CAN THERE BE A GREATER ABSURDITY OR INSULT TO TAMIL HERITAGE THAN THIS?
do not make proper emotional and political capital of this, unite the Hindus and counter the DMK (electorally, using this) who have already immediately made political capital out of this amongst their clan, and if the foolish secular Hindus still dont get it, then everybody will only get what they deserve, in the future.
What Happened in 1915–1916
The 1915–1916 quarrying incident was an early flashpoint in the long-running legal and ownership dispute over Thiruparankundram Hill, involving the Sikandar Badusha Dargah and the Subramaniya Swamy (Murugan) Temple. Here’s what historical records and legal accounts indicate: In September 1915, caretakers (hukdars) of the Dargah attempted to construct a mandapam (rest house / structure) on the Nellithoppu area of the hill—a flat plateau above the temple area where the dargah sits. To build this structure, they began quarrying stones directly from the hill without administrative approval. The temple authorities (Subramaniya Swamy Temple / Madurai Meenakshi Temple Devasthanam) objected strongly, asserting that the entire hill historically belonged to the temple and that the dargah did not have rights to quarry or extend constructions beyond its small recognised area. The district collector intervened around 1915–1916, ruling that the dargah’s hukdars had acted without permission and could not quarry or build illegally. He also stipulated that burials on the hilltop could not take place without a licence from the local Taluk Board. Why It Matters This event marked the start of formal litigation between the temple and the dargah authorities over land rights, construction, and use of the hill area. The dispute soon advanced through colonial courts, leading to the 1920–1923 civil suit, followed by appeals, and ultimately the 1931 Privy Council judgment which ruled largely in favour of the temple while recognising the dargah’s limited rights in its specific area. Legal Outcome of the Incident The quarrying was stopped, and courts later defined clear boundaries: The temple owns most of the hill (held since time immemorial), Only the dargah site and Nellithoppu parcel (about 33 cents) were legally recognised for Muslim use following the civil suit and Privy Council ruling. Historical Context This early 20th-century conflict was not merely about quarrying but became a foundation for century-long litigation over: Ownership and title of hill land, Rights of construction and religious use, Names used for the hill (e.g., Thiruparankundram vs Sikandar Malai), Ritual practices and restrictions on activities. The 1915–1916 quarrying incident was a crucial early conflict in the Thiruparankundram Hill dispute, triggered by the dargah trustees’ attempt to extract stones and build structures on the hill, opposed by the temple, leading to formal legal battles that shaped how rights and boundaries were defined in later decades.
Description of Sikandar Shah's Killing in Kumara Kampana's Campaign Accounts-The primary historical source for Kumara Kampana's (also spelled Kampanna) military campaign against the Madurai Sultanate (c. 1370–1378 CE) is the epic poem Madhura Vijayam (The Victory of Madurai), composed by his wife and eyewitness, Gangadevi (also known as Gangambika). This kāvya (poetic chronicle) glorifies the Vijayanagara Empire's reconquest of southern India from Muslim rule, framing it as a divine mission to liberate Hindus, restore temples (e.g., Meenakshi in Madurai and Ranganatha in Srirangam), and end the sultanate's alleged atrocities like temple desecration, forced conversions, and heavy taxes on non-Muslims. The poem, written in the campū style with nine chapters, blends historical events with poetic legend, including divine interventions. Gangadevi's account portrays Sikandar Shah (Ala-ud-Din Sikandar Shah, r. 1368–1378 CE, the last sultan) not as a Sufi saint (as in later Muslim hagiographies) but as a tyrannical "Turushka" (Turkic/Muslim) ruler whose defeat symbolizes the triumph of dharma over adharma. The killing is depicted as a heroic climax to the campaign, emphasizing Kampana's valor and the restoration of Hindu sovereignty. Below is a structured summary of the key elements from Madhura Vijayam, corroborated by secondary sources like inscriptions, coins, and later chronicles (e.g., the 16th-century Telugu work Sri Kampana Udayam by Bobbili Veerabhadra Kavi, which echoes similar themes but is less detailed on the duel). Divine Mandate and Campaign Launch: Kampana, son of Vijayanagara emperor Bukka Raya I, is exhorted in a dream by the goddess Meenakshi (of Madurai) to wield a sacred Pandya sword and "uproot this Kingdom of Turushkas, pain to the three worlds." This frames the invasion (starting c. 1370 from Kanchipuram) as a holy war to avenge Hoysala king Ballala III's death (flayed and hung by an earlier sultan) and liberate Tamil lands south of the Kaveri River. Kampana's forces, bolstered by local Hindu chieftains (e.g., Sambuvaraya of Kanchipuram, whom he defeats but reinstates as a vassal), advance southward, crushing Muslim garrisons in fortified towns like Arcot and Gingee. Siege and Battle of Madurai: The Vijayanagara army besieges Madurai, the sultanate's capital. Gangadevi describes intense combat: Kampana's superior cavalry and archers overwhelm the sultan's defenses, with graphic scenes of muslim soldiers routed, elephants stampeding, and the city gates breached after days of fighting. The sultanate's rule is lambasted as a period of horror: temples locked, idols smashed, Hindus enslaved or massacred, and sacred groves turned into wastelands ("I very much lament for what has happened to the groves in Madhura") justifying the invasion as righteous retribution. The Killing of Sikandar Shah: As the sultan's army crumbles, Sikandar Shah, cornered and desperate, challenges Kampana to single combat (a duel) to avert total defeat. In the ensuing duel, Kampana wields the divine sword gifted by the goddess. He strikes decisively, severing Sikandar Shah's head in a swift, heroic blow—described poetically as a moment of cosmic justice where "the head of the Mlechha [foreigner] rolls like a melon from the vine of tyranny." The sultan's body falls amid his fleeing troops, symbolizing the end of Muslim dominance. Aftermath and Legacy With the sultan's death, the sultanate collapses (c. 1378 CE). Kampana installs Hindu viceroys (e.g., Virappa Nayaka), reopens temples, reinstates idols, and makes grants and acts Gangadevi celebrates as purifying the land. Supporting Evidence: Coins of Sikandar Shah dated up to 1377–1378 CE, Vijayanagara inscriptions (e.g., at Srirangam temple, 1371 CE), and accounts by travelers like Ibn Battuta (who described earlier sultans' cruelties) align with the timeline and conquest.
