortly after the repulse of Chalukya armies from the neighbourhood of Kancheepuram and Narasimhavarman I made serious preparations for a counter-invasion. “The expedition was entrusted to the command of Siru-Tonda, who was known otherwise as Paranjoti. That his aggressive expedition under the command of Siru-Tonda marched against the Chalukya capital, captured it and returned with great spoils to Kanchi is learnt from the life of Paranjoti, otherwise Siru-Tondar, in Periyapuranam,” he writes. While Gopalan’s book cites the Velurpalayam plates that refer to this exploit of Narasimhavarman I, who defeated the enemies and took from them the pillar of victory standing in the centre of Vatapi, there is no inscription that makes a reference to Paranjothi. Historian M. Rajamanickanar also draws on Periyapuranam to narrate Paranjothi’s participation in the war and the conquest of Vatapi. “He entered Vatapi and ravaged the city of Chalukyas. He returned to Kancheepuram with the horses and elephants and other valuables and submitted them to Narasimhavarman,” he quotes from Periyapuraman. He concludes that Narasimhavarman stopped fighting the Chalukyas at Manimangalam and the task of overwhelming Vatapi was left to Paranjothi.
Kalki Krishnamurthy excels in the description of Paranjothi’s return with the spoils of the war. When Narasimhavarman offered him a great deal of the wealth, Paranjothi only requested that he be allowed to carry the idol of Ganapathi that he had brought from Vatapi to Tiruchengattankudi. He subsequently visited Lord Shiva temples. He gave up the attire of the general and weapons and wore holy ash on his forehead and rudraksha garlands on his head and neck.
Kalki excels in description of Paranjothi’s return with the spoils of the war. “My dear friend, the great victory and wealth totally belongs to you. We have got 30,000 elephants, 60,000 horses, precious stones that could not be filled in the coffers of Kancheepuram, gold and silver. You should take at least one part of it. I have decided to present to you 5,000 elephants, 10,000 horses and wealth that can be carried by you,” said the king Narasimhavarman. But Paranjothi only requested that he be allowed to carry the idol of Ganapathi that he had brought from Vatapi to Tiruchengattankudi. He subsequently visited Lord Siva temples. He gave up the attire of the general and weapons and wore holy ash on his forehead and rudraksha garlands on his head and neck.
A visit from the Lord
It was when Siruthondar, his wife Thirvenkattu Nangai and their son Seeralan, all of five years, were living in Tiruchengattankudi, the legend says, Lord Shiva visited him as a Shiva devotee and asked for “pillaikari” (meat of Seeralan) for lunch. As an ardent devotee, he could not say ‘no’ to his plea. He killed and cooked his son. But the wandering monk would again demand that he dine with the child of the house and ask Siruthondar to call his son. To the surprise of the parents, the boy appears as if nothing had happened to him and the entire family is blessed with the darshan of Lord Shiva and Parvati. They are all taken to heaven too. The idols of Siruthondar and his family can be seen at the entrance of the Urudrapuriswarar temple at Tiruchengattankudi.
