Some Lessons from Palamanai Parvati, a Pallavan Fresco

 

This fresco that looks like it would've been in Sigiriya at first glance, is in fact from a Pallavan Temple in Tamil Nadu (North Subshrine, Talgirishwara Temple, Panamalai). So, why am I bringing this up in the context of Sri Lankan history? Its because, its from the same time period, 400-600 AD. Its amazing that the same fresco artistic tradition and talent, employed by both Anuradhapura and Pallava kingdom, across the distance.. and that's just beautiful.

There's much perspective missing when seeing the history of Sri Lanka as isolated from that of the South of India. The Ibbankatuwa megalithic burials from 700 - 450 BC had these red beads, that were imported! That was the extent of the connection, and our isolation from the Indian subcontinent in the late Dutch and British period, disconnecting us from our allies, was a huge factor for our fall as a regional power.

Even today, there are many who go to India for pilgrimages they always want to.. and communities that traded and interacted wth India, during the British period, as they always had. The day that we could re-see our collective histories holistically, is a day that Sri Lanka could know its true potential, with lessons we could apply in this 21st century AD period of its history.


Sources:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/avanibhajana/1071090995

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2015/12/talagirisvara-temple-panamalai.html?m=1

https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientIndia/s/yLlpI0R7oI





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