From the Coromandel Coast to the Straits: Revisiting Tamil Heritage in Southeast Asia

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This year marks 200 years of the Tamils in Singapore. However, Tamil connections with Singapore can be traced as far back as the 11th–13th centuries CE based on recent interpretations of the Singapore Stone. From the Coromandel Coast to the Straits: Revisiting Our Tamil Heritage presents a compendium of narratives that recount the experiences of Tamil diasporas in Southeast Asia and Singapore from pre-modern to contemporary times.

Among the South Asian languages, Tamil is perhaps the only example of a very ancient language that still survives as the mother tongue of millions of speakers in south India, Sri Lanka, and of diasporas in many parts of the world. Singapore’s Tamil community is distinct as they have adapted and integrated with local cultures. Primarily born out of the colonial enterprise, the Tamil community is today a vibrant part of Singapore’s multi-ethnic fabric.

This exhibition is presented in two parts: part one enumerates the odyssey of pre-modern Tamil diasporas in Southeast Asia while part two offers glimpses of lesser known 19th century pioneers and some of the oldest Tamil families in Singapore. Bringing together collections from around the world and treasured possessions from the community, this exhibition seeks to present an uninterrupted history of Tamils in Singapore. It also includes digital showcases featuring holograms of artefacts in the collections of other museums and institutions

https://alvinology.com/2019/11/25/h...s-guest-to-revisit-singapores-tamil-heritage/

 

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This year marks 200 years of the Tamils in Singapore. However, Tamil connections with Singapore can be traced as far back as the 11th–13th centuries CE based on recent interpretations of the Singapore Stone. From the Coromandel Coast to the Straits: Revisiting Our Tamil Heritage presents a compendium of narratives that recount the experiences of Tamil diasporas in Southeast Asia and Singapore from pre-modern to contemporary times.

HOLOGRAPHIC SINGAPORE STONE FRAGMENTS (11TH TO 13TH CENTURY, SINGAPORE)

Just one fragment remains from this large 3m-by-3m sandstone boulder that once stood at the mouth of the Singapore River before it was blown up by the British in 1843. One mystery is the 50 lines of Kawi - a South-east Asian script derived from Brahmi - carved into the stone's surface. Recently, Dr Iain Sinclair, a former visiting fellow at the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, identified a phrase, "kesariva", which could be from Parakesarivarman, a title used by several Chola kings. The finding suggests Tamil presence in the Straits of Singapore as far back as a thousand years. And while one fragment of the stone is in the National Museum of Singapore's collection, two others were recorded in an 1848 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal article. They were said to be with the Indian Museum, but the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) and the museum debunked this rumour last year. The two fragments' whereabouts are now unknown. But holographic 3D models of the fragments have been recreated using rubbings of the stone from the 1848 article. In a first for the IHC, it worked with a Singapore-based vendor to create interactive models that can be rotated 360 degrees virtually, by touch.

SIVA NATARAJA (12TH CENTURY, TAMIL NADU)

Walking into the exhibition, one of the first objects that greets visitors may be familiar yet still striking - the image of Nataraja, the iconic dancing form of the Hindu deity Siva. Nataraja combines the god's roles as creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe and symbolises the Indian concept of time's never-ending cycle. The four-armed bronze figure holds a hand drum and fire, and assumes the gesture of abhaya, or protection. His hair flies to the sides from the energy of his cosmic dance (ananda tandava). Each Nataraja bronze is unique as the creation processes require the mould to be broken. This one comes on loan from the National Museum in New Delhi. Appearing as early as the 5th century, production picked up during the Chola period as the figures were used for worship and as emblems of the Chola rulers. The art remains a living tradition.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/timeless-treasures-of-singapores-tamil-heritage

 

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Invasion of Chola Kadaram-kondan “conqueror of Kadaram”

Medieval History

Early in the Medieval era, Kedah was part of Srivijaya (a dominan major power in the Indian Ocean trade). This led to rivalries with the Cholas from 9th to 13th centuries CE. The Cholas had a powerful merchant and naval fleet in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. In the early 11th century, Chola King Rajendra Chola I sent an expedition to invade Kadaram Chola dominance was brief, but effectively crippled the power of Srivijaya.

End of Srivijayan Maharajas era

In the early 11th century, inscriptions indicate friendship existed between Chola and Kadaram of Srivijaya, however the trade monopoly claimed by the Srivijayan Maharajas led their friendship to end. The first Chola attack was in the year 1025, Rajendra's army sack Kadaram and the Srivijaya capital, and took the Srivijaya king Sangrama Vijayottungavarman captive. The kingdom was restored to him only after he acknowledged Chola's sovereignty. The Cholas aim was probably just force the Srivijaya to open its shipping lanes

Recovered Tamil inscriptions from the region show Chola military presence till at least year 1088 in the Malay archipelago.

Scholars like R.C. Majumdar think that the emperor despatched more than one expedition to humble the Srivijayas, with 13 towns in the archipelago sacked by the Cholas has come from Rajendra's own inscriptions, six located in Malay peninsula, four in Sumatra, the other being the Nicobar islands.

Historian George Spencer pointed out that the campaign is plausible because it fits the Chola pattern of compulsive expansion in this period, fits the aim of Rajendra to exceed his father's accomplishments and fits the persistent Chola need to locate fresh sources of plunder or tribute. There is evidence to show that the king of Kambujadesa (Cambodia) sent a chariot to the Chola, probably to appease him so that his strategic attention does not extend further than the Malay peninsula.

Siamese painting depicting Chola raid on Kedah - The mural shows Beemasenan’s Chola naval infantry lay siege upon Kedah fort (present day Malaysia). The flame throwers were used as siege machines ( see bottom)

Invasion of Chola

Kedah, (west coast Malaya), is known as Kadaram in Tamil. Kadaram-kondan “Conqueror of Kadaram” was the title given o Rajendra Cholan I of the Tamil Chola empire of the early 11th century AD. Rajendra Chola was able to conquer Kedah swiftly because the Beemasenan's Chola navy attack on Kedah fort. Later Beemasenan wasappointed as Supreme commander of Kadaram and was known as "The famous admiral of the Siege of the Kedah (Kadaram).

 

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Under the Cholas, Hindu and Buddhist influence grew through trade and conquest. They were foremost in spreading ideas and architecture from India; so much so that south-east Asia was christened as “Farther India” or “Greater India” up until the 18th century.

The temple complex at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, built in 1200 CE is the prime example of Chola influence.

https://thevedicage.wordpress.com/2...nasty/chola-influence-angkor-wat-east-gopura/

 

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The Triyampawai Ceremony ( Thai: พระราชพิธีตรียัมปวาย), the Tamil religious ritual celebrated currently in Bangkok Devasathan temple, was one of the 12 months' royal ceremonies of Thailand which is identified with Tamil Thiruvempavai of Tamils

Evidence of Tamil origins in the Thai Triyampawai-Trippawai

The very name of the Trlyampawai-Trippawai festival points to an origin in the Tamil-speaking region south of India--Triyampawai is a corruption of Manikkavacakar's Tiruvempavai, and Trippawai is likewise a corruption of Andal's Tiruppavai. In both sets of poems, the author takes on the role of female devotees of either Siva or Visnu, who speak to friends and their chosen Lord about the vow they have taken during the Tamil month of Markali, which corresponds to the second lunar month in Thailand, when the Triyampawai-Trippawai is performed.

Although the markali nonpu is an old Tamil tradition attested as early as the late first millennium in the poetry of Andal and Manikkavacakar, and possibly even earlier in the cankam literature, (21) the Saiva and Vaisnava traditions, Tamils have their own sectarian festivals in the sacred month of Markali.

Triyampawai Ceremony ( Thai: พระราชพิธีตรียัมปวาย), Tamil religious ritual celebrated currently in Bangkok Devasathan temple,

The Saiva festival, known as the Tiruvaturai, is celebrated as the centrepiece of the liturgical year at the great temple of Citamparam, and it bears the closest resemblance to its Thai counterpart. Like the Triyampawai, it is a ten-day festival that involves the nightly recitation of the Tiruvempavai. (22) Also like the Trlyampawai, it culminates with a parade of the god's image outside the inner sanctum and a ritual bath of the deity, which many devotees consider to be the culmination not only of this festival, but of the entire ritual year. (23)

Although these broad similarities are enough to demonstrate a common tradition between the Tamil Tiruvaturai and the Thai Triyampawai, there are other, more subtle similarities that show that the relationship between the two is quite close. The first involves the role of the king. In a throwback to the time when the Colas controlled much of South India and used Citamparam as the centrepiece of their temple cult, the celebration of Tiruvaturai today ends with a 'royal audience', in which the divine image is taken into the Raja Sabha, the old Cola royal audience hall--a practice reminiscent of the royal audience the divine images used to receive during the parade on the last day of the Triyampawai. (24) The second subtle similarity involves the images used. Citamparam is well known for its image of Siva in the Nataraja, or 'dancing Siva' pose, which was celebrated quite vividly even as far back as the late first millennium by the Tamil religious saints - Nayanmars.

Likewise, the Isvara temple in Bangkok's Brahman Temple is dominated by anthropomorphic images of Siva, rather than lingas, and Quaritch Wales reports that the central palanquin in the parade on the last day of the Trlyampawai in 1931 carried a large image of Siva Nataraja.

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Balancing+the+foreign+a

 

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THAILAND: A Brahmin priest carries a deity into the temple for Thaipusam at Dhevasathan (the Brahmin Shrines) on Dinso Rd in Bangkok. Thaipusam is a festival celebrated primarily by the Tamil community in South East Asia on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of the Tamil god Murugan, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (a lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.

https://kurtzjack.photoshelter.com/search-page

 

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A delegation sent to China by the great Chola emperor Rajaraja over trade relations 1,000 years ago, a Shiva temple in China and use of Chinese umbrellas centuries ago shed light on ancient links between Tamil Nadu and the dragon land.

"During the reign of the Song dynasty (960-1279), Raja Raja Chola the Great sent a delegation of emissaries to China by 1014 following a representation from the Chinese rulers, seeking trade ties," he told PTI.

Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/nation...ola-kings-delegation-shiva-temple-766840.html

Tamil Language Inscription Was Found In Ancient Chinese Shiva Temple. It Was Found about 500 Miles North to Canton, in a Place called Chuan Chou. This is a Port City. it was the Important Port cityin the Ancient times also.

Normally, the Tamils used to sail to Ta Kua Pa in the west coast of Thailand.
They would then take an overland journey across the Isthmus of Kra to other ports like Nakon SiTammarat or Songkla. These ports were on the east coast of Thailand. From there they would sail on to one of the ports of present day Vietnam. Then they would sail northwards to Canton.

A straight sail would be a longer distance which would take them across the Bay of Bengal, Straits of Malacca, Gulf of Siam, and South China Sea. They would have to sail around the Malay Peninsula. This would have increased their journey by more than a thousand miles and would have taken up several more months.

Apart from Canton, the Tamils had gone to other places also and established their own colonies. The merchant guilds like 'Thisai Aayiraththu AinnuuRRuvar' was very active around this part of the world.

In Chuan Chou, there was a Sivan Temple. In that temple, an image of Siva was consecrated under the 'Firman' - royal orders of 'Sekasai Khan'.
This was done for the health of 'Sekasai Khan'.

'Sekasai Khan' in this inscription is the name of Kublai Khan himself.
His full name was Kublai Sekcen Khan. Sekcen Khan became Sekasai Khan in Tamil.

The Sivan Temple was known as ThiruKathaleesvaram and the Lord of the temple was known as ThiruKathaleesvaram udaiya Naayanaar. The person who executed the order was Thava ChakkaravarththikaL Sampandha PerumaL. It was done on the Chithra Paurnami day of Saka Era 1203 - 1281 AD.

This was during the rule of Kublai Khan who came to power in 1260 and ruled until 1294 AD.

https://amaezingartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2015/01/tamil-inscription-in-china.html

 

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Bodhidharma (5th Century)

Bodhidharma, also known as Daruma in Japan, was a Buddhist monk from Tamilnadu, who is commonly considered the founder of Chan Buddhism in China - later known as Zen in Japan.

Bodhidharma is believed to be born in the Kanchipuram city in Tamilnadu, located near the famous Madras city (chennai) during the early 450-500 A.D. He was the 3rd son of the famous king of Kanchipuram city and grew up in the Warriors cast.

Bodhidharma was not interested in becoming the king of Kanchipuram and was interested in the teachings of the Buddha. He began to show great wisdom at the young age of 7 years old.

He started getting trained under his mentor Prajnatara and became a monk. His name was changed to from Bodhitara to Bodhidharma and started living in his monastery where he learned the way of the Buddha.

After his father's death, Bodhidharma started spreading the knowledge and beliefs of Buddhism throughout India under the guidance of his mentor.

Years later, after the passing of his mentor, Bodhidharma left the monastery and went to China to fulfill the last request of his master: spreading the real teachings of Buddha further into China.

Bodhidharma's teaching of authentic meditation-based Buddhism got him ostracized and rejected - he had to live as a beggar for many months. He then left the Luoyang province and moved on to the Henan province where he traveled to Shaolin Monastery.

After being refused entry, he lived in a nearby cave, where he practiced Zazen facing a wall for nine long years, not speaking for the entire time.

The Shaolin monks were so impressed with his dedication to his zazen that he was eventually granted entry to the Monastery. He taught his 'wall-facing" meditation (like in Soto Zen) to the monks, but he quickly realized that they were not robust enough to endure the rigorous and long sessions of meditation. They were so weak that they would often fall asleep during Zazen or get sick. Bodhidharma tried to bolster their stamina and willpower by teaching them Indian breathing exercises as well as martial arts.

Bodhidharma stayed and taught at the temple for many years and died at 100+ years old - he was poisoned by some disciple as revenge because he had not been chosen as the successor.

Besides being known as the father of both Zen Buddhism and Shaolin martial arts, he remains today as a prime symbol of determination, willpower, self-discipline, and is the perfect embodiment of Buddhist Enlightenment.

https://www.zenlightenment.net/famous-zen-masters/bodhidharma.html

 

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post modern Tamil diasporas South East Asia heritage

Tamils have constructed temples to their God Murugan and Goddess Mariamman all over South East Asia.

Mariamman temple - Vietnam 1885

Thailand Bangkok Mariamman temple 1860

Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Mariamman temple 1873

Singapore Mariamman temple 1827

Indonesia , Medan, Mariamman temple - 1884

 

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Tamil cultural influence in SE Asia

" Mani Mekalai " (1st AD) one of great epic of Tamil Literature, that had survived in the modern age

Mani Mekalai a dancer convert to be a Buddhist nun, gets elevated to the position of Sea goddess in South East Asian - Thai, Myanmar, Khmer (and Sri Lankan) Buddhist traditions

Manimekhala (Pali: Maṇīmekhalā) is a goddess in the Hindu-Buddhist mythology. She is regarded as a guardian of the seas, namely the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as part of the mythology of Southeast Asia. She was placed by Cātummahārājika to protect virtuous beings from shipwreck.[1] She appears in several Buddhist stories including the Mahanipata Jataka (Mahajanaka Jataka), in which she rescues Prince Mahajanaka from a shipwreck.

In Sri Lanka, she is considered to be the sea goddess. In the Tamil epic poem, the Manimekalai, she puts the eponymous heroine to sleep and takes her to the island Maṇipallavam (Nainatheevu). In the mythic cycle of the god Devol, when the latter approaches Sri Lanka and his ship founders, it is Manimekhalai, on the instructions of the god Śakra, who conjures up a stone boat to save him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manimekhala

 

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New book traces Tamil community's presence in region dating back 2,000 years

SINGAPORE - A newly launched publication has traced the Tamil community's presence in Singapore and South-east Asia back 2,000 years.

The Indian Heritage Centre's From Sojourners To Settlers - Tamils in Southeast Asia and Singapore was launched on Saturday (Dec 7) by Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran at the Asian Civilisations Museum.

"The Tamil community in Singapore is clearly identifiable but not easily definable and any attempt to do so is fraught with challenges ranging from semantics to politics," said Mr Iswaran, referencing a quote from the book.

Co-published by the heritage centre and the Institute of Policy Studies, the book explores lesser-known aspects of Tamil history and heritage in Singapore and South-east Asia, examining evidence of Tamil connections with the region for more than 2,000 years.

Among evidence looked at are the inscriptions on the Singapore Stone, which some experts date back to the 10th century.

A key artifact in Singapore's National Collection, the Singapore Stone was formerly located at the mouth of the Singapore River, before the British destroyed it with dynamite in 1843.

Researcher Iain Sinclair, a contributor to the book, recently identified the phrase "kesariva" in the inscriptions found on parts of the Singapore Stone.


He said it could be part of the word "parakesarivarman" - a title used by several Chola kings of the Chola dynasty, a Tamil dynasty of southern India and one of the longest-ruling in history.

The finding suggests a Tamil presence in the Strait of Singapore dating back 1,000 years.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...tys-presence-in-region-dating-back-2000-years