Iam sure you must be aware of the famous Jambukeswarar Temple at Thiruvanaikaval. This temple represents one of the five great elements (panchabutham) of Nature - the element of water (neer) in Tamil. The sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground water stream and in spite of pumping water out, it is always filled with water.
The temple was built by a famous King called "Kochchenganan". He was one of the early Chola kings who lived 1800 years ago.
Let's take a minute to discuss the name of the King here.
Kochchenganan
= Ko + Seng Kannan + Cholan = King + Red Eyes + Cholan [meaning, The king with red eyes]
People in Tamilnadu always believed in Kaarana Peyar (Name with a reason). Let's know the story behind the King's unusual name.
Chola King Suba Devan and his wife Kamalavati went to Chidambaram and eagerly prayed to the Lord Nataraja for a son. The Lord granted their wish. Soon Kamalavati conceived the child. The day of delivery arrived. Astrologers foretold that if the child could be delivered a few minutes later, it would rule the three worlds!
The queen took an unsual step to delay her delivery. She told her servants to tie her upside down in the delivery room, with a tight bandage around her waist. When the auspicious time came, she was released and the child was born. But the child had red eyes, as he had remained in his mother's womb a little longer.
Before dying, the brave mother, looking into his eyes, exclaimed 'Kocheng-kannano'? (Oh, a King with red eyes!). Hence, he was named Kochenganna Cholan.
Poet coined the name KoChengatCholan grammatically, as they sung praises of the great King. His name appears in Periya Puranam (the great book of Holy Devotees compiled in the 12th century). He also figures in the legendary genealogy of the tenth and eleventh centuries.
But Today, people read his name as :
Ko + Chengat + Cholan = King + Brick + Cholan [King with a heart of a brick]
Some, who think that they know grammar better than others, argue that :
Ko + Chengatta + Cholan = King who was a Builder of Bricks
Alas, the poor king was neither brick-hearted, nor did he build anything in bricks.
History with no base (or) factual record (or) a proper proof, becomes Folk lores. We all believe that whatever we know is the correct version.
But... A mistake in pronounciation could even change our history for us.
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1 Page Short Stories
KurzgeschichtenSome just short stories... Some related to proverbs and quotes that we have all grown up with, which I thought of writing down in my own words ... Some based on our Hindu culture and epic... some with my own personal experience and some from others...
