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Showing posts from October, 2013

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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Lord Rama - A vegetarian? Guess not.

Hindus often have a misconception about Hinduism. We often tag it as a vegetarian religion. Hinduism as we know today is actually a collection of various religions native to the Indian subcontinent. Unlike the Abrahamic religions, it is not a one book religion.  Therefore, there are many scriptures and paths within Hinduism. Each may contradict with one another. Each path has its own rules and way of doing things. What is correct for you may not necessarily be correct for me. The Gaudinya Vaishnavites believe that Krishna is the Supreme God. The other Vaishnavites disagree by stating that Vishnu Narayana is the Supreme God and Krishna is just an avatar. Get my point? Many Hindus failed to realize the vast differences within Hinduism itself.  Vegetarianism become popular in India not because of Hinduism but because of Jainism and Buddhism. These were the real promoters of vegetarianism. Only after the arrival of Buddhism and Jainism did vegetarian practice became so ...
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Bangsa India Malaysia

Setelah sekian lama, saya telah bercadang untuk menulis dalam Bahasa Melayu yang kini dikenali sebagai Bahasa Malaysia. Kali terakhir saya menulis dengan menggunakan Bahasa Kebangsaan kita adalah ketika di sekolah menengah, iaitu hampir 13 tahun yang lepas. Oleh itu, saya memohon maaf sekiranya penggunaan bahasa tidak begitu memuaskan. Malaysia merupakan sebuah negara yang mempunyai pelbagai bangsa. Setiap bangsa di negara kita mempunyai asal-usulnya yang tersendiri. Saya ingin mengambil peluang ini untuk berkongsi ilmu  mengenai Bangsa India dan suku-sukunya. Bangsa & Kewarganegaraan Istilah Bangsa India atau 'Indian' sebenarnya merupakan istilah kewarganegaraan yang digunakan oleh penjajah British untuk merujuk kepada rakyat Empayar British India. Walaupun orang-orang India di Malaysia bukan lagi warga negara asal moyang mereka, namun istilah ini masih digunakan sebagai nama bangsa di Malaysia. Pada pendapat saya, adalah tidak wajar untuk menggunakan istilah in...
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Deepavali 2013

***There was a discussion which happened after this thread. An explanation was given for the Krishna Chaturdasi. To know about the origins of Deepavali, please read http://jaybeetrident.blogspot.com/2012/11/festival-of-sridevi.html *** There is a general confusion among Hindus in Malaysia and to some extend Singapore. It is about when Deepavali should be celebrated this year. According to Malaysia, it should be 2 November. Many calendars marked 3 November as Deepavali.  So everyone is confused. Who is right? There are many astronomical factors which needs to be considered when deciding Hindu festivals. There are reasons for it. A person who calculates the dates for the almanac needs to know both Mathematics and Astronomy. This is also the foundation of Hindu Astrology. Most of us are not familiar with the metrics used. We would have heard of Muhurta (moment), Paksha (forthnight lunar phase) or Tithi (lunar day) but are not aware of the maths behind it....
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The Indian confusion - Race, Caste, Clan & Surnames

Before you read, keep in mind that this was not written with the intention to divide the people. It was written with the intention to explain the meaning of each group. The write up on my journey in Bali is still in progress. I have to transfer some image files in order to upload them. So I thought of writing about the biggest confusion in the Indian Malaysian community. It is a sensitive one too. But clarification should be given. Else, when are we going to understand it? To my friends of other races who happened to read my blog, this will probably be enlightening as many may not be aware of our demographics. First of all, there are two main classification for us in Malaysia. Indian & Ceylonese. Many assume it to be a homogenous race like Chinese, but it isn't. The Chinese have many languages but they have a common language called Mandarin. They also have one writing script. This is what makes the over 1 billion Chinese worldwide as a homogenous race. Ancient Chinese ...
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Dogs of Tamil Nadu

Pictures taken from Google. Credit goes to the various people who uploaded them. I apologise for not being able to identify the original owner of the pics. Whenever we speak of dogs, we tend to focus on the European breeds.  This is due to their popularity and demand. Unknown to many, India has about 88 native dog breeds. Six of these breeds are from the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Most of these dogs from Tamil Nadu evolved naturally. That makes them more suitable to the hot climate in the south. Furthermore, these dogs require less medical attention as their immune system is stronger, making them less prone to disease which are common among the European breeds. In Tamil Nadu, we can find breeds like the famous Rajapalayam, Kombai, Alangu Mastiff, Chippiparai, Kanni and Malayeri. Both the Alangu Mastiff and Malayeri are now extinct. Malayeri The Malayeri (hill climber) was a shepherd dog used by the tribals to herd sheeps. It was commonly found in the hills of Tamil Na...
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Muniswaran Worship

(Pictures taken from Google except for the Banyan tree) Hinduism is a world of its own. It is not a single book religion like the Abrahamic religions. It is actually a collection of various religions, philosophies, doctrines, rituals and practices. In Hinduism, worship of minor deities is also practiced. Although it is not part of mainstream Hinduism, it still plays an important part in the daily lives of many individuals and families. The worship of minor deities is much more common in rural areas. It is often more of a clan or family affair. The minor deities fall into different categories. One of it is a class of powerful spirits known as Muni. My family use to offer worship under this tree in Klang. My interest in Muni worship started at a very young age. I have always been a curious kid. I ask alot of questions.. I still am a curious person. Always looking for more clues and hopefully some answers. It is perhaps my late paternal grandmother, Letchumy, who ign...
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