Culture - Storytrails

Culture

Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer was only 32 when he published an edition of the great Tamil epic, Jeevaka Chintamani, on paper for the first time. This was the culmination of a seven-year quest that had taken him to the remotest corners of Tamil Nadu. Read on to know the story of the man who unearthed a treasure mine of ancient classical Tamil literature.
The 63 Nayanmars – poet-saints devoted to Shiva – were among the earliest ambassadors of the Bhakti movement. Karaikal Ammaiyar was one of the three women who were part of the group. Once a great beauty, she is usually depicted as a ‘ghoul’, apparently a form she begged to be blessed with! This is her story.
The Sengol may or may not have a place in contemporary India, but historically it was considered as a symbol of righteousness and justice, to be wielded only by a worthy leader. Interestingly, the British Crown Jewels also include a sceptre – not untainted by controversy. Read on for the story of the Indian Sengol and the British sceptre.
It was because of the system of matrilineal succession in Kerala that Sethu Lakshmi Bayi became the queen, even though she wasn’t born into the ruling dynasty. But as fate would have it, she was the one who paved the way for the end of the practice. This is the fascinating story of one of the most dynamic rulers of the Travancore kingdom.
Burial sites are among the most important sources of information for archaeologists. The excavations at Keeladi, Adichanallur, Korkai and other places in Tamil Nadu have thrown up a host of burial urns, skeletal remains and other grave goods. These finds reveal much about the oldest settlements in south India through the ways in which they dealt with death. This video, the latest in our series around the Keeladi excavations, explores the different burial rites and practices of ancient Tamils and how they help us understand our history and cultures of the past better.