Draft:Ramalinga Vilasam palace

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Ramalinga Vilasam palace is a palace in Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu India.

Ramalinga Vilasam palace is alternatively also known as Ramanathapuram palace or Ramanad palace was built by Raghunatha Kilavan / Kizhavan Sethupathy of Kingdom of Ramnad in 17th century.

The palace holds certain religious and cultural events. Durbar hall museum of palace sports mural and paintings of political and cultural life of Tamil rulers and aristocrats from then contemporary Tamil Nadu.^[1]^[2]

History, structure and architecture

According to Howes, Rameswaram and Pogalur were ritually important to Sethupathy where as Kamudi and Ramnad had location and security significance to Sethupathis.^[2](p.83) In 1604 Pogalur (Bogalur?) was main seat of Sethupathis. They fortified Kamudi where as in Ramnad they built palace. Howes contemplates that Raghunatha Tirumalai Sethupathi (1645-1670) might have started palace construction. Since Raghunatha is credited with creation of Makhavai Uranai, a large water tank to the west of present palace and that usually, in historic times, from where soil is used for primary structure of the palace, at the same place building a water reservoir could make sense.^[2](p.83)

Howes says, developing Ramnad in mid 17th century might have made sense to Sethupathis for it's relative proximity to Coromandel Coast (half-way from Kamudi to coast) being beneficial for trade revenues from pearls fisheries and European traders and also Ramnad was midway on pilgrimage route from Madurai to Rameswaram.^[2](p.83,84)

This economic boost and changing relationship with Nayakas of Madurai helped Sethupathis in establishing their ritual sovereignty through building ceremonial palace, goddess temple, ceremonial street and roads and wall connecting to important ritual sites.^[2](p.84)

Howes suggests Ramnad palace was built with sources indigenous to southern Tamilnadu like brick timber stone, having traditional stylistic and planning influenced by Nayaka's Madurai palace which was roughly built fifty years before the Ramanad palace.^[2] (p.89)

According to Jennifer Howes, the Ramalinga Vilasam has two floors and the roof terrace is called as 'the Kings seat' which faces the Rameshwaram island, and it's then purpose was to overlook entire town of Ramnad.^[2](p.92)

Rajarajeshwari temple

The palace compound houses a temple, having a dome shaped roof, which is dedicated to goddess Rajarajeshwari.^[2](p.84,85) The north facing square sanctum is covered by gold along with gold image of Goddess Rajarajeshwari.^[2](p.84,85) According to Howes temple is likely to have been constructed quite earlier than the palace itself.^[2](p.84,85)

Events and celebrations

The Navratri and Dusserah festivals are annually celebrated in the temple located in the palace premises.^[3] According to the legend, Sethupathys proactive military help in securing kingdom of Thirumalai Nayak (1623-1659) of Madurai during war with Kingdom of Mysore. In reward for military services by Sethupathy, their Nayak king along with other generous gifts also provided a golden idol of a goddess and entitlement of celebrating the Navratri and Dusserah festival.^[4]^[2](p.84) The Navratri celebrations also include annual puppet show.^[5]

Durbar hall museum

According to Jennifer Howes, information in the paintings not only complement the palace building and the location but also help understand world view of south Indian kings before British colonial period.^[2](p.89)

Most of the paintings in the Ramlinga Vilasam are from 18th century depicting mainly Vaishnvaite scriptural scenes, very common to other south Indian temples. Howes says, besides religious themes, this specific palace has paintings depicting historical battles and also then feudal culture of recreation and pleasure.^[2]

As per Howes following six groups of paintings are found in the four halls of Ramlinga Vilasam.^[2] (p.93)

1) A / the battle scene
2) The king in court (durbar)
3) Shaiva iconography images
4) Vaishnava narrative images
5) Paintings on arches in the backroom and ground floor
6) the King's bedroom paintings^[2]

Ground floor

According to Anna Dallapiccola one of the paintings in first room of the ground floor depicts Nataraja, on the left side of god Natraja, a poetess Karaikkal Ammaiyar with cymbals is drawn while on right side pictures of sages Bhringin, Vyaghrapada and Patanjali are depicted in anjali mudra.^[6]

Dating and renovation

According to Howes, though paintings in the palace have been restored intermittently by repainting, their phases of creation can be dated. While palace is likely to have been constructed around 1700s, the paintings are generally ascribed onwards to rule of Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi I (ruled 1713? to 1725).

Note List of Sethupathi rulers

For ready (easy) reference forked from the article Ramnad estate shall be trimmed after completion of the draft article writing.

Chieftains With the Madurai Nayaks

Udaiyan Sethupathi (a) Sadaikkan (1601–1623)
Koottan Sethupathi (1623–1635)
Dalavai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1635–1645)
Thirumalai Raghunatha Sethupathi (1646–1676)
Raja Suriya Sethupathi (1676)
Aathana Raghunatha Sethupathi (1677)

Independent kings of Ramnad Kingdom

Raghunatha Kilavan Sethupathi (1678–1710)
Muthu Vairavanatha Sethupathi I (1710–1712)
Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1713-1725)
Sundaresvara Raghunatha Sethupathi (1725)
Bavani Sangara Sethupathi (1725–1727)
Kumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1728–1735)
Sivakumara Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1735-1747)
Rakka Thevar Sethupathi (1748)
Sella Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi (1749–1762)
Muthuramalinga Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi I (1762-1772 1781-1795)

Ruler of princely state under British Raj

As king

Mangaleswari Nachiyar (1795–1803)

As Zamindars

Mangaleswari Nachiyar (1803–1807)
Annaswami Sethupathi (1807–1820)
Ramaswami Sethupathi (1820–1830)
Muthu Chella Thevar Sethupathi (1830–1846)
Parvatha Vardhani Ammal Nachchiyar (1846–1862)
Muthuramalinga Sethupathi II (1862–1873)
Court of Wards (1873–1889)
Bhaskara Sethupathy (1889–1903)
Dinakara Sethupathy
Raja Rajeswara Sethupathi (1903–1929)
Shanmugha Rajeswara Sethupathi (1929–1967)
Dasarathan Sethupathi (March 1967 - December 1967
Ramanatha Sethupathi (1967-1979)
Rajeswari Nachiyar (1979-2023)

Bibliography

Howes, Jennifer. The Courts of Pre-Colonial South India: Material Culture and Kingship. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2003. ISBN: 9781135789961 Pages 90-158
Guy John (curator). A ruler and his courtesans celebrate vasantotsava, courtly and divine love in Nayaka Kalamkari Sultans of the South: Arts of India's Deccan Courts, 1323-1687. United Kingdom, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2011. ISBN: 9781588394385 (p.170, 171)
Baliga, B. S.. Madras District Gazetteers: Ramanathapuram. India, Superintendent, Government Press, 1957. Page 110

References

^ Michell, George (1995-08-17). "4. Temple architecture: The Tamil zone, Temples of Tondaimans and Setupatis". Architecture and Art of Southern India: Vijayanagara and the Successor States 1350-1750. Cambridge University Press. pp. 116–118, 289. ISBN 978-0-521-44110-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Howes, . 2003., Jennifer (2003). "Pantings in the Ramlinga Vilasam". The Courts of Pre-Colonial South India: Material Culture and Kingship. Taylor & Francis. pp. Pages 90-158. ISBN 9781135789961.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ மு.சங்கமித்ரா (2022-09-30). "ராமநாதபுரம் அரண்மனையில் 364 வருடங்களாகக் கோலாகலமாக நடக்கும் நவராத்திரி விழா!". www.vikatan.com/ (in Tamil). Retrieved 2023-06-08.
^ "The Royal right to celebrate Dasara in Ramnad". The Hindu. 2017-09-23. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
^ "These puppeteers pull strings to keep alive a tradition at Ramanathapuram palace". The Hindu. 2022-10-05. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
^ Dallapiccola, Anna L. (2022). "2 The 'Chidambaram group' Nataraja Sivakami, Vyaghrapada, Patanjali". In Slaczka, Anna (ed.). Re-envisioning Śiva Naṭarāja: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. Netherlands: Brill Hotei. pp. 44–46. .. In the first room of the ground floor of the Ramlinga Vilasam at Ramnathpuram the poetess appears again standing on the left of the god, beating the cymbals while on the right are Bhringin, Vyaghrapada and Patanjali all in anjali mudra. Bhringin who featured in the background in the Gangaikondacholapuram Nataraja appears here again after a long absence. (Fig2.8)..
^ "Step back in time with this fearless king in Chennai". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2023-06-08.

Categories to be added

Category:Museums in Tamil Nadu, Category:Palaces in Tamil Nadu, Category:Tamil festivals, Category:Festivals in Tamil Nadu Category:Indian paintings

Commons Category:Ramalinga Valasam

Template:TamilNadu-stub

[1] Michell, George (1995-08-17). "4. Temple architecture: The Tamil zone, Temples of Tondaimans and Setupatis". Architecture and Art of Southern India: Vijayanagara and the Successor States 1350-1750. Cambridge University Press. pp. 116–118, 289. ISBN 978-0-521-44110-0.

[:0-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Howes, . 2003., Jennifer (2003). "Pantings in the Ramlinga Vilasam". The Courts of Pre-Colonial South India: Material Culture and Kingship. Taylor & Francis. pp. Pages 90-158. ISBN 9781135789961.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[3] மு.சங்கமித்ரா (2022-09-30). "ராமநாதபுரம் அரண்மனையில் 364 வருடங்களாகக் கோலாகலமாக நடக்கும் நவராத்திரி விழா!". www.vikatan.com/ (in Tamil). Retrieved 2023-06-08.

[4] "The Royal right to celebrate Dasara in Ramnad". The Hindu. 2017-09-23. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-06-07.

[5] "These puppeteers pull strings to keep alive a tradition at Ramanathapuram palace". The Hindu. 2022-10-05. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-06-07.

[6] Dallapiccola, Anna L. (2022). "2 The 'Chidambaram group' Nataraja Sivakami, Vyaghrapada, Patanjali". In Slaczka, Anna (ed.). Re-envisioning Śiva Naṭarāja: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. Netherlands: Brill Hotei. pp. 44–46. .. In the first room of the ground floor of the Ramlinga Vilasam at Ramnathpuram the poetess appears again standing on the left of the god, beating the cymbals while on the right are Bhringin, Vyaghrapada and Patanjali all in anjali mudra. Bhringin who featured in the background in the Gangaikondacholapuram Nataraja appears here again after a long absence. (Fig2.8)..

[7] "Step back in time with this fearless king in Chennai". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2023-06-08.

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