Dr. Nagaswamy, scholar and archaeologist presented a lecture on ‘Mylapore in Pallava’s Music’ at Arkay Centre in Luz on Sunday morning as part of the ongoing music festival of this centre. Assisting him was Carnatic vocalist Gayathri Girish who with accompanists sang excerpts based on the music compositions quoted by the scholar.
Focusing on the works of Mahendra Pallava of 600 AD, Rajasimha Pallava of 700 AD and of  Nandivarman III Pallava of 825 AD, Nagaswamy picked up verses which refer to Mylapore and to lord Shiva in the local temple to illustrate his lecture.
He also spoke at length on Thiru Gnanasambandar ( calling him the greatest composer of all time for his immense body of songs and the variety in them), indicating the songs that were dedicated to the lord in Mylapore. He touched on the Poompavai compositions and said that these songs travelled as far as Cambodia and Thailand and is sung in a local form in Thailand to this day.
Nandi Varnman III had many titles and one was Mylai Kavalan; he was an intense bhakta of lord Siva, Nagaswamy said.
Though the gathering was small this present appreciated the choice of the them and the exposition by the scholar and the vocalist.
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The periods are not 600, 700 BC, but 600 AD and 700 AD.
I have uploaded the video of the Virutham ‘Malai Vendan Mayilai Kavalan’ by gayathri Girish. The Youtube link :
http://youtu.be/8_-u4FYb-F0
(Note: Nowdays historian do not use AD and BC for denoting years. It is BCE – Before Common Era for BC and CE- Common Era for AD.)
I saw this in a website. Then it is 600 CE and 700 CE.
Thanks for pointing out the errors. We has now corrected the copy. – Editor