Lakshmi, the chief consort of Visnu, has the appellation 'Sri'. The word "Sri" signifies "the sign of beauty", "the token of good fortune", "the mark of royal power", and is synonymous with luck, prosperity, grace, happiness, and royal domain. She is widely worshipped in our country by all religious sects, including the Jains and the Buddhists.
Posted in Cultural Heritage 
Comments Off on SRI LAKSHMI IN AUSPICIOUS SYMBOLS – PART I
It was a general practice of issuing royal charters and recording on stones whenever a ruling monarch donated lands or the revenue of the villages to a certain temple or to the Brahmins for their wellbeing. It is mentioned in Tamil as sembilum silaiyilum vettuvittukkolvirakuka (the donees are requested to engrave on the copper plate and on stone). In almost
Posted in Cultural Heritage Comments Off on THE UNKNOWN SANSKRIT POETS OF THE PALLAVA, PANDYA AND CHOLA PERIODS
It is with great sorrow that we pay homage to Dr. Sunil Kothari, a noted research schola
In the Nilgiris, rock art sites are found in Sigur, Iduhatty, Konavakoral, Thengumarahada, and Vellerikombai. Of all these five sites, the Vellerikombai Rock Art site differs from the rest of the sites both in coloration and style, apart from the depictions. For instance, Vellerikombai Rock Art is in red ochre, with s
Plants were once the unifying forces of people. People were attracted by plants and human settlements developed on the banks of rivers which were blessed with lush green vegetation. With the advent of international trade in plants and plant related products, plants even connected nations. Often fertile green areas attracted conflicts and led to conquests.
As many Indian Americans celebrate the election of the first Black and South Asian woman, Kamala Harris, to the White House, many will also be celebrating the festival of Diwali on Saturday, Nov. 14.
Sometimes called the Indian festival of lights, Diwali is arguably the most important holiday of the year for South Asian families.
Posted in Cultural Heritage Comments Off on THE MANY STORIES OF DIWALI SHARE A COMMON THEME OF TRIUMPH OF JUSTICEIn Sittannavasal and Narttamalai near Pudukkottai is the land where Jainism flourished for over fifteen hundred years, from 3rd century B.C. to 12th century A.D. This is the region that is rich in varieties of Jaina antiquities such as natural caverns, rock-cut shrines, fresco paintings, structural temples, rock-cut sculptures and statues of di
Posted in Cultural Heritage Comments Off on THE ROLE OF ROYAL PATRONAGE ON JAINA ART AND ARCHITECTUREIN TAMIL NADU – PART IIIFrom the study of the epigraphs and Tamil literature of the Pallava and Chola periods, it is evident that the Chingleput, North Arcot, Pudukkottai and Madurai areas were dominated by the Jains during these periods, though every area of the Tamil country had atleast a few Jain centres.
One of the inscriptions dated about A.D. 1116
Posted in Cultural Heritage Comments Off on THE ROLE OF ROYAL PATRONAGE ON JAINA ART AND ARCHITECTUREIN TAMIL NADU – PART II“Religion is the only friend which keeps company even after one's death, All the rest is destroyed with the body"
Jainism is an Indian religion and is still a living faith in some parts of the country. The number of its followers is just over two million. Its contribution to the Indian heritage is more signifi
Posted in Cultural Heritage Comments Off on THE ROLE OF ROYAL PATRONAGE ON JAINA ART AND ARCHITECTURE IN TAMIL NADU – PART IIrulappatty hero-stones
Of all the hero-stones discovered so far, the oldest one is found at Irulappatty (Pappambadi), a village in Harur taluk of Dharmapuri district. It belongs to the fifth century A.D. There is a reference about the ruler Kovisaya Vinna Varman of that time. It has been recorded in the fourth r