portuguese link santhome with st thomas
Portuguese explicitly linked Santhome with St. Thomas in the 16th century, though historical evidence suggests this connection is a later fabrication.
In 1500, Portuguese explorers arrived in Mylapore and found a site with ruins, including a small structure they identified as the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle.
They claimed to have discovered the intact tomb of St. Thomas, pristinely preserved for nearly 1,500 years, which they used to justify their religious and colonial presence.
In 1523, they built a church on the site, naming it Santhome (from "San Tomé" — Saint Thomas), and declared it the burial place of the apostle.
This act was part of a broader Portuguese Crusade to legitimize their conquests by claiming to have rediscovered lost Christian sites.
Historical evidence from scholars like Veda Prakash and Dr. R. Nagaswamy confirms that the original site was the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, a prominent Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, which the Portuguese destroyed in the 1560s to build their church.
The legend of St. Thomas in India was thus a strategic narrative created by the Portuguese to mask the destruction of a Hindu temple and assert Christian dominance.
In short, while the Portuguese established the link between Santhome and St. Thomas, modern scholarship views this as a historical fabrication rather than a factual account
Bringi Malai is the ancient name for St. Thomas Mount in Chennai, derived from the sage Bringi Rishi, who is said to have performed intense penance on this hill. According to Hindu mythology, Bringi Rishi worshipped Lord Shiva, and in response, Shiva appeared before him in the form of Nandhi (the sacred bull), which is why the temple at the site is dedicated to Nandeeswarar (Lord Shiva as the Lord of Nandhi). The hill's name evolved from Bringi Malai to Parangi Malai and eventually became known as St. Thomas Mount.
The area surrounding the mount, including Nandambakkam and Guindy, also traces its name to this legend. Nandambakkam, meaning "garden of Nandha," is believed to have originated from the garden (Nandavanam) created by Bringi Rishi for Lord Rama during his journey to Lanka, as mentioned in the Kamba Ramayanam. Guindy is thought to have originated from the kindi (pitcher) that Bringi Rishi used during his rituals.
The Nandeeswarar Temple near St. Thomas Mount is a significant spiritual site, known for its ancient architecture, serene ambience, and the unique practice of worshipping Nandhi before the main deity. The temple was historically associated with the Chola dynasty, particularly King Aadhani Cholan, and has been renovated over centuries.