Tiger Cave:
‘Tiger Cave’ asks you to leap out to space like a Tiger would leap on its prey, say an elephant. It says: "Leave this den and seek higher destinations". The plan is a very simple one with models of:
1. The seven planets
2. The navigational equipment
3. The space shaft
4. The space module
1. The seven planets:
The seven stone deities symbolize the seven planets. Earth is in the middle and this is like a 'you are here' marker. The planets lower below Earth are Mercury, Venus and Moon. The planets higher above are Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
2. The navigational equipment:
The shrine has a hexadecagonal Lingam of Lord Siva with each of the sixteen sides gently curved convex.
This
must be the best preserved cast basalt Lingam of the Lord in this
part of the Universe. It could be used to calculate declination of
the sun with accuracy. It may be noted that the Lingam has the usual mark
inscribed on it.
The mark most probably stems from பரன்
உள்ளம்/paran-ullam that
morphed into frenulum in English/Latin. Only a healthy heart can make
the mark and reach the zenith. It may be noted that the mark is always 90 degrees from the
base when viewed from the top. This is explained by the space shaft that is placed next. There is also a pillar like gnomon in front.
3. Space shaft:
The space shaft is about 30 feet in height and inclined at 60 degrees, pointing East towards the Bay of Bengal.
The shaft is on the beach adjoining the sea and makes an ideal launch location being close to the equator. For all the reasons rockets are launched from Sriharikota that is about 150 KM North, this location is fit for beginning space trips. The obtuse side is 120 degrees from the ground and the frenulum is therefore always facing the worshiper to highlight this.
There ought to have been a crown or kalasam at the top that must have been dislodged by a Tsunami in the past as peg holes have been carefully sculpted on the western side of the shaft to hold one.
Apparently, inter-planetary and interstellar trips were always from near the North pole. Bogar verses that describe equatorial launches would mention கிழக்கு/East and those that describe polar launches will invariably include references to பச்சைகாரி/green clouds or the aurora in the North. The space traveler starts with learning to go to earth orbit first and then explore the planets and then the rest.
Jupiter is symbolized by the elephant and Mercury is symbolized by a lion with an elephant trunk. Sun and Jupiter are the two heavy weights of the solar system and Mercury is kept in its orbit by their gravitational pulls. The Jupiter connection with Mercury is brought home with such simple imagery. Jupiter's constant gravitational tugs could eject Mercury from the solar system. In Bogar's Karukidai Nikandu, Varahi is a reference to vai/mouth, garima/gravity/heaviness, panni/pig/boars. The Varahi rekai is part of the re-entry or exit plans for the solar system. the Varahi/bary centre for the solar system and gives the optimal trajectory to sling out of the solar system. The yali at Tiger Case seem to illustrate this principle.
There ought to have been a crown or kalasam at the top that must have been dislodged by a Tsunami in the past as peg holes have been carefully sculpted on the western side of the shaft to hold one.
The tip of the shaft has been modeled carefully. The pics below show the original and the model (east view).
Apparently, inter-planetary and interstellar trips were always from near the North pole. Bogar verses that describe equatorial launches would mention கிழக்கு/East and those that describe polar launches will invariably include references to பச்சைகாரி/green clouds or the aurora in the North. The space traveler starts with learning to go to earth orbit first and then explore the planets and then the rest.
4. The space module:
The easiest thing to miss at Tiger Cave is that the yalis are on a turtle cross section, and when partly submerged in water, its sheer poetry. Hose and elephant heads with tusks and trunk, sword handle in the overall shape of a turtle head, with port holes, observation deck (the deck with ports make it a model intergalactic space vessel) is unbelievable magic.
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| The turtle shaped space module with port holes and observation deck |
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| Turtle head details with horse, elephant heads, sword handle and port holes |
The view from the other side is even more spectacular where the turtle turns into a completely new creature with a couple of whales around it.
Mahabalipuram Complex
The entire Mahabalipuram complex again is symbolization of the Seven Worlds with Seven Pagodas and the earlier landing from Tirumala to Srisailam. There is considerable literature in verse form that supplement the site models. To give an example, the following passes as "Draupadi Ratham".
It is really a parachute model, made with bamboo and silk. Bogar verses on how to make a parachute and learn the art of gliding that would come handy during descent are as follows:
1281. பார்க்கவே வாகாஷம்பாவந்தன்னில் பரிவுடனே குதிப்பதற்கு கூண்டுசொல்வேன்
கார்க்கவே வட்டமாங்குடைதானொன்று பாங்கான குடைநிகள மகலங்கேளிர்
ஏர்க்கவே ஆறடியாவட்டவீடு யெழிலான பட்டுவடந் தன்னாற்செய்து
தீர்க்கவே பிரம்பதுவும் முப்பத்திரண்டு திறமான சக்கரமுமொன்றேமாட்டே
1282. மாட்டவே சக்கரத்திலிரும்புக்கம்பி மார்க்கமாய்த் தான்முடுக்கி வாணிமாட்டி
நீட்டமுடன் கம்பிக்குத் துணிதான்போர்த்து நெடிதான சூத்திரமாங் கயற்தான்கோர்த்து
வாட்டமுடன் தான்விரித்து குடையையேந்தி வாகாகத் தான்குதிக்கில் வாயுபூந்து
தேட்டமுடன் காற்றதுவுங் கூண்டேதூக்கும் தீவிரமாய் மனிதனுந்தான் கீழ்நோக்கலாமே
1283. நோக்கலாம் குடைதனையே கையிலேந்தி நொடிக்குள்ளே மலையைவிட்டு குதிக்கும்போது
தூக்குமே குடைதானுமனிதனைத்தான் துப்புரவாய் மனிதனங்கே துணிவுகொண்டு
தேக்குடனே பூமிதனிலிறங்கும்போது தேசமெல்லாங் கண்ணுக்கு ளணுவுபோலும்
நோக்குடனே தெரியுமென்று போகர்தானும் நேராகப் பாடிவைத்தேன் நேர்மைபாரே
1284. பாரேதானின்னமொரு சூட்சஞ்சொல்வேன் பாருலகி லிந்தவித்தைபழக்கஞ்செய்ய
சீரேதானாற்றருகே தன்னிற்சென்று சிறப்பான ஜலமதுவும் நிற்கும்போது
நீரேதான் பாளமதில் நின்றுகொண்டு நேர்த்தியாய் குடைதனையே கையிலேந்தி
தீரேதான் ஜலமதினில் குதித்தாயானால் திறமான தேகமது பழுதுறாதே
1285. பழுதுமே வாராது தேகந்தானும் பலகாலுமிப்படியே பழக்கஞ்செய்தால்
கழுதுவள தானிருக்கும் பனையின்மேலே கருவாகத்தானேறி குடையையேந்தி
தொழுமே பராபரியை மனதிலெண்ணி தொய்யாமலே பூமியிலே குதிப்பீரானால்
முழுதுமே லாசுடனே பழக்கந்தன்னால் முனையான கோபுரத்திலேறலாமே
1286. ஏறலாந் தேவதாகோபுரத்தில் யெழிலான குடைதனையே கையிலேந்தி
தேறலாஞ் சிகரபுரை மீதிருந்து தேற்றமுடன் குடைதனையே விரித்துயேந்தி
மாறலாமேலிருந்து கீழ்குதிக்கில் மதிப்புடனே தீரனாயிருந்துகொண்டு
கூறலாமிக பழக்க மதிகமாகி குன்றின் மேலேறுதற்கு குணமுண்டாமே
Bogar has summarized knowledge about equatorial launches in the (வின்) ஞான பூஜா விதி 13. The space vehicle is referred to as valai/வாலை.
While
Earth orbit trips could be made from Tiger Cave, inter-planetary and
interstellar trips were made from the North Pole, from Stonehenge and
other such sites. The reason why ley lines run from Thoothukodi to
Leh bisecting India and all the way to near the North Pole.
The Vimana at Sri Rangam is believed to have been at top of the Tirumala hills when the Nallamalai was afloat in space.
The Vimana at Sri Rangam is believed to have been at top of the Tirumala hills when the Nallamalai was afloat in space.
The entire Mahabalipuram complex is just a scale model of the earlier landing that passes as geological unconformity. The next landing is believed to be here at Mahabalipuram. The Anantasayana Perumal is believed to be the site where Lord Vishnu will appear next in Kalki Avatar. As the whole Mahabalipuram Complex is serpent shaped, Perumal here is laid directly on the rocks.
Just my take on the Tiger Cave and Mahabalipuram Complex with the hope it helps us leap into space from our backyards.