Journey of Lord Ranganatha..Remembering the forgotten heroes

[Guest guest]

Sri Rangam in Tamilnadu was attacked by Ulook khan in 1325 AD.Ulook khan later became mohammed bin thuglaq.The adobe of Lord Ranganatha never knew anything like an attack on it, till that fateful date.When devotees knew that these demons were after the golden idol of Lord Ranganatha they decided to save it at all costs.Then Pandya king was helpless,so the devotees of the small town sri rangam armed themselves to face an army of around 1 million muslims.

 

The hindu army was just around 3000 and many of them were bhramins.They built a stone wall around the main stone idol of Lord Ranganatha and built a dummy idol outside.Sri rangam was sorrounded on four sides by cauvery river.Ulook khan laughed at the bhramin army and gave his soldiers half day to capture it.But alas the war lasted for 2 days claiming around 3000 sultanate army men.The entire townfolk of Sri rangam died valiantly fighting for Lord Ranganatha.

 

When the fuming ulook khan entered the adobe, he found not an ounce of gold inside.He could not also find the golden idol of Lord ranganath.He demoilished the dummy idol of Ranganath, killed the old devdasi women of the temple,demolished as much of the temple as possible,and spied as to the whereabouts of the idol.He was furious to know that a karnatka muslim, who was converted forcibly by him had told the residents about his plans.The dalits who lifted lord's palanquin(pallak) along with some priests had ran away with the idol southwards to madurai.

 

Furious ulook khan plucked the eyes of the 'triator'.He was impaled in stake.Then a massive army was send in search of the ranganatha idol.Unknown to Ulook khan he had started off the 40 year journey of Lord Ranganath.

 

Ulook khan captured madurai,ransacked it,murdered and still he could not find ranganatha.Then he almost captured it near "thirumal irun cholai".But after losing many a priests life, ranganath's idol was carried to kanyakumari by the dalits and two old priests.An army always followed it,since the idol was priceless with gold and diamonds on it.

 

meanwhile meenakshi temple in madurai was closed by muslim governor,in tirupparangunram a mosque was built adn it was called as sikkander hill.Hindu women were send to harems,which was unkown till date in Tamilnadu under chera,chola and pandya kings.

 

Ranganath idol from kanyakumari went to kerala.There for some time it was safe under chera kings.But when was broke out between madurai sultan and cheras Ranganatha went to Melkottai, where the hoysala king vallala kanda ruled.

 

Vallala kanda was old.He had no children.He was the last ruler of the famous chalukya tribe of pulikesin.He was a great devotee of vishnu.He cried at the injustice to his lord and made it his life's ambition to take back Lord ranganatha to sri rangam.

 

He arranged an army and attacked madurai.But 8000 muslim soldiers under him suddenly jumped to sultans side over night and he lost.The 80 year old king was captured.His eyes were blinded and he was skinned alive.His head was hung in a spear.(Thus ended one famous tribe, chalukyas in India.)

 

Ranganatha again continued his journey.The victorious sultanate army chased that idol.The two priests carried it to tirupathi.All the dalit pallaquin carriersd were killed fighting to save the idol.A huge army chased two old bhramins.Only when they entered the dense tirupathi forest were they safe for some time.Sultanate army started combing the entire forest.

 

They found them.The two bhramins ran to a hill.Behind them was the army.Before them was the abyss.One tied ranganaths idol and jumped from the hill and landed on his body and saved the diol.The other one climbed down and recovered the idol.He hid in the forest for 30 years hiding in a cave.

 

On all these days ranganath idol was done all the pujas and abishekams.Then after some peace came through,the bhramin who was 80 then took the idol to tirupathi temple, where he died.

 

Ranganatha idol waited in tirupathi.Meanwhile vijayanagar empire was establihed by harhara, bukkha and kumara kambana brothers.Kumara kambana II wanted to retire after it.He came to tirupathi with his wife ganga devi to retire.There he met the bhramin in the forest, heard story of ranganathas journey and was in tears.He promised the bhramin priest that he will reinstate ranganaths idol in sri rangam.He took the diol to tirupathi where the bhramin priest died peacefully.

 

Kumara kambana then collected a massive army.He marched forward and captured kancheepuram.But war broke out with bhamini sultans and most of his army was called back to vijaya nagar.He had only a small army.He gave up and decided to return to vijayanagar.

 

That night he had a dream.Mother durga devi appeared before him in tears.She said that her sone are being killed in madurai and asked him when will he liberate her.She gave him a sword , which was said to be that of the legendary sword of rajendra chola.When kumara kambana woke up a sword was lying there.

 

Motivated like anything with the small army of 10,000 he marched towards madurai where a million strong sultan army was waiting.But something unbelievable happened here.He put Lord Ranganatha as his commander in chief.The idol was taken front.everywhere villagers joined the army.Soldiers deserted sultan and joined kumara kambana.

 

He entered madurai with around half a million army.War started.Kambanas army was butchered but they fell down adn died valiantly.The entire vaigai river which was dry was full of blood.

 

Ranganathas idol was carried to warfield.Hindus who use to run away usually when they were outnumbered did not run away now.They fought for ranganatha.Soldiers shouted "ranga, ranga" and died happily.War heated up.when kambana's army was severely destroyed, when only thousands of soldiers remained and kambana injured heavily miracle happened.Sultan was killed by kambana himself.His soldiers tried to regroup, but now were defeated.

 

Kambans' forces entered madurai opened the meenakshi temple after 40 years.kambana took ranganatha idol to sri rangam on his head and reinstaed it there.The stone wall around the stone idol was removed.Lord Ranganatha sat back on his old place after 40 years in 1375.

 

He had motivated tamilians to unite and over throw sultans.(For the next 600 years India was under turk rule but not Tamilnadu.Kumara Kambana became the ruler of Tamilnadu and started off the naiker dynasty in Tamilnadu.)

 

For all these 40 years Lord Ranganatha did not miss puja for even a day.Thus he ended his 40 year journey and came back to Sri rangam.

 

(This history os found in the book "madhura vijayam" by Ganga devi, wife of Kumara Kambana)

 

 

[Guest guest]

Have you forgtten those heores names too?Ok. Here are the names.

 

The leader of the group that guarded the temple and died

sudarsana suri

 

The one who took the idol(given by lord Ram to veebeshna) southwards was pillai lokachari, vedanta desika and sudarsana suri's two sons.

 

The idols name was Nam perumal.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Nice article but I reckon there are a few historic flaws. It good that you have highlighted the fact that Tamilnadu was not spared by the Muslims, who sparodically invaded and looted the temples.

 

I just want to add that the Devadasi seduce the chief of the Muslim army, on the pretext of showing him the temple , she pushed him down the gopuram and killing herself. I think she is honored in the Ragantha temple till today for her sacrifice.

 

Unfortunately present day muslis will never accept that such atrocities were committed by their ancestors and Indian history books are not going to mention them ..

[Guest guest]

I was greatly moved by the story of Ranganatha.Had these people not saved the idol which was given to veebeshna by lord ram Hindu society would have lost one more invaluble asset.

 

I pray to all the people who died for the lord.All of them now would be in vishnulok.I am sure that the likes of Malik gafoor(he was an indian,hindu by birth from madya pradesh) and Mohammed bin thuglaq would noe be burning in hell defenitely.

 

Whatever they did to Ranganathas devotees,they would have suffered the same fate later.Have no doubts on that.

 

Due to fate only Hindu society in Tamilnadu suffered like this.But Lord ranganatha also shared the grief of the society it seems.He too wandered like a nomad, like how he did in Ramavathar.

 

No wonder Tamilnadu did not come under muslim rule at any point of time after 1375.It was lead by Ranganatha, was it not?

[Guest guest]

god ran away afraid of muslims.Great story this is.