A shared Tamil past for humanity – preview to the ground-breaking paper – Mikhail Murugavel Pandey

என் இனிய மக்களே!

The better part of 2006 saw me and my lovely research team piecing together a ground breaking puzzle that will, when finally revealed, have far-reaching consequences. I have, with the help of my team and the guidance of my father and mother, finally pierced through the layers of smoke and blatant white lies, cleared the confusion of generations and seen through the evil conspiracies of the white colonialists.

This is a conspiracy that is deep seated in our modern world, a world that has lost its sense of history and its knowledge of and appreciation of tradition and antiquity and one that has been progressively dumbed down with new fangled technology to grasp the meanings and implications of such a conspiracy.

I have been fortunate to meet and wed a woman who has opened my eyes to this global hoodwinking and my soon to be published paper in the journal Nature will, I am sure, shock and stun audiences and I hope finally bring to mainstream attention the work that I have dedicated my life to.

Today, I shall present a brief sketch of the paper I am presenting and some of the conclusive evidence my team (with my supervision and insightful intelligence) have uncovered.

My paper, entitled “Tracing the origin of human civilisation and culture to the Kumari Kandam – A shared Tamil past for humanity” presents the theory, nay, actual and real historical happenings that saw the spread of man from ancient Tamil nation to populate and enrich other continents.

As an example, I present to you the life of Veerasinga Thevar, known to the world today as Vercingetorix the Gaul.

Veerasingam was of the mukkulathor community – a fiercely martial race that had its origins in the late stone age in what is now Madurai district of the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Mukkulathor, meaning ‘they of the three clans’ were the ruling class of ancient Pandya, Chola and Chera countries. The three clans, respectively, were the Kallars (raiders), Maravars (warriors) and the Agamudayars (the fort-builders/defenders).

It is well known that the ancient Tamils ruled over a large kingdom that stretched between what is now Atlantic (Akkalaianthakan Samudiram – Ocean of the Conqueror of Akkala) – and Indian Oceans, then a contiguous landmass connected by land bridges.

Is it any surprise then that the Mukkalathor, especially the raiding Kallars (who gave us the name Gauls) and the warring Maravars (who inspired the Greek god of War, Mars) were in power over Celtic England and were the chief adversary of the upstart Romans?

Little is known of Veera Singam’s early life. Like all of the Kallar clan, he learnt to ride a horse and wield an axe. (The ancient marital art of Axe-wielding in Tamil Nadu is well known. I refer to my father Dr. Pandey’s paper on the land of Vaazhapazha and Parasurama cult)

Our first record of him comes from the Celtic tribe of Scotti, in particular from a toddy tapper (akin to the ancient Sanargal of Tamilagam) called Vallakarar.

Vallakarar – anglicised to Walker – writes in his memoirs that a young Gaul had once raided his stable and took possession of a fine horse. Confronting the thief in the market place the next day, Walker finds he has bitten off more than he can chew. For the thief is none but Veera, and a fine strapping young man he is. “Like the horse, so the rider…” says Walker in his native tongue.

Permit me a small digression as I go a few centuries back to early Roman times. I assure you this veering off-course is essential to the tale, nay, history I narrate. Many centuries before Veera Singam’s final and eventually unsuccessful stand against Caesar, in what we now know as Rome, a new tribe is born.

Historians today, blindsided by propaganda of vested interests, only talk of Romulus and Remus and their founding of the city. I ask these people, where did Romulus and Remus come from? Who were their parents? What of their ancestry? Or to employ the beautiful expression in my adopted language, “அவன் யாரு, குலம் என்ன? கோத்திரம் என்ன?“

I have answered these questions with sufficient material evidence and beyond doubt in my paper. Briefly, Romulus and Remus are but the last of the telegu speaking nomadic tribes of the Upper Mediterranea.

The language Telegu, a member of the Northern Dravidian language family, had borrowed words from Prakrit and Pali, and after modifying the grantha script suitably began to assert its independence. Such incidences are rather common throughout history and Tamil, the oldest language in the world has had more than its fair share.

Telegu was spoken mainly by nomadic tribes inhabiting Rayalaseema district, led by a chieftain of the name Ramulu Naik. A severe draught forced them north and west, towards the as yet unexplored territories of Madi Terrai (Upper Grounds). Here, Ramulu Naik dies facing a rabid wolf, and here his sons Ramulu Naik II and Rawusu establish a city for their clansmen, adopting the practices they learnt in Tamil heartland.

Proof for this is found in the similarities of stone-age tools found in the Mesolithic strata of both Tibre and Godavari delta, as well as in the similarities of names between Sumerians, Romans and modern Andhraiites. I refer to the well-researched and documented paper by my colleague Samyuktha Kooniah.

As you can see, Rome had flourished because it had blindly followed the tested principles and practices of Tamilagam. Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy, the practice of building large temples and public halls were and have always been the domain of Pandya, Chera and Chola kings. This was simply expanded upon by the nomadic Romans.

Yet and knowing fully well this, the Romans dared impose their will on Celtic (Kallu-tukki – stone lifters – an affectionate, and mildly derogative nickname given by the Tamizhargal to the tribes who helped build Hadrian’s Wall) Britain and challenge the Kallar pride.

Veera Singam – the son of his father, the beneficiary of millions of years of evolution and learning, the descendent of the mighty Kallars and a capable general of the Mukkalathor army does not take this slur lightly. A call is sent and every red-blooded Tamilan takes to arms.

Maravars from Kumari Kandam and from Madurai, Vellalars from Kanceepuram and Kumbakkonam prepare for battle. Truth and justice are on their side, as are numbers. The Tamil nation envelops Romapuri on the west and the east.

Tamil pride will prevail.

But, the wily Romans resort to subterfuge. Kishore – Caesar’s names given to him at birth – had years ago fallen in love with and married the Egyptian princess கிளி-பெட்டாச்சி – Cleopatra.

The Egyptians had, due to long-standing trade relations with the Chola provinces, in particular Poompugar and Vaadiyar, had learnt the science of boat-building and were in control of a mighty Navy.

With this to back him and his earlier forays into the Cisalpine provinces of Gallic Europe, Caesar declares war. The Egyptian pirate navy forms a blockhead in the seas. Though small in number compared to the massive fleet of Tamilagam, the Egypitans have observed Spartan and Athenian defence of Thermopylae and Salamis against the Persians.

The Tamil Navy faces the Egyptians at Mearku Nadu (Western Province – modern Morocco) and takes a substantial hit. Meanwhile Caesar’s army thunders into Britain. Veera Singam awaits him on his horse and his Aayirathupadai (Aayirathupadai oor we now call Heathrow).

The Tamil women are as strong and capable as their men and they accompany Veera’s army. In any case, they are assured of victory for it is their Veera – their Thalapathy.

For four days and four nights they battle. Each night, the Romans take more victims than the Kallars. Veera Singam’s military manoeuvres and his genes assure his victory even on the fifth day. But, stocks are running low and there is no news from his homeland. The promised navy and foodgrains are yet to arrive. Veerasingam, with the help of the Agamudayars, raises a fort, and begins to change battle plans.

This is the sign Caesar awaits for hidden deep inside his army are descendents of the Perucali clan. The Perucali are experts are weakening forts by tunnelling under and around walls and they are now set upon the Gaul fort.

His fort destroyed, his supplies blockaded and his men battle-weary, Veera Singam has no option but to surrender. But Tamizhargal cannot step backward till their very last breath and Veera is no exception.

At night he and a band of brothers steal across battle lines and reach enemy camp. Here, true to their calling, they raid the stables, let loose the Roman horses, take possession of their principle weapons.

All to no avail. Caesar who knows of the Kallar tradition sets a trap for Vercingetorix in the armoury. Captured though he may be, the Lion does not lose his pride and spits upon Caesar.

What happens next is something no true Tamilan will narrate, nor hear, without his blood boiling and his nerves tingling. I shall therefore end the history of Vercingetorix with the statement that he attained what all Tamil soldiers dream of – a martyr’s heaven.

My paper “Tracing the origin of human civilisation and culture to the Kumari Kandam – A shared Tamil past for humanity” has more such histories and undisputable evidence that bring to light the conspiracy and charade that humankind has been dumb witness to. My team and I will field questions about my paper at the World Tamil Conference to be held in Tiruchirapalli the coming year. I look forward to meeting like minded people and my Tamil brethren there.

வணக்கம்!

Mikhail Murugavel Pandey is an assistant Professor of Tamil Epigraphy in the Madurai Kamaraj University from where he acquired his Ph.D in Tamil and a D.Phil in Cultural Anthropology. He is also a trained archaeologist having worked under Dr. Mortimer Wheeler. Born Stanislav Skanda Pandey, he is the 11th offspring and the seventh son of Dr. Acharya Pandey and Dr. Mrs. Valentina Pandey. Holidaying in the French Reunion Islands, he met Muthazhagi, a French-Tamil Creole native and wooed her successfully. She introduced him to the world of Tamil poetry and Bhaarathi, in honour of which Stanislav changed his name to the now famous Mikhail Murugavel.

He can be contacted at mikhail.murugavel@pandey.ru

ஆண்ட பரம்பரை மீண்டும் ஒரு முறை ஆள நினைப்பதில் என்ன குறை? – a glimpse of a common past.

Patanjali had a famous notion, known today as “Patanjali’s Potters Principle”, which roughly states that “if you want pots, you go to a potter, but if you want words, you don’t go to a grammarian.” What he meant by this was that languages are more significant than regular, everyday commodities like pots. Words cannot just be made up on the spot by a grammarian like a pot can by a potter, but rather, new words come into being as a language evolves.

I have a theory.

It will be interesting to understand words relating to the Tamil root-word “Kal” (stone, strength) : kalvar – the strong men, kaliru – elephant, the strong animal par excellence and also the shark, kal – liquor (the strength-giver) and kalam – the field of battle.

Ka, Kal,  Kar, Kai etc. all also mean “take-எடுப்பது“. It certainly requires a person to be of great strength to ‘take’ in ancient times. From this context, Kalvar / Kallar / Kallan, is one who takes (a thief takes, …a king acquires wealth for his subjects) – the greatest empire of ancient India, the Cholas, had the habit of taking into possession statues of gods and goddesses from conquered lands all over India and reinstalling these statues in full grandeur in their capital cities as guardian deities. The famous idol of Mahishasura Mardhini in Gangaikonda Cholapuram is one example.

Tholkappiyam describes in detail the Tamil war-craft in “Puram” where cattle-raiding in a pattern called vetchi is the beginning of any warfare. In those days cattle symbolized the wealth of a kingdom and rival kings often attacked and raided each other’s cattle to establish their supremacy. The raided cattle were then safeguarded by the victor. The Tamil custom of raiding and seizing the cattle of rival kings was practiced by Kauravas – Mahabharata speaks of this.

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** It is in this practice that the ancient game of bull-fighting among the Tamils evolved from – Lord Krishna won over 7 bulls in a bull-baiting contest to take the hand of Nappinnai. In case, you have not noticed, I just described Krishna and Kauravas as Tamils.

Krishna, has another name… Kalla. In a rare warrior-like form, with bow and sword, Vishnu as Kallalagar of Madurai and His divine bodyguard Karupanaswamy are the deities of the Kallars – more specifically Piranmalai Kallars. The Eesanattu Kallars from Tanjore are traditionally more Saivites (eesan nadu i.e. the land where Shiva in the form of Sundareswarar ruled – “Then Madurai”, 1st Sangam).

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Empires, were built on those principles. Ugly, they appear to the modern man …who do it with better diplomacy.

There is something more to the description on cattle-lifting. It was not merely an act of thievery – cows were vital to the agriculturist, highly revered in the religion …and there was a code of war-conduct to make sure cows are never harmed in a war. Thus, the 1st to be evacuated from the war zone!

The custom of cattle raiding leads to a systematic three-tiered invasions of the raiders’ territories – Kalla-padai (raiders), Mara-padai (warriors – infantry / cavalry) and Aga-padai (fort defenders). This often complemented the traditional fourfold army formations – chariots, elephants, horses and foot soldiers. The three-tiered system however, were not definitive or suggestive of specific roles of the Mukkulathors in the battle field. Roles could have been based on one’s clan BUT… one’s merit in war is more significant – empires could not be built on quota systems! I would also dismiss that Mukkulathors were the only one’s who took arms in battles. There were definitely others. And yes, the Mukkulathors, were definitely there.

In a similar way, I have discussed in earlier notes how segmentation of Maravars and Agamudayars evolved in the Tamil martial community. If you can see from the above, there is a natural pattern to it – Kallar, Maravar, Agamudayar. I also find reasons to believe the term Mukkulam (the three clans) and Mukkulathor actually evolved in a much later period of time, possibly a few centuries closer to the colonial era. In fact, it also appears that the first linguistic reference of “Kallar” as a clan only started happening after the imperial Chola period circa 1300.

Perhaps, in reading Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ one can relate how effective the three combined forces can become.

The most subtle 1st strategic strike will benefit in a war. Mental or spiritual defeat of the enemy is considered an essential aspect of military victory – while physical annihilation may or may not follow psychological defeat, the psychological component is a necessary prerequisite.

Sun Tzu’s worded “…the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting”. This, the Kallars did well! This too, the Tamils taught the Chinese warlord!!

Some interesting accounts on how ancient Tamil militarism conquered lands are given in another post in this blog. I can’t seem to find Pandey’s original blog. The Pandey theory, although at a different time-line seems to geographically (at least) fit with claims that the Indus civilization was actually Dravidian. The other research on Sumerian-Tamil links connect to these 2 claims too, however arguable any of these 3 may be!

Post-sangam inscriptions shed some light to a different groups of Kallars from the North e.g. the Sendalai Pillar inscription of Perumbidugu Muttaraiya, a Muthuraiyar chief is styled “the king Maran, the Lord of Tanjai (Ko-Maran-ranjai-kkon) and Kalvar-Kalvan,  Tanjai-nar-pugal-alan, a Kalva of Kalvas, the distinguished Lord of Tanjai …upon his conquest over the Chola, Pandya and Chera. These groups of invaders from the northern regions of Thondaimandalam were associated with the Kalabhra 300-year (maybe more) rule, opt-quoted as the dark age of the Tamils.

Note:

1) Kalvarkalvan means the warrior-of-warriors / thief-of-thieves, thus suggesting grouping of Chola, Chera, Pandya to a single clan of warriors / thieves i.e. Kallars, and that the Muthuraiyars subdued them.

2) The Kalabhras are also known as a band of thieves with chieftains like Tiraiyan of Pavattiri and Pulli of Vengadam… but a different lot from the Chola, Chera, Pandyas.

Why were the Kalabhras – “Kallappirar” (the other Kallars?) different ? Because they, unlike the earlier Kallars propagated a new religion – Buddhism and Jainism to the South.  It is known that Buddhism entered South India during the reign of Asoka. This, did not necessarily mean that Kalabhras were not Hindus. They, perhaps were against Brahminism and allowed Buddhism and Jainism to flourish. It was during this time too that Bodhidharma, a Pallava prince from Kanchipuram left to China to spread Buddhism via Shaolin Monasteries.

The Kalabhra’s were ousted by Pallavas a.k.a. Pallavarayars somewhere in 6th century CE. The revival of Hinduism from its root during the Kalabhras spurred the construction of numerous temples and these in turn generated Saiva and Vaishnava grand temples and devotional literatures by the later Pallavas, Chola, Pandya and Cheras.

Historians like Edgar Thurston (pre / post-colonism) explicitly define Kallars as simply a band of unholy hereditary thieves and murderers during the British occupancy. This, they articulated well for a couple of reasons. However, while many compromised the British by turning as ‘peace loving agriculturist’, certain sub-clans of the Kallars did exactly that… now, from the non-Tamil invaders. Well, thieves they were! Could we have sparked the legend of Robin Hood in the English?

So much has been lost, some altered to suit the needs of certain groups – enemies, and traitors… and infinity may seem the right word to describe efforts to regain the truth. The research to establish the ancient Tamil race to whatever that it is rightfully claimable needs a concentrated effort from it’s champions. Truth, after all is ours to tell …or ours to hear. Thank you.

சங்கம் வளர்த்த மறவன் …மறவான்!

ithi saba huvidham mahanubavo, jagathipathey pramada mavekshanaa, madhuram avitatham jagatha vaakyam, thrumavidapaantharam aasthitho hanuman.

…does “madhuram avitatham jagatha vaakyam” from the verse above refer to common Tamil as the language of choice for Hanuman to communicate with Sita? The other two options he had was Sanskrit and a much refined grammatically correct Tamil.

The above also led me to read a reference that claims Bogar associating Valmiki and Vaanmeegar as one – there are few sources that claim Valmiki to be of Dravidian origin. It was also a common practice among elites to master both languages. Perhaps, that too suggests on why the ancient Tamil kings patronized Tamil & Sanskrit – priority over the two could be of individual preference or politically-motivated?

The Maravars …historically, describe their (Ramnad’s feudal community) association to the time of Ramayana. It appears that, certain local tribal warriors from the south assisted Rama and his Vanaras in his war, against Ravana. In return, Rama acknowledged their help by knighting the group as Maravars and assigning them to protect the “sethu” : so goes the story in Sethupuranam.

Let’s do a “fun-etic” experiment:

1) If you were to chant rAma-rAma-rAma… you’ll be surprised that it reads also as marA-marA-marA.

Thus, suggests (at least from the phonetics perspective) that Rama’s mighty battalion while chanting rama-rama in their every step to Lanka… actually trembled Ravana’s troupe with a thunderous echo of mara-mara!! Yes, that sound was a significant chant – words, when are pronounced propogate energy waves. Energy, transfers. Sometimes destructive, sometimes constructive.

This may have actually led to the formation of the word in Tamil – mara-padai “fearless warriors” (feared by the opponent) and it’s other derivatives i.e. maravan, maravAn which again explicitly describes the characters of a kshatriya as perhaps defined in Bhagavad Gita.

2) funny, rA-vana(in Sanskrit RA is the acoustic root of fire i.e. sun – could that actually relate to aram = goodness, in Tamil?) …repeat that and you have something like vA-nara(forest dwellers i.e. the ape-men who assisted Rama)!! :I Not quite the same meaning!

I have found that mara is also mentioned to describe Murugan : Manimayil uyariya mara venri pinimuka urti on ceyyonum (Purananuru-56). Here, mara-venri could mean ever-victorious?

Anyway, the word “ma-ra” could already have found itself in Tamil prior to the events above. Analysing 1st, the root words:

1) “ம” என்றால் ஒரு இடம் அல்லது ஒரு இடத்தில் இருப்பது – to be.

2) “ra”, which again may precisely mean goodness – “to give” just like the Sun.

Finally, we have the two opposites: “rA-ma” a.k.a RAM = one who gives (god), “thEvA + aram” = salutation to god (thevaram) vs. “ma-ra” = one who takes (destroyer) i.e. a warrior. In Sanskrit, mara means death. Again from another perspective, the two words may prescribe to the Shiva (mara) – Vishnu (rama) relationship – how is one possible without the other? The two opposites the world sees, is ONE. O Harihara!

Words, are created to describe matters. In this pursuit, I find it rather difficult to distinctly separate Tamil from Sanskrit – again, these two ‘opposites’ may be closer than what we perceive to see.  The next phase would require a holistic approach, one which considers all aspects of the past. This, may mean allowing ourselves to accept that Aryans and Dravidian may actually be different sides of the same coin.

More research needs to happen – any etymologist in here?

அகமுடையர் ஆடிமகிழ!

Old Tamil literature contains several references to akam in the sense of ‘fort, palace or inner place’. (e.g.) akam ‘palace (Perun^.32.100), aka-nakar ‘the inner city’ (Cil. 2.15.109; Man@i. 1.72), aka-p-pa ‘inner fortification’ (Nar\. 14.4; Patir\.22.26; Cil.28.144), aka-p-pa ‘matil-ul| uyar met|ai : high terrace inside the fort’ (Tivakaram 5.198), matil-akam, ‘fortified house’; (Cil.2.14.69); the palace of the rulers of Kerala.

A clear distinction is drawn in Old Tamil literature between those who ruled from inside the forts and those who served them, even though the expressions for either group have the same base aka-tt-u ‘in the house’.

The rulers of the forts were known as: (e.g.) aka-tt-a ‘ (princes) of the palace’ (Kali. 25.3), aka-tt-ar ‘ those inside the (impregnable) fortification’ (Kural| 745), aka-tt-or ‘ those inside the fort’ (Pura. 28.11), aka-tt-on\ ‘ he (king) inside the fort’ (Tol. III: 68.4, 69.5)

Those who served as palace or temple attendants were known as follows: (e.g.) aka-tt-at|imai , aka-t-ton@t|ar, aka-mp-at|iyar etc., (Tamil Lexicon).

The akampatiyar mentioned above can be traced existence to a single clan among the Mukkulathors, who go commonly by the title “servai”, which again is a derivative of an earlier form i.e. servaikarar. The Servaikarars were people who were of service to the King, in war and as guards of the forts. sEvai is a Tamil word, widely used today.

Did I hit a note? Apparently, the word service roots back to the Latin word servus which originally meant slave. It’s first usage in English happened only in the mid 16th century. Latin, has loaned many words from Tamil. I wouldn’t be suprised if brave Tamil Servaikarars served as soldiers in the Latin world!