Kalayarkovil இல் பேரரசன்/Pērarasan (The Emperor) Featuring பெரிய மருது (Marudhu the Elder)- a Tamil King and freedom fighter of icon status, we have arrived at the next card of the Tarot series- The Emperor. The மருது பாண்டியர் (Marudhu Pāndiyar), also known as the Maruthu Brothers, were brother-kings who ruled Sivagangai, specifically Kālaiyār Kōvil. Elder Marudhu along with his younger brother சின்ன மருது (Maruthu the Younger) and Queen Vēlu Nāchiyār (see The Empress card) has been instrumental in the war against the East India Company in Tamil Nadu. Maruthu the Elder was born in 1748 in present-day Virudhunagar's Mukkulam to Mokka Pazhaniyappan Sērvai and Ānanthāyi. He, along with his brother, were promoted to high military rank owing to their military prowess by Mutthu Vadukanāthar- then King of Sivagangai and husband of Queen Vēlu Nāchiyār. After the king's fall at the Kālaiyār Kōvil war, the Maruthu Brothers helped Queen Vēlu Nāchiyār escape to the nearby Viruppātchi forest, and ruled Sivagangai as her proxy. After winning the war against the EIC-Arcot Nawab alliance with the help of Hyder Ali, the Brothers reinstated the Queen on her throne. In 1801, the British waged war on the Brothers for sheltering Ūmaithurai, the younger brother of Kattabomman (see Hanged Man card). Unfortunately, the Brothers were arrested by the EIC and on September 24th of 1801, the Brothers were hung to death by the British in Tirupattur Fort. Along with them, all of their sons, except Thuraicchāmi (son of Maruthu the Younger) were also hung. The Maruthu Brothers join the ranks of the legions of regional heroes who have had their histories and legacies ignored and overlooked at the national level-even regionally at times, as evidenced by the Parade Float debacle on Republic Day last year. Once again, I implore that we learn (without sensationalising) our local histories to have a deeper understanding of our ethnic identities, that we may be stronger in the knowledge of our roots. Image 3: Periya Maruthu statue at Kālaiyār Kōvil. #leanderscribbles #tamil #tamilartist #tamilart #maruthupandiyar #lineart #folkreligion #southindian #asian #tarot #tarotart # divination #occult #spirituality https://www.instagram.com/p/CpHYJedv8Pt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
