How did Marathii speaking people come to Thanjavur, far removed from Maharashtra?
In 1673, the Nayak of Madurai invaded the kingdom of Thanjavur under the rule of the Thanjavur Nayaks, Vijayaraghava Nayak, and drove away the ruler.
A son of Vijaya Raghava, Chengamaldas induced the Bijapur Sultan, Adil Shah to help him get back the Thanjavur throne. Adil Shah sent Ekoji to invade Thanjavur and restore the throne unto Chengamaldas.
Ekoji I or Venkoji (born 1629) was the younger half-brother of Shivaji and founder of Maratha rule in Thanjavur. He was the younger son of Shahaji.
In 1675, a column of Bijapur army came to Thanjavur to help and retrieved Vallam from the Madurai Nayak. However the same army subsequently killed him and Ekoji as a great warrior managed to ascend the throne of Thanjavur kingdom.
Interestingly, a Sanskrit manuscript Bosalavamsavali narrates how Venkoji conquered Arni and proceeded to Thanjavur to liberate it from the shackles of the Nayak. While camping at Tirumalapadi near Tiruvadi, God appeared to him in a dream and asked him not to leave for home.
The Marathi inscriptions of the Thanjavur temple dates the capture of Thanjavur to January 1676. So it is from about this time that the marathas who came with Ekoji settled in Thanjavur and its precints.
After Ekoji, his three sons namely Shaji, Serfoji I, Thukkoji alias Thulaja I ruled Thanjavur.
Thus began the Maratha rule in Thanjavur.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Festivals -- Maintaining the integrity of a culture!
Thanjavur Marathi Deshasthas (TMDs) celebrate a lot of festivals. It is of significance that the TMDs maintained all their festivals and rituals without it dwindling into oblivion. Not only that, festivals are celebrated with great fervour and rituals.
We may have wondered why we have heard our parents and grandparents stress and insist on festivals should be celebrated in only a particular way and we may have looked at our friends and wondered, " How come they don't have all these rules and rituals!?"
In retrospection, I think the reason behind this compulsion to do things in a particular way was
the necessity to nurture a civilization and culture and maintain its integrity as far as possible in another place, far removed from where our ancestors came from! And this joyful burden of maintaining the integrity of our culture was passed on generation to generation...until today, we can proudly state that indeed, we have maintained our identity as 'Thanjavur' Marathi Deshasthas!
More on what festivals the TMDs celebrate and details in my next post. Do refer to http://festnfood.blogspot.com/ for details on pujas and methods.
We may have wondered why we have heard our parents and grandparents stress and insist on festivals should be celebrated in only a particular way and we may have looked at our friends and wondered, " How come they don't have all these rules and rituals!?"
In retrospection, I think the reason behind this compulsion to do things in a particular way was
the necessity to nurture a civilization and culture and maintain its integrity as far as possible in another place, far removed from where our ancestors came from! And this joyful burden of maintaining the integrity of our culture was passed on generation to generation...until today, we can proudly state that indeed, we have maintained our identity as 'Thanjavur' Marathi Deshasthas!
More on what festivals the TMDs celebrate and details in my next post. Do refer to http://festnfood.blogspot.com/ for details on pujas and methods.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Struggle for Survival? A glimpse into what we were.....
An article titled Struggle for Survival in The Hindu makes for interesting reading....
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/01/15/stories/1315063j.htm
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2000/01/15/stories/1315063j.htm
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