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Showing posts from January, 2015

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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The Roti Canai Story

Roti Canai. PICTURE CREDIT  http://tomsaleebastravels.blogspot.com/ Roti Canai is a very popular dish in Malaysia. We Malaysians just love it. We even have various versions of Roti Canai. Roti Bom, Roti Pisang, Roti Sardin, Roti Telur, Roti Planta etc.  It is generally assumed that Roti Canai got its name from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu.  So did Roti Canai really get its name from Chennai? Parotta PICTURE CREDIT  http://www.yamu.lk/place/chennai/ Roti Canai is actually the modified Parotta. This dish is quite popular in South India. However, it is not a native South Indian dish. The dish is said to come from North India. Some claim that it was introduced by those from Middle East.  Parotta may have entered India via North India or via Kerala. Because Kerala is exposed to the Arabian Sea and many traders from Middle East used to trade in Kerala. There is also another theory that suggest that the main ingredient to make Parotta, the Mai...
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The Mandailing Tunnel of Bukit Nanas

Yesterday, The Star published an article about the discovery of a tunnel in Bukit Nanas (Pineapple Hill), Kuala Lumpur. A copy of the article can be read at the link below: http://www.thestar.com.my/Metro/Community/2015/01/19/part-of-bukit-nanas-secret-tunnel-made-public/ This tunnel is said to be dug by the Mandailing people during the Klang War which happened during 1867-1874 AD. Mandailings are an ethnic group related to the Malays and Bataks . They are from Sumatra and they have paternal family names.  Their family names are known as marga, a Sanskrit word signifying people of same origin. Marriage between two people of the same marga is forbidden. The Marga is their Gothra. The Klang War involved many different ethnics. Although today they are called as one Malay race in Malaysia, back in the olden days, they divided themselves as Malays, Bugis, Acehnese, Mandailings, Javanese etc. The Klang War also saw the involvement of the Hakkas and Cantonese of the Chinese commu...
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Minoan Bulls and Basque Goddess - A Possible Tamil Connection?

SOURCE: Dr. N. Lahovary in "Dravidian Origins and the West", published by Orient Longmans, Bombay, 1963 Spain is known for its sports involving bulls. They have bullfighting, bull leaping and bull chasing. Each are different. They may have inherited this from the earlier Minoan civilization which existed in the island of Crete. Probably the Spaniards and Minioans shared the same culture during ancient times. We don't know.  Like the Spaniards, we Tamils also have a few sports involving bulls. It is collectively called as Jallikattu and there are few variations in this sport. There is a region in Spain known as Basque. The Basque language of Spain (and parts of France) is different from other European languages. Some scholars believe that it may be related to ancient Tamil language. The Basque people have a goddess named Maari. She is their goddess of weather. Similarly, we Tamils too have a goddess named Maari. She is also our goddess of weather. The Tami...
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The Cambodian Who Ruled Tamil Nadu

Bokator - The traditional martial art of Cambodia. https://500px.com/photo/2107465/cambodia's-martial-arts-by-visions-of-indochina The Pallava kingdom once ruled a large area in Tamil Nadu. They had their capital in Kanchipuram which is located in the Thondai region of Tamil Nadu. Thondai region is made of northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh. The identity of the Pallava dynasty is a mystery. It is generally accepted that they were Persians who migrated to India. In a few centuries, they moved from North India to South India.  They served under existing dynasties such as Satavahanas and Cholas as vassals. They later become powerful enough to create a kingdom of their own in 275 AD. Although not Tamil in origin, they eventually became Tamilized. This is because they intermarried with local Tamil royalties for many generations. The Pallavas also colonized areas in South East Asia and created dynasties in what is today Indochina.  One of the Pallava kings,...
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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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