What men fear most? A survey and some astrology.

A recent survey conducted among the British men showed that they feared most growing grey hairs than going bald. Baldness came second in their list of worries. The third place went to unwanted hair on the ear and then only came worries about over weight and yellow teeth.

I don’t think this list would be the same if surveyed among the Indian men. From what I see from the people coming for matching horoscopes, I get a feed back that receding hairlines or early balding are a disadvantage for prospective grooms. In contrast, graying hair is not a big issue. In a country where wearing wigs is still un common, early balding is difficult to hide while graying hair can be managed easily with hair dyes. Nowadays I suggest parents to look for alliance for their sons as early as in their mid twenties, than to postpone on some family reasons - the most common being younger sisters still waiting to be married. Most men seem to go balding pretty soon in their life.

Looking for indications in astrology for balding, let me first give some notions on Samudrika lakshana for men for hairs.

On body hair and hair on head, the growth of single hair from a single hair follicle is auspicious. It makes one kingly.

If two hairs grow from a single hair follicle, it makes the man learned and observe duties life as prescribed in sastras.

If three or more hairs grow from as single hair follicle, it makes one poor and grief stricken.

On the hair on head, the sastra does not favour thick hair for men. Soft and glossy looking hair, dark and curled and growing not much in quantity and not having split ends is auspicious. Such a person will live in great comfort and be kingly. On the other hand, thick hair growth with unequal length having split ends and not looking glossy and curling too much is not a sign of comfortable living for the man.

On hairs on the ears that the British men were worried about, it is not a bad thing according to this sastra. Long life will be assured for the man with hairs on the ear.

On facial hair, what applies to the head is also applicable here. Glossy looking, but growing well with no split ends is the lakshana.

There is no mention of early balding or early graying in the sastra for men on their physical features regarding hair.

For that we have to look at the horoscope.

According to classical texts, we have to see the lagna (ascendant) in rasi (D-1) and Navamsa (D-9) for the kind of appearance and hair growth.

In addition to them, we have to see D-30 (Trimsamsa) and D-3 (Drekkana) lagna also for determining hair loss.

The sun is associated with hair loss while Saturn is associated with quick ageing, that is, early graying of hair.

A weaker sun in the above mentioned divisional charts hastens the speed of hair loss.

In the fetus, the 6^th month is the time for growth of hair on the body and on the head. Saturn controls the 6^th month of the fetus. How the hair growth is going to be will be determined by the Saturn- influence on the fetus on the 6^th month. But we have no means to judge this as this is with reference to the birth time lagna which we can not know beforehand but which is pre-determined according to astrology.

The lagna (ascendant) stands for how one looks and also for the features of the head.

The Sun in the lagna or in the 7^th affects the hair growth. People with sun in lagna or the 7^th in D-1 are first rate candidates for early symptoms for receding hairlines. If the Sun is associated with the lagna or the 7^th in the other divisional charts also, early balding is a sure happening.

The Navamsa lagna (D-9) also determines the growth of hair. Even if the sun is not in the 1^st and the 7^th house in lagna, if it gets associated with these houses in D-9, there are chances of hair loss. Navamsa determines the amount and growth of hair.

You can check it in the Nehru family. Nehru had sun in the 7^th house (cancer) in D-9 and Sanjay Gandhi

had sun in the lagna of D-9. Rajiv Gandhi had sun in the lagna in rasi. Rahul Gandhi also has sun in the

lagna in D-1 and D-3. It is weak in D-9 in the 12^th house in Scorpio, associated with Saturn, showing that he must have already started graying but masking it with some hair dye.

Now let us take a look at sign-wise Navamsa lagnas.

If the D-9 lagna falls in the sign of Sun (Leo), no need to worry about

balding. The person will have thick and curly hair growth. Obama has Navamsa lagna in Leo, but has sun in the 7^th in D-1.. The sun is strong and auspicious in the other divisional charts. So we have to do a combined reading. Sun in the 7^th will certainly give a receding hairline but its strength in other charts with Leo as Navamsa lagna will not give him undue baldness. The hair thickness had come down early in his life. But look at his Saturn. It is in its own sign in both D-1 and D-9 and in lagna in rasi. He must have started graying early. People and the media are thinking that it started only after he assumed office.

If the D-9 lagna falls in the sign of Moon (Cancer), there must be worry about hair on the head. There will be more hair on the body but thin hair on the head! Early balding comes with lagna in Cancer in D-9 and D-3 and D-30.

If the D-9 lagna falls in the sign of Mars (Aries and Scorpio), there is a strong chance of balding. This is a major pointer to baldness as per texts. There is no differentiation between these signs as being fiery or watery. That they are lorded by Mars is the cause for the hair loss. You can check with Mahathma Gandhi’s horoscope.

If the D-9 lagna falls in the sign of Mercury (Gemini and Virgo), the person will have beautiful hair.

If the D-9 lagna falls in the sign of Jupiter (Sagittarius and Pisces), once again the same feature as above. Usually the Navamsa lagna in the houses of benefics ensure beautiful and good growth of hair.

If the D-9 lagna falls in the sign of Venus (Taurus and Libra), same as above.

If the D-9 lagna falls in the sign of Saturn ( Capricorn and Aquarius), dull and thin hair will result. Early graying is also seen.

*************

From

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Aging-woes-Going-grey-is-mens-worst-nightmare/articleshow/6258827.cms

Aging woes: Going grey is men's worst nightmare

LONDON: Guess gives men darkest blues? Turning grey, a new survey has revealed.
According to the survey, more than half of the respondents said going grey was their worst fear. Hair loss or thinning, is the second most common concern, worrying 40% of the respondents to the Mintel survey of 2,000 British men. Unwanted hair (in the nose and ears) preoccupied 38% of respondents, being overweight bothered 37% and 30% were worried about yellowing teeth.

And, it seems that 45 is the age where real discontent sets in about how a chap sees himself. More than a quarter of those aged between 45 and 54 disliked four aspects of their appearance, compared to an average of over one in ten men.

"Although grey hair is traditionally seen as a mark of distinction in men, the reality is many men are unhappy with their newfound gravitas," the Daily Mail quoted a spokesman for Mintel, a market survey firm.

"The physical changes associated with ageing can act as a catalyst to mid-life crisis as men become less content with their appearance after the age of 45," he added.

“Moriyar" in Sangam texts refers to Mongolians? (World Tamil Conference series 17)

Two papers presented in the Tamil Conference highlighted the presence of Tamil words in Korean language and Mongolian language.

On Korean language:-

http://www.nakkheeran.in/users/TamilClassicalConference.aspx?TCC=111

On Mongolian language:-

http://www.nakkheeran.in/users/TamilClassicalConference.aspx?TCC=113

The expeditions of the Tamil kings in Southeast Asia had contributed to the spread of Hindu culture, temples and Tamil words to the regions including Korea.

But Mongolia is a far off place on the other side of the Himalayas that it intrigues any researcher as to how the Tamil words are found in the language of the Mongols.

The following link analyses the similarity in Dravidian and Mongolian languages.

http://bafsudralam.blogspot.com/2009/12/dravidian-and-mongolian.html

Of interest to us is the Tamil word 'tikiri' (திகிரி), which means circle, a round substance or a wheel (உருளை , சக்கரம் ) pronounced as 'toguri' in Mongol having the same meaning!

This word 'thikiri' is associated with a people called "Moriyar" who cut through the snow- clad mountains to bring their 'thikiri' to the regions of the South to crush the people of 'Mogoor'.

This incident is revealed in 4 places in the Sangam texts - at one verse in Purananuru and at 3 verses in Aka-nanuru.

Some scholars have analyzed these verses and arrived at a conclusion that the Moriyar were Mauruyas of the Magadha kingdom.

They came to the South at the request of Kosars, by making way a pathway in the mountain to bring their 'Thikiri' and fought with the rulers of Mogoor.

This Mogoor is near the Pandyan Capital of Madurai. (a vaishnavite divya desam temple is here).

The Kosars were from the areas of Kongu naadu as the texts speak of them as 'Kongu - ilam - Kosar' (the youthful Kosars of Kongu region).

There are two discrepancies in this conclusion. One is that Mogoor being close to Madurai and had been in war very often with the adjacent Cheran kingdom ( as per Sangam texts) how did the Mauryas gain access to this place in the heart of Tamil lands without inviting opposition form the Tamil kings. The Tamil kings had fought among themselves, but when an external threat was sensed, they had joined together to keep off that threat.

The second issue is the description of cutting a mountain so that their 'thikiri' could roll down smoothly. This description does not fit the topography of Mogoor. Which mountain was cut by the Mauryas to bring their thikiri rolled chariots or vehicles?

It is a long way to come from Magadha kingdom to come to Mogoor.

However some scholars have proposed some explanation leading to the above conclusion.

Their conclusion is wrong as two out of the 4 verses on Moriyar clearly state that they had cut across the snow-clad mountains!

This refers to Himalayas only.

The verse from Purananuru is more descriptive of the land beyond this mountain.

Verse 175 of Purananuru says that if one goes through this path way cut by the Moriyar and reach the other side, one will come to the land where the "Adhitya mandalam" meaning the sun, staying all through the day and night in the sky.

This refers to the region beyond 60 degrees of Northern latitudes.

The poet Aatthirayanaar (ஆத்திரையனார் ) confirms again (that he is indeed speaking about a Northern latitude where the sun stays in the sky all the time that there is no difference between day and night time (in summer) ) by comparing the King Aathanungan (ஆதனுங்கன் ) as one who does not differentiate between day and night when it comes to protecting his people.

வென்வேல்

விண்பொரு நெடுங்குடைக் கொடித்தேர் மோரியர்
திண்கதிர்த் திகிரி திரிதரக் குறைத்த
உலக இடைகழி அறைவாய் நிலைஇய
மலர்வாய் மண்டிலத் தன்ன, நாளும்
பலர்புரவு எதிர்ந்த அறத்துறை நின்னே.

The commentary retrieved from palm leafs by Dr U.Ve.Sa runs thus:-

"வென்றி வேலை உடைய விசும்பைத் தோயும் நெடிய குடையினையும், கொடி அணிந்த தேரினையும் உடைய, நிலமுழுதும் ஆண்ட வேந்தரது திண்ணிய ஆர் சூழ்ந்த சக்கரம் இயங்குதற்குக் குறைக்கப்பட்ட வெள்ளி மலைக்கு அப்பாலாகிய உலகத்திற்குக் கழியும் இடைகழியாகிய அற்றவாயின்கண் தேவர்களால் நிறுத்தப்பட்டு இரு பொழுதும் ஒரு பெற்றியே நிலை பெற்று விளங்கும் பரந்த இடத்தை உடைய ஆதித்ய மணடலத்தை ஒப்ப, நாள்தோறும இரவு பகல் என்னாமல் பலரையும் காத்தலை ஏற்றுக் கொண்டு ஒரு பெற்றியே விளங்கிய அறத்த்துறையாகிய நின்னை "

It says that the mighty king having the victory - giving spear and a sky-high Umbrella, cut the silvery mountain to make way for the wheels of his chariot to run. Going beyond this silvery mountain through the way he has made, one comes to a world where the sun always stays in the sky thereby making no difference to day and night. My king is also like that sun as he does not differentiate between the day and night and protect his subjects at all times.

These unknown commentators of the undated past also mention the Moriyar as "Chakkaravaalach chakkaravarthikal". (சக்கரவாளச் சக்கரவர்த்திகள் ).

In Tamil lexicon, Chakkravaalam (சக்கரவாளம் ) refers to a mountain range encircling the earth that is situated at the foot hill of the Mount Meru. The North pole is referred to as the peak of Mount Meru.

The foot hills of Meru called as Chakkarvaalam comes somewhere in the present day Russia (Siberia) and northern parts of present day Mongolia.

This description also suits the North European latitude. In that case, the Moriyar must have come through the Northwest part of the Himalayas. This invasion by Moriyar can also refer to the invasion by Alexander. But his route does not cut through the Himalayan passes. Alexander did cross a mountain but that was in the Middle East and not in the snow clad mountains. So the probability points towards a movement through the north or north eastern Himalayas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Transasia_trade_routes_1stC_CE_gr2.png

When we analyze the other verses, we arrive at a possibility of the Moriyar coming through Nathu la pass on the Chinese side.

This is a main mountain route which is part of the ancient Silk route.

The Mongols had always tried to control the Silk route.

Their location in the distant past had been to the north of China and bordering Siberia.

The Great Wall of China was built over a period to safe guard their territory from the Mongols.

The Moriyar were mentioned with a prefix – 'vamba' as vamba Moriyar – the Moriyar who were mischievous.

The Mauryas who ruled from Pataliputhra were not called with such a demeaning term.

There had been cordial relationship with the Mauryas.

The pot ware found in Rameshwaram is connected to Mauryan kingdom showing regular contact with Mauryans as early as the Ashokan times.

Pataliputhra finds favorable mention in Sangam texts.

Pataliputhra was associated with riches and gold.

In Kurunthogai 75, we find the heroine telling the messenger that she would gift him Pataliputhra of abundant gold, situated near river Sone, for having brought the happy news of the return of her lover.

சோணை படியும்
பொன்மலி பாடலி பெறீஇயர்
யார்வாய்க் கேட்டனை காதலர் வரவே.

The Nanda kings also find mention in Akananuru along with Patalipuaram in Akanauru 265.

பல்புகழ் நிறைந்த வெல்போர் நந்தர்

சீர்மிகு பாடலிக் குழீஇக், கங்கை

நீர்முதற் கரந்த நிதியம் கொல்லோ?

Perumkathai 1-58 glorifies the goldsmiths of Pataliputhra.

Paatalip pirantha pasum pon vinaingyarum

Thus we find that Mauryas were in the good books of Tamils.

The richness of their capital at Patna had attracted the Tamils.

In the verse in Akananuru, the hero had gone to the far – off lands to do business and fetch money.

Pataliputhra must have been the major stop over on his (their) way to the Northern lands.

Akananuru verse 69 is about the non appearance of the hero for a long time. He had gone through the path way made by the Moriyar on the mountains.

That is a long way. It would time for him to finish business and come back home. The friend consoles the heroine by saying like this.

"விண்பொரு நெடுங்குடை இயல்தேர் மோரியர்

பொன்புனை திகிரி திரிதர குறைத்த

அறைஇறந்து அகன்றனர் ஆயினும், எனையதூஉம்

This verse tells about the Moriyar in the context of expressing the pathway taken by the hero.

That pathway was made by the Moriyar by cutting and making way for the "thikiri" ( wheels of the chariots) to run.

Another verse (281) of Akananuru makes an explicit mention about the snow clad mountain as the one that the Moriyar crossed by cutting a way through.

கனைகுரல் இசைக்கும் விரைசெல் கடுங்கணை

முரண்மிகு வடுகர் முன்னுற, மோரியர்

தென்திசை மாதிரம் முன்னிய வரவிற்கு

விண்ணுற ஓங்கிய பனிஇருங் குன்றத்து,

எண்கதிர்த் திகிரி உருளிய குறைத்த

அறைஇறந்து, அவரோ சென்றனர்

This verse is also a consolation offered by the friend to the heroine who is worried about the delay in the return of her man.

He had not just gone to some place; he had gone to the lands by crossing the pathway made by the Moriyar on the snow-clad mountains. It would take time to come from there, so be calm –says the friend.

Here also the tough feat of making the path for their wheels (thikiri) to roll is mentioned.

Additional information is that the Moriyar had come to the southern direction with the Vadugar (Norrthies) leading them.

This expression had confused the scholars making them assume that the North Indians had come to the South of India with Moriyar by making pathway on the mountains. But we can not ignore the mention of "pani irum kundram" (பனி இரும் குன்றம் ) – the snowy mountain.

In another verse (251) of Akananuru, we find the mention of Mogoor. This verse seems to make confusion.

வெல்கொடித்

துனைகால் அன்ன புனைதேர்க் கோசர்

தொல்மூ தாலத்து அரும்பணைப் பொதியில்,

இன்இசை முரசம் கடிப்பிகுத்து இரங்கத்,

தெம்முனை சிதைத்த ஞான்றை; மோகூர்

பணியா மையின், பகைதலை வந்த

மாகெழு தானை வம்ப மோரியர்

புனைதேர் நேமி உருளிய குறைத்த

இலங்குவெள் அருவிய அறைவாய் உம்பர்,

This says that the Moriyar came to Mogoor to help the Kosar.

The regular reference to their wheel (given as 'nemi' in this verse) coming through the pathway made in the mountains is there.

But the reference to Pothiyil does make one to connect Mogoor to the Tamil land near Pothigai mountain.

In my opinion, since we can not brush off the reference to the snowy mountain where the pathway was laid and the land beyond the mountain referring to Northern latitudes, the above verse with a reference to Pothigai must have been a case of mistaken identity.

The poet however refers to this incidence at a distant past (தொல்மூதாலத்து)

The information on Moriyar could well be a widely circulated story of their strength in making a pathway in the mountain – this incident is repeatedly recalled in all the 4 verses. But only in this verse the connection to Tamilnadu is found.

It could well be that the Kosars and Mogoor of the North India were mistaken for the Kosars and Mogoor of Tamilnadu.

Nowhere in Tamil tests, the exact fight between the Moriyar and the king of Mogoor is recorded.

But war on Mogoor is mentioned in 2 places in Pathitruppatthu verses 44 and 49 (பதிற்றுப்பத்து ).

The Cheran king, Senkuttuvan also known as Kadal pirakkottiya Senkuttuvan (கடல் பிறக்கோட்டிய செங்குட்டுவன் ) –

the king who dedicated a temple for Kannagi vanquished the king Pazhayan of Mogoor.

His victory over Mogoor is praised in the Sangam texts.

Mogoor was under the rulership of Velir kings, the migrated Dwarakans.

They had their immediate enemies surrounding them always.

It is difficult to believe how the Cherans and Pandyans allowed Moriyar to reach this part in their neighborhood.

Even if the Moriyar made a solo expedition, that could not have happened without some understanding with the Cheran or Pandyan king who were strong in that region.

The Kosars were also part of migrated Dwarakans.

The Tamil Kings would have been happy to find both Mogoor and Kosar vanquished than to allow one overpower the other with the help of an outside force.

My opinion is that the names, Mogoor and Kosar must have been associated with the expedition of the Moriyar.

The legend of the Moriyar cutting a pathway on the mountain might have become a local legend in Tamilnadu who would have instantly found a connection to Mogoor and Kosar.

When we look for these names in North Indian chronicles or in areas beyond the Himalayas, we do get some connection with Mongols for Moriyar, Kosar for the Kosar tribes of Newars of Nepal.

The Mongol King Modu Chanyu known as Modun or Maodun (sounds like Moriyar

- மங்கோலியர் - in Tamil) who ruled Mongolia between 209 BCE to 174 BCE had been a terrible king.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modu_Chanyu

He expanded his kingdom upto Siberia in the North and the Silk Route in the south.

The Silk route passes through Nathu la pass in the Himalayas.

He had been a terror figure in those days and launched 26 war campaigns to conquer 26 kingdoms, and became greatly feared widely throughout Asia.

The Kosars of Nepal were rationally engaged in robbery. ("Account of the Kingdom of Nepal" Page 356 by Francis Buchanan Hamilton, published in 1995. In 'Nepal Antiquary" by the Office of the Nepal-Antiquary (published in 1974)

Mogoor might refer to a region in the south of the Himalayan foot hills near Nepal. It is probable that the Kosars, the robbers were driven out by the Mogoors and in retaliation, the Kosars sought help from Maodun.

Maodun (Modu Chanya) might have crossed the Himalayas through Nathu la pass by laying a road there for his troops to move.

Later that road would have come to be used by people as part of the Silk route.

The other side of this pathway takes one to the Northern latitudes where the sun never sets in summer, which was recalled in the Puranauru verse.

All the Akananuru verses speak about the Tamil men crossing this pathway made by the Moriyar.

The Tamils of yore had been known for going to far off lands to make money.

"Thirai kadalodiyum diraviyam thedu" (திரை கடலோடியும் திரவியம் தேடு ) is the popular adage in Tamil.

The mention of Pataliputra in Sangam verses show the contact with that place.

From Pataliputhra, if one goes further north, the pathway across the Himalayas can be reached.

The Tamil men had gone through that route in the past and brought with them the story of the Moriyar who had made the pathway.

They also brought to the information on the strange lands beyond that pathway where there was no difference between the day and the night with the sun being fixed in the sky all the time.

This background information from Sangam texts also show what the Tamils could have gifted to those far-off regions.

It is their language and materials sold there.

With these men spending months together in such foreign lands – in Mongolia and China, there is no wonder that some Tamil words had found way into the language of the Mongols.

Mongol language also has some Telugu and Kannada words.

The reason is not difficult to seek.

All these people had wandered to those lands for business.

The route is a very popular one for centuries before the Common Era.

Any future excavation in Mongolia or China might show connections to Tamils.

Let us not attribute it to a non existent Dravidian connection.

Sangam texts give more authentic explanation for all that connection and many more about Tamils' past than what Dravidian politicians wish to cull out from the Indus valley through innocent and non-suspecting scholars of the IVC.

Its time Tamils understand that the true history of their rich past is to be found in Sangam texts and not in the Indus valley.

The Cocks in Indus seal and the Cock-city in Tamilnadu. (World Tamil Conference series 16)

In his paper analyzing the Indus signs, Dr Iravadham Mahadevan arrives at the Tamil words 'akam' and 'puram' for certain signs. In this context he has arrived at the meaning "ruined city of the cock" for the Indus seal of 2 cocks and a symbol (for city) and a bull (found in Mohenjadaro)

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/archive/00151/Dr_Iravatham_Mahade_151204a.pdf

He connects it to the Cholan Capital Urayur (உறையூர் ) which was called as "Kozhi" ( கோழி ) in olden days, meaning cock. He however concedes that the name of this city is derived from a legend of a cock confronting an elephant.

On reading his paper, I thought that are more issues to be looked into before connecting the name Kozhi of Urayaur to the Indus language (symbol)

There is also a place in the South, right at the heart of the settlements of the migrated Dwarakans having the name Kozhi (cock) connected to it. That place is Kozhi-kode or Kozhikkodu, currently known as Calicut. Mr K.V. Krishna Iyer, the historian, has deduced the meaning of this name as "koyil + kodu" – koyil means the 'palace' and Kodu means 'Fortified' – a fortified palace. Why didn't Mr Mahadevan include this place for analysis as this also corresponds to his version?

Kozhikkodu can also be explained as this: -

Kozhi is cock and kodu in Tamil means "neerk karai" - நீர்க் கரை (by the side of waters) or "pirai mathi" பிறை மதி (crescent moon) among other meanings. These two meanings are suitable for this coastal city. From Dr Mahadevan's analysis, the crescent moon in the Indus seal stands for "puram" or "outside". This place is outside the main land. So Kozhikkode fulfils the meaning of the Indus seal given by Dr Mahadevan. This place is part of the cluster where the migrated Dwarakans settled down. From the account of Nacchinaarkkiniyar, they had moved up to Pothiyil mountains where in later days Aai Andiran became the famous king.

These areas are now in Kerala. The word Kozhi often occurs in the names of other birds of kerala.

There is a 'Kula kozhi' that looks like a partridge and found in Periyar lake.

There is a 'Chera kozhi', a kind of kite found in Kerala.

Another bird with a metallic bronze colored back and wings is known as 'Taamra Kozhi' or 'Bronze cock.

There is yet another species known as 'Kalan kozhi' which is found in Kerala.

I don't want to arrive at a conclusion that all these varieties of Kozhi have their origin in Indus Valley. These species are special to this part of India. The name Kozhi also seems to be derived from a meaning associated with Kozhi The term "kozh" (கோழ் ) means slippery, well- built, fatty etc. (வழ வழப்பான, செழிப்பான , கொழுப்பான ). Perhaps the word Kozhi was derived from Kozh.

The Cholan Capital "Kozhi" ( Urayaur) does not have the Indus connection. It had been a citadel of the Cholas right from their beginnings. Urayaur is mentioned in Ashokan edicts. Kozhi was its previous name. So this name must have been there centuries before the Common Era.

The Cholas had a well documented lineage from its founder King Chola varman who was a descendant of King Sibi of Ikshvaku dynasty. The copper plates found at Thiruvalankaadu inscribed in the 6^th year of rulership of Rajendra Chola –I give the list of kings in the lineage of Cholas.

They came in the branch of Ikshvaku dynasty of Rama. When we compare the Ikshvaku dynasty of Rama as found in Valimiki Ramayana and the cholan lineage given in the copper plates, we find that they have had the same ancestry until Mandhatha. After him a diversion had taken place. Valimiki's narration seems to list down the names of the eldest ones to the throne in which Rama appears. King Sibi seems to come in the lineage of the younger sibling.

From the inscriptions, the lineage of the Cholas goes thus:-

http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_3/no_205b_aditya_ii_karikala.html#_ftn25

After Mandhatha, the Chola lineage goes like this.

Muchukunda

Vallabha

Prithulaksha

Parthivachudamani

Dirghabahu

Chandrajit

Sankriti

Panchapa

Satyavrata

Rudrajit

Sibi

Marutta

Dushyanta

Bharata

Cholavarman (Founder of Chola dynasty)

Rajakesarivarman

Parakesarin

Chitraratha

Chitrasva

Chitradhanvan (who brought Kavery river)

This King Chitradhanvan desired to bring the river Kaveri trapped in the mountains just like how Bhageeratha brought the Ganges. (verse 35). And he did bring it to his kingdom.

Urayaur is situated on the banks of Kaveri. There is every likelihood that the Cholas had guarded the lands on the course of the river Kavery as theirs.

In the starting point at Kodagu, sage Agasthya has had his domination. The verse on a ruler called 'Aruvanthai''(அருவந்தை )' by the poet Kalladanaar (கல்லாடனார் ) in Purananuru (385) praising his philanthropy and the bounties of Kavery on him might well be about a kingdom at and around Brahmagiri hills where Kavery starts. His name also sounds with the "Aruvaalargal" (அருவாளர்கள் ) that Agasthya brought from Dwaraka (as per Nachinaarkiniyar). The sage had probably settled the Aruvaalar near his area to discourage any disturbance to them as they could be from the lower strata of the society. The other two groups, the 18 kings and 18 Velir groups might perhaps be higher ranking people.

Barring the upper stretches of Kavery, the other areas on its course might have been under the control of the Cholas.

What is needed for this article is the information that the Cholan kingdom had existed thousands of years ago when the river Kaveri was not flowing. Brushing aside such information given in the inscriptions, we can not say that the Indus people of just 3500 years ago came to the Cholan land of Urayur, lent the name to that place and came to be called as Tamils.

They had come – Dr Mahadevan accepts Nacchinnarkiniyar version of Dwarakan migration. There are other related versions also. The main version is the lapse of 49 generations before the King Irungovel. That exactly puts the time of migration with the end of Indus civilization at 1500 BC. But Tamilnadu had been brimming with people already at that time who were speaking Tamil.

Coming to the name Kozhi for urayur, the Pripadal thirattu (பரிபாடல் திரட்டு ) verse on Madurai (verse 7) mentions Kozhi. It says that the people of Madurai woke up to the sound of veda mantras unlike the people of Kozhi (Cholan capital) and Vanji (Cheran capital) who were woken up by the crowing of the cock.

The first deduction from this is that Vedic chanting and vedic worship had been there in Madurai at the time when Urayaur was known as Kozhi. I don't know how the people harping on Aryan invasion and Vedic civilization as succeeding Indus civilization would explain the vedic worship at Madurai.

The name-cause for Kozhi is found in Silappadhikaaram.

"முறஞ்செவி வாரணம் முன் சமம் முறுக்கிய

புறஞ்சிறை வாரணம் புக்கனர் "

(chapter 10 –verse 247-8)

Writing the commentary for this, Arumpatha uraiyaasiriyar (அரும்பத உரையாசிரியர் ) says:-

" யானையைக் கோழி முருக்கலால் கோழி என்று பெயராயிற்று . யானையைச் சயித்த கோழி தோன்றினவிடம் வலியுடைத்தென்று கருதி , அவ்விடத்து அதன் பெயராலே சோழன் ஊர் காண்கின்ற பொழுது , சிறையும் கழுத்துமாக ஆக்கியவதனால் புறம்பே சிறையையுடைய கோழி என்றாயிற்று "

(sirai – wings)

Writing on the same verse, commentator says Adiyaarkku nallaar (அடியார்க்கு நல்லார் ) says:-

"வாரணம் – கோழி , ஆவது உறையூர் . முற்காலத்து ஒரு கோழி யானையைப் போர் தொலைத்தலான் அந்நிலத்தில் செய்த நகர்க்குக் கோழி என்பது பெயராயிற்று "

Both have given the same version of a cock winning an elephant in an unknown past in that place. Since a unique feat of a cock winning en elephant happened in that place, the Cholan king, when he decided to have it as his capital - named if after the cock that has wings on its sides, says Arumpatha uraiyaasiriyar.

This version of cock and elephant seems to be the case of a cock fight!

Cock fights were not new to Tamil lands.

In Kurum thogai, (குறும் தொகை ) Sangam text, there comes a version of cock fight between the cocks on garbage. The poet who wrote that poem was known by that cock fight – as Kuppaik kozhiyaar (குப்பைக் கோழியார் ) The poet's original name is not known.

In verse 305, it is said that the thalaivi (heroine) suffered from the pangs of pain of separation from her lover. The pain was not caused by others and can not be cured by others. It was like the fight between the 'Kuppai kozhikal" – the fight between the cocks that were searching food from the wastes. There was none to prompt them to fight and none to separate them in time. Similarly the heroine was suffering from a pain which was not induced by others nor solved by others.

"குப்பைக் கோழி தனிப் போர் போல

விளிவாங்கு விளியி னல்லது

களைவோரிலை யான் உற்ற நோவே "

Here the poet makes a hidden note of sandaik kozhi (cocks in fight)

When the cock fights are organized ones, there are people who make the cocks enter a fight and also separate them whenever they wish to stop it.

The fight between the cocks on the mounds of wastes is not similar to that fight.

From this it is known that cock fights had been popular in olden Tamil lands.

The cocks were groomed for such fights. Such cocks used to be ferocious. The instance of an elephant being threatened by a cock might well be about a fighter cock jumping in ferocity that made an elephant run away from that place. This seems to be a possible explanation for the cock versus elephant fight that led to the popularity of the cock and the place where it was seen. Perhaps Urayur in those days had people who groomed cocks for fighting.

Cock-fight in Patiala

Cock fighting was a pastime in most agrarian societies. It was popular in Thanjavur, the Cholan capital in later years. It came at the time of Harvest festival (Pongal) in those days. Cock fights were popular in Kerala also. It is popular in most parts of Indian subcontinent including Pakistan. Punjab and Kashmir also are known for having this cock fight as a game.

The Indus seal looks more like a seal on cock fight and bull fight. Both cock fights and bull fights are popular with pastoral and agrarian societies. The images of the cocks resemble high- breed varieties, if we go by the Samudrika lakshna of Varahamihira. The shape of the neck of the cocks in this seal and the straight shape of the wings of the tail show that they were well groomed cocks. (chapter 63 on 'Features of the cock', Brihad samhitha).

The bull also looks like a ferocious one, trained for bull fights. The cocks are seen as a pair whereas the bull is single. This seal may perhaps be about the cock fight and bull fight. The bull is alone - may be because the fighter at the other end is not another bull but a man.

Tracing this logic of cock fight to pre- IVC period, there had been cock-fights in Mahabharata and Ramayana times.

Cock-fight is one of the 64 arts.

It is the 43^rd art known as "mes-kukkuta-lavaka-yuddha-vidhi: – art of knowing the mode of fighting of lambs, cocks and birds.

The womenfolk were said to be good at this art. The gaNikas (courtesans) of Royal court since the times of Ramayana were trained in these 64 arts including the cock fights, goat- fights and bird-fights. Sage Rishyashringa was brought to the kingdom of Romapada by these courtesans. Because of his arrival, it rained in his kingdom. This sage later conducted the Putra kameshti yajna for the sake of Dasharatha as a result of which Rama and his brothers were born.

Radha, the Gopika also is said to have mastered all these arts.

Thus the cock fight seems to be pre-date IVC times.

Any search into India's past history will not yield correct results if we disregard Mahabharata events. Indus areas give us the proof of existence of a people because those areas were abandoned for long and undisturbed since the abandonment.

The same culture that continues to be prevalent in the rest of India would not give old records such as the IVC because of the ever continuing habitation in all these places.

So it is not right to look at IVC and build theories independent of the previous history and the continuity that is seen everywhere in India.

The immediate previous history of IVC was the story of Mahabharata and Krishna. As we have seen in previous posts in this series, Krishna had traveled to various parts of India. People from the south and other parts have moved to every other region of India.

All the pastimes, habits and culture had got mixed so well or spread to every other place as a result.

The cock fights and bull fights were there everywhere having a pastoral and agricultural background.

It can also be argued that the migrated Dwarakans introduced cock fights to Tamil lands.

The name, Kozhikkodu could have been their gift, but Kozhi (Urayaur) is certainly not connected to such influence. The naming had been done by the Cholan king, but the cock fights might have been popular in that place much before.

If the Dwarakans were responsible for bringing the cock-fight to the Tamil lands, that in no way alters my contention that Tamils were different from the Dwarakans. Dr Mahadevan himself concedes that the migrated people were the Dwarakans. The Tamil loan words to the IVC had been a mystery to all these researchers. But then Tamil has found a place in a very far away country too. The Mongols have many Tamil words in their vocabulary. How that could be explained might perhaps lend a clue to the language issue of the IVC.

We will discuss the Mongol - mystery in the next post in this series.

Tholkaapiyar tree (World Tamil Conference series 15)

Recently a 500 year old tree popularly known as Marutha maram in Tamil was given a special name as 'Tholkaapiyar tree", following the conclusion of the World Tamil Conference.

Tholkaappiyar tree

This name was preferred because the tree was quite old, similar to the antiquity connected to Tholkaapiyar and also because the place where it is found is connected to Tholkaapiyar. This tree is found in Kanyakumari district, where Tholkaapiyar was born, say the authorities. (The news item is given at the end of the post).

How they arrived at the conclusion that Kanyakumari was Tholkaapiyar's birth place is a question. When we look up at the olden commentators such as Nacchinaarkiniyar, we get the information that Tholkaapiyar was the son of Jamadagni of North India. His original name was Thrunathhoomaagini, (த்ருனதூமாகினி), a Sanskrit name. He came to the South, to Tamilnadu along with his teacher Agasthya. This is what we get from the commentary to Tholkaapiyam, paayiram by Nacchinaarkiniyar.

The Dravidian lovers do not want this information. Any information that does not satisfy their Dravidian thoughts is rejected as racist or as a result of Aryan mentality. I will write a separate post later on one such paper presented in the Conference.

In the current post let me write on this tree.

This tree is botanically known as Terminalia arjuna.

The popular name of this tree in North India is Arjuna.

This tree is supposed to be the favorite of Sita.

This tree is remembered for Krishna's connection.

As a kid, Krishna crawled in between two Arjuna trees with the grinding stone tied to his waist. As a result the trees broke down and the cursed Gandharvas trapped in the tress were released.

This story is found in Srimad Bhagavatham and Harivamsam.

The interesting information from the Indus civilization is that Dr E.J.H Mackay who excavated Mohanjodaro between 1927 and 1931 discovered a steatite tablet depicting two persons holding a tree and a tree god extending his hands towards them. He considered this as the famous Krishna in yamalarjuna-lila.

(Mackay's report part 1,pp.344-45,Part 2,plate no.90,object no.D.K.10237 - http://books.google.com/books?id=WgnfbxkFsFoC&pg=PA81&dq=mackay+report+part+A+tablet+found&as_brr=3&cd=3#v=onepage&q=mackay%20report%20part%20A%20tablet%20found&f=false)

I tried to locate the image of this tablet in the websites of IVC but could not get.

If this tablet depicts Krishna, it is a strong proof of IVC as post Mahabharata or post- Krishna.

In this context, I wish to analyze the Arjuna tree.

This tree is found where there is underground water current.

In Mahabharata Arjuna was asked by Bheeshma lying on the arrow-bed to fetch him water in a fitting way.

Arjuna shot his arrow on the ground from which water gushed up and fell on the parched throat of Bheeshma.

This shows that Arjuna had identified an underground spring and pierced it with his arrow.

Such identification was done in olden days by means of some symptoms. One prominent symptom is tree.

"If there is an anthill to the north of the Arjuna tree, there will be a water-current at the distance of 3 cubits to the west of the hill and at the depth of 3 men and a half", says verse 12 of Chapter 54 of Brihad Samhitha.

It is possible to assume that Arjuna identified the underground water by a nearby Arjuna tree and shot the arrow with the force required to reach its source.

Perhaps the tree got the name Arjuna due to this episode.

The relevant information for this post is that the knowledge of identifying the underground water by means of the nearby trees was given by a sage named Saraswatha!

The river Saraswathy was on the decline even before 3000 BC, the period of Krishna.

The Dwarakans were forced to migrate due to loss of their city to the seas.

Though they went to the Indus initially (refer previous post in this series), they were forced to move to the east of Indus and seek watery patches on the banks of Saraswathy. The sage who gave the knowledge to identify the water sources along the Saraswathy perhaps got a name as Saraswatha.

Most of the trees he mentioned are seen in many parts of India.

But there is one exception.

It is the Peelu tree. Peelu tree is generally found in dry and desert regions, in coastal and inland saline soils. It grows in regions where the annual rainfall is less than 200 mm. Sage Saraswatha giving the clues for locating water by means of this tree can be largely applicable to coastal regions or desert regions. The deserts of Rajasthan and coastal regions in Gujarat have Harappan settlements.

The people might have identified the water bodies using Peelu tree as an indicator.

In my opinion, the flora of the IVC regions must be studied to know if the people chose their settlements using this wisdom of ancient India.

In all probability, I guess so.

This knowledge was there widespread throughout India.

Water bodies were identified by means trees and ant hills.

The quality and quantity of water was also known to them.

For example, in the case of Peelu, there will be more salinity in water.

Near Arjuna trees, the water will be tasty.

Near Kapittha (விளா மரம் ) and Jambhoo (நாவல் மரம்), the water body will be huge and perennial and tasty as well.

It is perhaps to safeguard the water bodies from pollution, snake gods and Ganesha were established under these trees.

Lord Ganesha is offered Kapittha and jambhoo phalam.

This makes the people safeguard these trees.

These trees can not be destroyed.

They give valuable clues on the availability of water.

Wherever they are found, the ground can be dug to get water.

Our land is known as Jambhoo dweepa, owing to the growth of Jambhoo trees in abundance.

This shows there must be available plenty of underground water at many places.

The peepal and banyan trees also indicate underground water.

According to Saraswatha, if banyan, palasa and udumbara are seen to grow together, there will be plenty of water under them.

If banyan and pippala grow together, the water current will be to their north. (54-96, Brihad samhitha)

Tamil nadu had a number of water bodies until recently.

Number of tree side or water-side shrines of Ganesha and Snake gods were there in Tamilnadu.

This perhaps helped in keeping the water bodies clean.

We had many water bodies until the time of Independence. Almost three fourth of them are now gone.

Habitations have come up in those areas which have only aggravated the misery.

Even though those places are raised, the earth underneath is connected with underground veins that carry the rain water collected at some other place.

During rains these areas will be stagnated. This is what we are seeing various parts of Chennai.

Our ancestors in Sangam period did not spoil the ground nor destroy the important trees.

The land of Marutham got its name from the abundant growth of marutham / arjuna trees.

Marutham tree was identified as the symbol of Marutham land.

That could mean that people were not supposed to destroy this tree.

The growth of this tree at a place helped them to dig a pond or a tank to supply water to the fields.

Sangam texts make a mention of the water-body close to the marutham trees.

Here are some verses on Marutha trees.

Young girls used to climb the marutham trees situated on the banks of waterways.

They used to sit on the branches of the tree and sing.

In such posture they resemble peacocks on the trees

"துறை நனி மருதமேறி" ( Pathtrup patthu 27)

An ancient city was situated on the banks of a waterway with Marutham trees

"துறை நனி மருதத்திறுக்கு மூதூர்" ( purananuru 344)

The fresh waters of the flooded waterway hits down the Marutham tree on banks.

"தேம்பாய மருத முதல் படக்கொன்று வெண்டலைச் செம்புனல் பரந்து வாய் மிடுக்கும் ." (Pathtrup patthu 30)

The fields by the side of marutha trees.

"மருதம் சான்ற மலர் தலை விளைவயல் " (Pathtrup patthu 73)

The river with the marutham trees on its banks.

"வரு புனல் வையை மருதோங்கு முன் துறை" (Silappadhikaaram 14-72)

Thus we find that wherever this tree is mentioned, the nearby waterway is also mentioned.

Here comes the verse on Krishna breaking the Arjuna tree.

"மருதின் நடந்து நின் மாமன் செய் வஞ்ச

உருளும் சகடம் உதைத்தருள் செய்குவாய் " (silappadhikaaram 12)

From all these it is deduced that the knowledge of the importance of this tree was known to Tamils.

The knowledge that this was the tree that was broken by Krishna in his Yamalarjuna lila was also known to Tamils.

The flora and fauna had been more or less same throughout the country.

The knowledge about them and use of them was common throughout India in olden days.

There had been exchange of knowledge between different parts of the country.

The Tamils had known, so also the Indus people and others in other regions of India.

What applies to this tree applies to animals also.

In this context I wish to make a special mention about cocks that Dr Iravadham had analysed and deduced that the name of the Cholan capital Kozhi (later known as Uraiyur) was due to Indus / Dravidian influence.

I don't agree.

Like trees such as Marutham, there are certain animals like cock, dog, cat, bull, crow etc which are found commonly throughout India.

The similarity in names having connection to them can happen independently of an outside influence (here Dravidian influence on Tamil)

Let me discuss it in my next post in this series.

*********

From

http://www.dc-epaper.com/DC/DCC/2010/07/17/ArticleHtmls/17_07_2010_008_030.shtml?Mode=0

Dated 17-07-2010

The 500-year-old tree, terminaliaarjuna, commonly known as neermaruthu, at Eshanthimangalam, in Kanyakumari district, will henceforth be known as Tholkappiyar.

As part of the conservation programme of this species of trees that is on the verge of extinction in Kanyakumari district, the forest department, along with the Indian trust for cultural heritage, organised a formal function Friday in which district collector Rajendra Ratnoo christened the tree, which is the oldest of its kind in the district, as Tholkappiyar.

The name, according to the district collector, was selected for this oldest tree to make the tree a symbol of forest conservation programme in the district as the name Tholkappiyar represents the classical Tamil language. Moreover, this part of Kanyakumari district is believed to be the birth place of Tholkappiyar, the first grammarian of Tamil language.

This particular tree, found as a single giant on the banks of the canal at Eshanthimangalam, is 150 ft high and has great medicinal value. These trees were commonly found here but were cut off for construction purposes.