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RiseAndFallTemple: Boom2Doom

Veeraswamy Krishnaraj

June 6, 206

There was a !emple !own "y name Koyil#r "uil! a"ou! $00 years a%o in

Tamil &oun!ry "y a 'indu (aharaja wi!h !he permission o) !he in*adin%

(uslim army +hie)!ain -n e.+han%e, /in% Koylan %a*e 00 pounds o) %old

!o !he +hie)!ain )or pro!e+!ion Tha! was only a down paymen!, )ollowed "y

yearly paymen! o) 0 pounds o) %old )or +on!inued sponsorship and

pro!e+!ion

The !emple was mul!idenomina!ional, housin% i*a, Vishnu, !heir )amiliesand a hips1hi%h raised pla!)orm )ea!urin% !he a*a%rahas or !he plane!ary

%ods

The !emple !hri*ed well under !he pro!e+!ion o) !he (uslim +hie)!ain and

!he sponsorship )rom !he /in% Thir!y years )rom !he ini!ial a%reemen!, !he

+hie)!ain died and !here was no one !o +laim !he yearly pro!e+!ion

dis"ursal 3o+ally deep in !he sou!h o) Tamil &oun!ry, !he (uslim in4uen+e

waned 5ui+/ly wi!h !he dea!h o) !he +hie)!ain

For +en!uries, i! "e+ame a pil%rima%e si!e )or !he diseased, !he

in+apa+i!a!ed, !he maimed There was a ri*er "y !he !emple The "elie)

was !ha! an immersion in !he ri*er and worship o) !he dei!ies "rou%h!heal!h, weal!h, pro%eny and happiness The money /ep! pourin% in7 !he

!emple and !he !own prospered

Then +ame !he sho+/ The /in% died wi!h no re%en! The !emple !own and

!he !emple +ame under !he jurisdi+!ion o) !he Bri!ish The Bri!ish e.er+ised

a hands1o8 poli+y, lea*in% !he !emple !o !he adminis!ra!ion "y !he pries!s

and prominen! +i!i9ens There was an epidemi+ o) a paraly9in% disease,

whi+h a8e+!ed !he na!i*es and !he Bri!ish (any died and many sur*i*ed

wi!h paraly!i+ lim"s ome re+o*ered )ully )rom !he paralysis The

repu!a!ion o) !he !emple spread e*en amon% !he Bri!ish, when !he Bri!ish

hi%h o+ial, a de*o!ee o) Vishnu, re+o*ered )rom !he paraly!i+ disease wi!h

no residual wea/ness or paralysis 'is )ai!h in Vishnu in+reased and many

Bri!ish "e+ame !he suppor!ers o) !he !emple

;*er !he years, !he Bri!ish +ame and wen! and !he num"ers dwindled wi!h

no remainin% Bri!ish de*o!ee The ri*er "e+ame shallow and !he

%o*ernmen! dred%ed !he ri*er and a mound o) mud piled hi%h on !he side

away )rom !he !emple The ri*erine mound o) mud "e+ame a moun!ain,

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"lo+/in% !he *iew o) !he !emple !ower

The !emple?s )ame and name diminished when !he mound "e+ame hill and

la!er a moun!ain This wen! on )or a hundred years Ri+h people "uil!

houses o*er !he +ompa+!ed moun!ain o) mud and /ep! !he area )or

!hemsel*es The mud moun!ain wi!h !he pala!ial houses e.+eeded !he

hei%h! o) !he !emple !ower

oon !he !emple?s )ame and name wen! down Be+ause o) la+/ o)

main!enan+e and wan! o) de*o!ees, !he !emple de!eriora!ed @lan!s %rew

on !he walls The pries!+ra)! disappeared "e+ause !he sa+erdo!al pro%eny

"e+ame do+!ors, en%ineers, en!repreneurs, poli!i+ians

The idols were s!olen "y !he uns+rupulous and sold on !he in!erna!ional

mar/e! )or unseemly pro!s

Tha! was !he reason, !he Tamil pro*er" +ame in!o *o%ue

6 , The dun%hill is raised, !he !ower is sun/aid )rom en*y !o hur! a person who is%e!!in% on well in !his worldCTo1day a /in%, !o1morrow no!hin% E

Transla!ion and 5uo!e "y Re* 'ermanJensenThe !rash heap rose up hi%her7 !he !emple!ower san/ lower

The !rash rose hi%her !han !he !emple!ower

The !rash represen!s ma!!er, while !he

!emple !ower represen!s piri!Today?s prin+e is !omorrow?s pauper@ra/!i rose and @uruGa san/

Faus!ian rise and !he )all o) !he piri!

Krishnaraj