Even though it has been a week since the movie ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ hit the theaters, the discussions about the movie have not stopped. Discussions about the film continue day by day. On the one hand, was Rajaraja Cholan a Hindu? They are debating whether they are vegetarian. On the other hand they are debating whether the Rajarajan period was a golden age or a dark age. Apart from this, hundreds of videos about the history of the Cholas are being released on YouTube and other social networks. Apart from the film crew, many people are promoting the film ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ in many ways.
In this, let’s look at two important historical errors seen in the movie ‘Ponniin Selvan’.
Historical Errors:
1. Cultivator worship
The movie ‘Ponniin Selvan’ starts from the scenes of the Cholas led by Aditha Karikalan fighting with the Rashtrakutas. The film will feature a scene where Vandiyathevan (Karthi) meets Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) who won the war. At that time, Vandiyathevan would have drunk. Vandiyathevan would say to Adittha Karikalan, “After the war, a pooja to Alagara.”
In fact, Kallazhagara worship must have developed later during the Nayak period. Perumal temple is located on Alaghar hill near Madurai city. There are evidences of it being a very ancient temple in literatures like Silapathikaram and Paribadal. That means it is an Alaghar temple. Only then did it turn into a scammer. There is a history to that.
Historical evidence suggests that Adittha Karikalan died in 971 AD. However, Kallazhaga worship is seen as something that developed after the Cholas period. Especially the Vijayanagara Empire period or Nayaka period. Hence, the doubt arises as to why the term was used earlier.
Even if Vandiya Devan’s words are taken to mean drinking wine as separate words s – Alaghar, this also raises a contradiction as the custom of worshiping Alaghar is not present in the Cholas.
2. Sambuvariyar Mansion
Kadampur was the region ruled by the Sambuvaris who were the petty kings of the Chola Empire. It was in this city that a conspiracy took place under the leadership of Paluvetarayar to crown Madhurantha, the ruler of Ponni. In the next part, a great event that shook history will also happen in the mansion located in the same city. Currently, this Kadampur town, which is without a roofed house, is located in a peaceful environment called “Geekhakadampur” near Kattumannarkovil in Cuddalore district.
Historians say that Sambuvariyars were army commanders during the Chola regime. After the collapse of the Cholas in the thirteenth century, many of their subordinate kings were crowned as kings of the region they ruled. Thus, the Sambuvariyars ruled the Tiruvannamalai district as their headquarters. Their domain extended to Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Kanchipuram and Villupuram districts. Although they ruled for a short time, they became important in the history of Tamil Nadu.
The name of the first commander of the Sambuvariyars is recorded in the inscription in 1069 AD during the reign of Rajendra Chola, says Amulraj, a doctorate historian who has researched the history of the Sambuvariyas. As such, ‘Ponniin Selvan’ depicts a conspiracy taking place in the Sambuvariyar mansion as early as the 10th century.
There is no doubt that the Sambuvariyar family was one of the many petty royal families that played a major role in the creation of the Chola Empire. But historians have to confirm that the period is correct. The questions that some people put forward that their history starts 100 years back also need answers.