Paranjothi
{{Short description|7th century Indian army general and monk}}
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{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
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Paranjothi ({{langx|ta|பரஞ்சோதி}}), popularly known as Sirruthondar was an army general of the great Pallava king Narasimavarman I who ruled South India from 630–668 CE. He also led the Pallava army during the invasion of Vatapi in 642 CE. In the later years of his life, Paranjothi gave up violence and became a wandering Saivite monk, Sirruthonda nayanar. He is venerated as one of the 63 Nayanmars.{{Cite web |author=B. Kolappan |date=2023-11-23 |title=A warrior from a remote village who conquered a great city of Chalukyas |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/a-warrior-from-a-remote-village-who-conquered-a-great-city-of-chalukyas/article67567433.ece |access-date=2023-11-26 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}
Early life
Paranjothi, was born in a Sengunthar family,{{Cite web |last=Sustainer |date=2009-09-04 |title=கொங்க குலகுருக்கள்: கொங்கு குலகுருக்கள் - 48. இறையமங்கலம் கைக்கோலர் மடம் |url=http://kongukulagurus.blogspot.com/2012/05/48.html |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=கொங்க குலகுருக்கள்}} who served as soldiers in Chola army, in Chengattankudi (now Thiruchenkkatukudi) village of Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu during the 7th century AD.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} Tamil Nadu was ruled by Mahendravarman I{{cite web |url=http://www.enotes.com/mahendravarman-salem/mahendravarman |title=Mahendravarman I Biography - Encyclopedia of the Ancient World |publisher=Enotes.com |access-date=2013-02-12 |archive-date=29 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929221212/http://www.enotes.com/mahendravarman-salem/mahendravarman |url-status=dead }} of the Pallava dynasty with Kanchipuram as its capital.{{cite book | title=Periya Puranam | url=https://archive.org/details/rastamil2 |author=Sekkizhar| year=1822 }}{{cite book | title=Mamallapuram and the Pallavas|author=Michael Lockwood}} Paranjothi, who had mastered the art of war moves to Kanchipuram to learn literature and saivite scriptures, Kanchipuram was then a renowned knowledge capital in India.{{cite book|author1=Māṇikkavācakar|translator=|last2=Iraiban|first2=Swamiji |title=Om namashivaya : Thiruvasagham : Explanary Notes |publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=1999|isbn=9788170173731|language=English}}
Conquest of Vatapi
King Mahendravarman I, impressed by the courage and valour of Paranjothi appointed him as a commander in his army.{{cite book | title=Sivagamiyin Sabatham: illustrated| author=Kalki| year=1946| publisher=Pavai}} After the death of Mahendravarman in 630 CE, his son Narasimavarman became the ruler of the Pallava dynasty and Paranjothi became his army general. Paranjothi was also a close friend of king Narasimavarman. Paranjothi as a trusted general of Narasimavarman, led his forces to Vatapi in 642 CE for war against the Chalukya king, Pulakeshin. Pulakeshin was killed in the battle and Vatapi was burnt to the ground to avenge the defeat of Mahendravarman by Pulakeshin in the battle of Pullalur in 618 CE.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Vatapi Ganapathi
During the dawn of war, Paranjothi worshipped a Ganesha sculpture on the walls of Vatapi fort. On the return from the victorious battlefield, he took the statue of Ganesha to his birthplace Tiruchenkattankudi to be worshipped as Vatapi Ganapathi. The statue and shrine to Vathapi Ganapathi is located in a temple in Tiruchenkattankudi in Nagapattinam district in the Tamil Nadu state of India.
Sirutthondar
On the victorious battle field Paranjothi underwent a change of heart and devoted himself to Lord Shiva. Paranjothi became an ardent devotee of Lord Siva and was then called as Sirutthondar. He later became one of 63 Nayanmar Saints. Sirutthondar's life and devotion are narrated in Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam.{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/01/stories/2010040152320900.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411020449/http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/01/stories/2010040152320900.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-04-11 |title=Miscellaneous / Religion : Sirutthondar's devotion |date= April 2010|newspaper=The Hindu |access-date=2013-02-12}}
In popular culture
Several Kongu section of Senguntha Kaikolars have Irayamangalam, the descendant of Paranjothi Nayanar as their guru.{{Cite web |last=Sustainer |date=2009-09-04 |title=கொங்க குலகுருக்கள்: கொங்கு குலகுருக்கள் - 48. இறையமங்கலம் கைக்கோலர் மடம் |url=http://kongukulagurus.blogspot.com/2012/05/48.html |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=கொங்க குலகுருக்கள்}}{{cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra Nath |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA491 |title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization |publisher=New Age International |year=1999 |isbn=978-8-12241-198-0 |page=491}} His seat is at Irayamangalam by the Kaveri in the Namakkal District.
Paranjothi is one of the prominent characters in Tamil historical fiction novel Sivagamiyin Sapatham by Kalki Krishnamurthy. This talks about the young years of Pranjothi where he raises in the ranks of the Pallava army and becomes the army general, his deeds in securing the Kachi fort from the imminent Vatapi invasion, his war on Vatapi Pulikesi and his eventual win over the Chalukyas.
Further reading
References
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External links
- {{cite book | title=Sivagamiyin Sabatham: illustrated| author= Kalki Krishnamurthy| year=1946| publisher=Pavai Publications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ciYaAQAAIAAJ&q=sivagamiyin+sabatham|isbn = 81-7735-172-9| author-link= Kalki Krishnamurthy}}
- {{cite news|title=Siruthondar's devotion|author=The Hindu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/Siruthondars-devotion/article16012379.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=April 2010}}
- {{cite web|title=Sivagami's Vow - The translation of Sivagamiyin Sabadham|url=http://sivagamiyin-sabadham.blogspot.in}}
{{Nayanars}}
Category:7th-century monarchs in Asia
Category:Year of birth missing