Battlefield And Forest

It was a practice among the Tamils of the ancient times to
erect a hero stone and raise a memorial for great warriors
who died bravely in the battlefield. If the memorial was
marked merely by a stone tablet the place was known as
the stone monument of the warrior. If a statue of a divinity
was consecrated along with the marker, the place came to
be called a palli padai or memorial shrine and temple.
One such memorial-temple existed near the village of
Thiru-puram-biyam, on the northern banks of the River
Manni about half a league from Kudanthai. It had been
erected in memory of a great warrior, the Ganga King
Prithvi-pathi who had died in a great battle near that
village.
Those who read world history may recall that the great
battles of Waterloo and Panipat changed the very course of
history. The battle of Thiru-puram-biyam had a similar
significance with regard to South Indian history. That
battle took place in the year AD 885, about a hundred
years before the times of our story. It is essential that all
persons interested in the history of the Tamils should know
the details of that battle.
The early Chozla kings of the Sangam Age -- Karikala
Valava, Ilan-chet-chenni, Perunar-killi, Thodi-thot
Sembiyan -- ruled with great fame and prosperity. For
about five to six hundred years after their times, a long
eclipse clouded the fame of the Chozla's. The Pandiyas in
the south and the Pallavas of the north squashed the
Chozlas into becoming petty chieftains. Towards the end,
the Chozlas had to give up their coveted capital city,
Uraiyoor, to the Pandiyas and move east. The Chozla
chieftains who moved east made Pazlayarai, near
Kudanthai, their new capital. But they did not forget their
rights to their long time capital, i.e., Uraiyoor. Neither did
they give up their title of Rooster Kings -- a title of
monarchs who ruled from Uraiyoor which was also known
as Kozliyoor (kozli in Tamil means rooster.)
Of the Chozlas of Pazlayarai, Vijayala became famous as
an incomparable, brave warrior. He had fought in the forefront of various battles and had ninety-six war-wounds
on his body. Latter day poets sang his praises enumerating
his wounds to be `Ninety and twice of three more' and said
that he `Wore on his brave body ornaments of battlewounds
numbering ninety and six.' His son, Aditya Chozla
was comparable to his father in bravery. He also took part
in several great campaigns. Vijayala Chozla had retired in
his old age after crowning his son as the king.
At that time the enmity between the Pandiyas and Pallavas
had grown to result in several skirmishes and fights. The
Pandiya king of that time was Varaguna. The Pallava
monarch was Aparajita. The battles between these two
powerful rulers often took place on Chozla territory! Just
like the rooster caught in the midst of a clash between one
elephant and another, the Chozla people suffered: caught
in the midst of the enmity of two super-powers.
King Vijayala tried to make the best use of these wars for
gaining his own supremacy. In each skirmish or battle he
would join forces with one opponent or the other. Victory
and defeat were equal: but the warrior spirit of Chozla men
became well established.
Several tributaries branch from the Cauvery to form a delta
-- the fertile lands of the Chozla country. All these
tributaries branch and flow to the south of the Cauvery.
There is only one tributary between the Kollidam and
Cauvery rivers. It is known as the River Manni.
The final test of strength between the super-powers took
place as a great battle near the village of Thiru-purambiyam
situated to the north of the Manni. The armed
strength of both sides was more or less equal. Pallava
Aparajita was supported by the Ganga King Prithvi-pathi.
Aditya Chozla also supported Aparajita.
Compared to the armies of the Pandiyas, Pallavas and
Gangas the Chozla battalion was tiny. But Aditya knew
that if the Pandiyas were victorious this time, the Chozlas
would be totally destroyed. Therefore, like the Cauvery
mixing into the mighty ocean, his tiny army joined the
larger Pallava forces.
The battlefield spread across one square league. The four
divisions of the army -- chariot legions, elephant brigade,
cavalry and infantry were ready. When elephant clashed
with elephant, like two mountains hurled against each
other, the skies thundered. Horses flew against horses like
furious storms thrown one against the other; lances and
long spears held by the horsemen shone like lightning.
Chariot dashed against chariot: broken into smithereens
and thrown in all directions. The noise of the whistling
arrows and clashing swords filled the skies and shook the
four corners of the world. After a fierce conflict lasting
over three days, the field looked like a sea of blood. Dead
horses and elephants appeared like islands in that sea.
Lifeless bodies formed dunes. Broken chariots floated like
driftwood from a sunken ship. Both sides had lost
thousands, tens of thousands of men.
After the first three days of battle, a very tiny battalion of
the Pallavas remained intact. Those men who lived were
very tired. But Pandiya forces attacked again and again as
if they owned some divine spell against tiredness. A
council-of-war was held in King Aparajita's tent. The three
kings -- Aparajita, Prithvi-pathi and Aditya together with
their generals, met to discuss further action. They decided
that they could no longer oppose the enemy; it was best to
retreat to the north of the Kollidam.
At that point a miracle happened in the battlefield.
Vijayala Chozla -- weak with old age, bearing numberless
war-scars over his body, having lost the power to use his
legs because of wounds -- somehow came to the battle
front. The old war-lion realized that if the Pallava forces
withdrew beyond the Kollidam, the Chozla entity would be
completely wiped out. His roar instilled new life in the
remaining Pallava men.
"One elephant; give me just one elephant," shouted the old
monarch.
"All our elephant brigade is lost. Not one elephant remains
alive," they said.
"One horse. At least bring me one good horse," he asked.
"Not a single horse survived," replied the men.
"At least, have two brave warriors of the Chozla nation
survived? If you are alive come forward!" roared the brave
soldier.
Instead of two, two-hundred came forward.
"Two men -- with courage in their heart and strength in
their shoulders -- two among you lift me up. The others
follow two after two to take their place. If the two carrying
me fall, those behind come forward." The bravest of brave
men spoke with a firmness.
Two giants came forward and lifted Vijayala onto their
shoulders. "GO! Go to the war-front!" he roared.
A battle was still being fought in one corner of the field.
The southern forces were fighting bravely, making the
northerners retreat. Vijayala Chozla seated on the
shoulders of two brave men entered that fight. He rushed
into the midst of the enemy legion, swirling two large
swords held in each hand; none could oppose him or stop
him. Wherever he went dead bodies of enemy men rose in
piles on both sides. Men who retreated earlier came back
to see this miracle. They stood in shock to see the inhuman
bravery of Vijayala Chozla. They cheered each other and
came back to fight.
And that was it. The fickle Goddess of Victory changed
her mind; her favor was now bestowed upon the Pallava
army. The three kings gave up the idea of retreating beyond the Kollidam. They too entered the battle field.
Soon the Pandiya army began its retreat. They did not stop
till they reached the borders of their Pandiya Territories.
Ganga Prithvi-pathi performed various deeds of valor that
day. He established his brave fame and gave up his life in
the field.They erected a hero stone in his memory in the
battlefield. Later it was built into a memorial-temple or
palli padai.
That gory battlefield lay waste for a few years; not a weed
grew on that land. People avoided going near the place.
After a while, forest began claiming the land for itself.
Trees and creepers began growing thickly around the
memorial temple. Wolves took up abode among the
bushes. Owls and bats lived in the dark branches of tall
trees. In the course of time, no one went near that temple.
Over the years the building began to crumble. Soon it
turned into ruins. By the times of our story, the place had
become a totally deserted ruin in the middle of a forest.
Azlvar-adiyan reached the ruined memorial when darkness
was setting in. The gargoyles carved on the upper walls of
the memorial stared at him and tried to frighten him. But
that brave Vaishnava was not one to be frightened easily.
He jumped up and climbed on to the roof of the structure.
He then hid himself carefully amidst the branches of a tree
that covered the roof. He kept watch in all directions.
Soon, his eyes were able to peer into the darkness and
discern various shapes. His ears were able to hear even the
tiniest of noises.
One hour, two hours and even three hours passed after
sunset. The darkness around him was suffocating. Now
and then he heard the rasping sound of forest trees:
branches rubbed against each other. There! a wild-dog was
climbing a tree. An owl hooted; bats screeched. Birds
frightened by the wild-dog beat their wings loudly as they
tried to perch on higher branches. Wolves had begun to
howl.
He heard a noise above his head: looked up. Some small
animal -- lizard or squirrel jumped to a different branch. A
small patch of the clear sky could be seen through the
branches of the tree. Stars twinkled and peeped down. In
that silent, dark forest the stars seemed to extend a friendly
smile towards him. Therefore, Thirumalai Nambi Azlvaradiyan
looked up at the stars and started talking softly:
"Oh! My dear star friends! Today you seem to be laughing
at the foolishness of these human beings on this earth. You
have good reason to laugh! You might remember that
horrible battle which took place in this very spot a hundred
years ago; and how the whole area was a wretched ruin of
blood and death. Perhaps you were surprised at mankind
and their petty enmities! You wondered why they
butchered each other to create rivers of red. It is called
bravery! Even a hundred years after a man's death they
consider him an `Enemy' -- they referred to it as the
`Enemy memorial'. They are going to meet near the enemy memorial and talk and conspire of more harm to the living
in the name of the dead! Oh you twinkling lights of the
skies! Why won't you laugh? Yes. Laugh as much as you
wish. Dear God! Is my coming here a big waste? Is the
whole night going to pass like this? Are those men, whom
I expected, coming here, or not? Did I hear wrong? Did I
not see correct? Or did those men who made the sign of
the fish change their plans and go some place else? -- What
disappointment? Disappointment? I cannot forgive myself
if I am cheated today... Ah! ... I think I can see some light
in that direction. What is it? The light is now hidden. No. I
can see it. No doubt now. Someone is coming here; he is
holding a torch of burning twigs. No, not one man -- I hear
two men. My waiting has not been wasted."
The two men who came crossed the path and went beyond
the memorial temple. They stopped in the midst of a small
clearing nearby. One fellow sat down. The man holding
the lighted twigs looked around. There was no doubt: he
was expecting some others. After sometime, two others
came and joined them. They must have been very brave
men; men who had come to that spot several times before.
Otherwise, they could not have found their way in that
darkness in that forest. Those who came first and the late
comers talked amongst themselves. But, Azlvar-adiyan
could not hear a single word! Oh dear! All my effort seems
useless. I cannot even see those men clearly. What shall I
do?
Two more men joined them very soon. They talked of
something to each other. One of the men who came last,
had a bag in one hand. He opened the string tied around his
bag and poured its contents on the ground! Gold coins
shone brightly in the light of the burning twigs. The man
who dropped the coins laughed like one possessed:
"My friends! We are about to destroy the Chozla Kingdom
using Chozla gold! Isn't it funny?" He laughed loudly
again.
"Ravidasa, don't make such a racket! Let us talk softly,"
said another.
"Fine! What does it matter how we talk in this place? If
anybody hears us, it will be owls and bats; wolves and
wild-dogs; luckily they cannot repeat what they hear!"
Ravidasa laughed even more loudly.
"Maybe. But, it is better to talk softly."
They started talking amongst themselves, softly. Azlvaradiyan
felt that it was a waste to sit on top of that roof
without hearing anything. He must get down and go near
the clearing to listen to their talk. He must manage to avoid
the danger from such activity. Azlvar-adiyan started down
from the roof top. His stocky body disturbed the tree
branches and made a slight noise.
One of the men in the clearing jumped up quickly, saying,
"Who is that?" Azlvar-adiyan's heart stopped beating for a few seconds. There was no way of not being discovered,
except to run. Running would cause more noise. They will
surely catch him. A vampire bat on the tree spread open its
huge wings; it then opened and closed its wings lazily
several times and whistled "Oorm, oorm," loudly, twice