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Chola Warlords: Who Were the Paluvettaraiyars?

Ponniyin Selvan I movie poster showing actor Sarathkumar as Periya Paluvettaraiyar and actor Parthiban as Chinna Paluvettaraiyar. In 2024, Oxford University Press published  Minor Majesties: The Paluvēṭṭaraiyars and Their South Indian Kingdom of Paluvūr, 9th–11th Centuries A.D ., a groundbreaking study by historian Valerie Gillet. In the book’s opening chapter, A Tentative Biography of the Paluvettaraiyars , Gillet delves into the lineage and origins of this influential fami ly.  These Chola warlords traced their lineage to the formidable Maravars, an ancient warrior tribe renowned for their valor. However, I believe that while the Paluvettaraiyars were indeed of Maravar descent, they likely forged alliances through intermarriage with those of the Kallar and Agambadiyar clans, further solidifying their power and influence. Prominent figures in the medieval Chola era, the Paluvettaraiyars played a pivotal role in shaping the empire’s political and military landscape. Through st...
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Turkey Trip 2013 - Part 2



I will recommend Novotel for their service. It is indeed a good place to stay although it is about 15 minutes drive from the town. The Black Sea is just opposite the hotel. It is not surprising that the seafood served was very fresh and good. They also had other varieties for breakfast.

Potato, Salmon, Sardine, Turkish cheeze, chicken slices, sausages and turkey ham.

Turkish omelet

Turkish pastries
I did not take much pictures of the hotel with my camera phone. My battery was dead at that time. The second picture below was taken from Google.


  

Unlike here in Malaysia, the people of Turkey drive on the right side of the road. The same is done in Bulgaria. That means the driver seat is on the left.


We actually visited the Istanbul town on the day we arrived, Saturday. My camera battery was dead and I could not take much pictures. We visited the town again on Sunday, right after our breakfast. This time I clicked as much as I could. Some of the pictures which you see here will be a mix of Saturday and Sunday shots.


 

This is Simit. It is a type of circular bread. More like crunchy donuts. There are different types of Simit. It is very popular in Turkey and Greece. You can find it almost everywhere. According to archival sources, it has been produced in Turkey since 1525.

A butcher shop.

More bread



The Turks are very proud of their heritage. Well, they were once the most powerful Islamic Empire ever to exist. Feared by many European kings. Anyone with such heritage will surely have some sense of national pride in them. This is why, the Turks do all they can to preserve the old structures in the country.



One of the best way to know a country and its people is by walking on the streets and trying out street food. Walk where the locals walk, eat what the locals eat.
 


Sant'Antonio di Padova, alternatively known as S. Antonio di Padova, St. Antoine or St. Antuan, is the largest cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul. It is located on Istiklal Avenue in the Beyoglu district.

Pope Giovanni XXIII (John XXIII, 1958-1963) preached in this church for 10 years, when he was the Vatican's Ambassador to Turkey before being elected as Pope. He is known in Turkey with the nickname "The Turkish Pope" because of his fluent Turkish and his often expressed love for Turkey and the city of Istanbul.

Both me and Max stepped into the church, light up candles and prayed in silence.

This was not my first time in a church or chapel. I prayed silently in the chapel in Assunta Hospital back when I was 5. I was admitted in the hospital and I could not walk to the nearest temple across the street (the Sithi Vinayagar Temple) to pray. So I just walked into the chapel, did my prayers, flipped through the Bible although I did not understand a single thing and walked out.

Although Turkey is a Muslim majority country, the old churches are well preserved there. Wait till I write more about this in the next post. I need to show you guys something. Something about religious tolerance, Turkish style!

To be continued.....


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