‘Arasangudi Bharthi Jothi as Kallanai Kattiya Karikal Cholan'- a Historical Drama

Trichy 12,March:Arasangudi ‘Bharthai Jothi’ a veteran Tamil Historical dramatist  directed and acted as Karikalan in his Sri Karthikeswarar Kalai Mandram‘s‘Kallanai Kattiya Karikal Cholan,' – drama at FGN Hall on 12^th March . Bharthai Jothi’ narrates that Karikala was the son of Ilamcetcenni ‘…distinguished for the beauty of his numerous war chariots. The name Karikalan has been held that - 'kari + kalan, or "slayer of elephants". The drama story moves ‘The king of Urayur Ilancetcenni married a Velir princess from Azhundur and she became pregnant and gave birth to Karikala. Ilamcetcenni died soon after. Due to his young age, Karikala's right to the throne was overlooked and there was political turmoil in the country. Karikala was exiled. When normality returned, the Chola ministers sent a state elephant to look for the prince. The elephant found the prince hiding in Karuvur. His political opponents arrested and imprisoned him. The prison was set on fire that night. Karikala escaped the fire and, with the help of his uncle Irum-pitar-thalaiyan, defeated his enemies. Karikala’s leg was scorched in the fire. Bharthai Jothi’ further as Karikalan looks like the Tiger cub with its sharp claws and its curved stripes growing (strong) within the cage, his strength came to maturity (like wood in grain) while he was in the bondage of his enemies. As the large trunked elephant pulls down the banks of the pit, and joins its mate, even so after deep and careful consideration, he drew his sword, effected his escape by overpowering the strong guard and attained his glorious heritage in due course. Kallanai Kattiya Karikal Cholan, fought a great battle at Venni near Thanjavur in which both Pandiyas and Cheras suffered crushing defeat, there can be no doubt that it marked the turning point in Karikala’s career, for in this battle he broke the back of the powerful confederacy formed against him.^, Besides the two crowned kings of the Pandya and Chera countries, eleven minor chieftains took their side in the campaign and shared defeat at the hands of Karikala.^,The Chera king, who was wounded on his back in the battle, committed suicide by starvation. Venni was the watershed in the career of Karikala which established him firmly on his throne and secured for him some sort of hegemony among the three crowned monarchs. Venni which is also known as Vennipparandalai and now it is known as Kovilvenni. Kovilvenni is suituated between Ammapettai (Tanjore) and Needamangalam.^,,.After the battle of Venni, Karikala had other opportunities to exercise his arms. He defeated the confederacy of nine minor chieftains in the battle of Vakaipparandalai. Paranar, a contemporary of Karikala.However, there is no evidence to show that Karikala’s conquests extended beyond the land of the Kaveri. the main war land in karikala cholan in in srilanka venni the last battle field and return back to sea to vakaipparadalai.Bharathi Jothi, oared that  Later Chola kings referred to Karikala Chola as a great ancestor, and attributed him with the building of dikes along the banks of the  River Cauvery. Bharathi Jothi refers that the raising of the banks of the river Kaveri by Karikala are also mentioned by the Melapadu plates of Puny kumara, a Telugu Choda king of the seventh or the eighth century C.E. This story mingles with another stream of legend centering on Trinetra Pallava, and culminates in the celebrated jingle of the late Telugu Choda inscriptions: He who caused the banks of the Kaveri to be constructed by all the subordinate kings led by the Pallava Trinetra whose third eye was blinded by his lotus foot. This has been made the basis of conclusions of the highest importance to the chronology of Early South Indian history. It is significant to note that The Kallanai is a massive dam of unhewn stone, 329 metres (1,080 ft) long and 20 metres (60 ft) wide, across the main stream of the Kaveri. The purpose of the dam was to divert the waters of the Kaveri across the fertile Delta region for irrigation via canals. The area irrigated by the ancient irrigation network is about 1,000,000 acres (4,000 square kilometers).Bharathi Jothi as Karikala enacted as an able and just king. It gives a vivid idea of the state of industry and commerce under Karikala who promoted agriculture and added to the prosperity of his country by reclamation and settlement of forest land. The drama states that Karikala married a Velir girl from Nangur. The drama movingly expresses the grief caused by his passing away:He who stormed his enemies' forts undauntedly, who feasted his minstrels and their families and treated them to endless draughts of toddy, who in the assembly of 'Samayakuravas' noted for their knowledge of Drama and purity of life, guided by priests learned in their duties and attended by his noble and virtuous queen, performed the vedic sacrifice in which the tall sacrificial post stood on a bird-like platform, within the sacrificial court surrounded by a high wall with round bastions, he, the great and wise king alas, is no more! Poor indeed is this world, which has lost him. Like the branches of the vengi tree, which stands bare, when their bright foliage has been stripped down by shepherds eager to feed their cattle in the fierce summer, are his fair queen, who have cast off their jewels. Kallanai Kattiya Karikal Cholan,'drama lasted for three hours and the audience was spell bound especially in the areas of achievements of Karikal Cholan.Bharathi Jothi as Karikalan,Rani Jaya as Sinda Devi,Bama as Karikalan’s wife,Surya as Anmuda Thamakanni and Sathiyan and several others acted in this Drama. District Welfare Committee Treasurer Dr.K.Govindaraju and Dramatist Muthuvelalagar and several others felicitated Arasangudi Bharathai Jothi. –Etram News Service