Skip to main content

NARTHAMALAI SHIVA TEMPLES PART 3 - VIJAYALACHOLEESHVARAM





NARTHAMALAI – VIJAYALA CHOLEESHVARAM TEMPLE.


Vijayalaya Choleeswaram was built by a king called Sattan Puthi Ilankovathi araiyan of the Muthraiyar Dyansty, who were vassals of the early Pallavas and Pandyas, post the revival of the Medieval Cholas by the founder Vijayala Chola (850 to 871 CE) the Temples of Narthamalai came under the influence of the Chola’s


Vijayala Choleeshvaram Temple

The temple would be one of the earliest rock cut structural temple built by the Medieval Cholas and resembles the inspiration from Kailasanatha Temple of the Pallavas in Kanchipuram. The Vijayala Choleeshvaram Temple is the main attraction of Narthamalai and is facing west. Built in a Parivara shrine Style popular with the Cholas, it had eight sub shrines surrounding the central Temple structure, out of which six survive till date. The Parivara temple structure are generally built to accommodate the family of Bhagwan Shiva or local gods.


Ashthaparihara Temple of Shiva


The main Shrine consists of a Mukhamandapa, Ardhamandapa and a circular Garbhagriha with space for circumambulation. The Vimana of the temple is built in a Tri-Tala or three storied structure with the bottom two layers being square and the top layer with the Shikhara being circular (Vesara). An image of Shiva with Parvati on east, Shiva as Veenadhara on south are placed under these maha-nasikas. Four Nandi statues are placed at four corners facing either east or west. The temple has both the Nagara and Dravida features to it.


Three storied round & square Vimana.

The entrance to the temple is scripted with two Dwarapalakas, exquisitely chiseled. The right one is intrinsically crafted with Simha (Lion) arm bands. The left one seems to be incomplete. 



Left Dwarapalaka
Right Dwarapalaka















The round Garbhagriha contains a Shiva linga with a pedestal (Avudayar, Pindika) facing to the right of the Lingam, being a western facing entrance. The mandapam consists of Paintings of which Bhairava & Vishnu painting have survived time. The paintings themselves are of a later origin.


The entrance to the mukhamandapam.
The eight sub shrines around the temple are in the Astha-Parivara pattern. The arrangement of these eight sub shrines is as follows: Chandra in east, Surya in south-east, Sapta-matrika in south, Ganesha in south-west, Subramanya in west, Jyestha in north-west, Chandesha in north and Bhairava in north-east.























































































There is an inscription at the base of the dwarapalaka statue which clearly states that the original temple was built by Ilangovathi Mutharayar (alias) Chathambuthi which was damaged by rain and the same was rebuilt with granite stones by Mallan Vithuman Mutharaya king in 886 CE. This is a clear evidence that the temple was in existence prior to Vijayalaya chola, though at present the temple is called Vijayalaya Choleeswaram. 















v  The temple would be one of the earliest rock cut structural temple built by the Medieval Cholas and resembles the inspiration from Kailasanatha Temple of the Pallavas in Kanchipuram. The Vijayala Choleeshvaram Temple is the main attraction of Narthamalai and is facing west. Built in a Parivara shrine Style popular with the Cholas, it had eight sub shrines surrounding the central Temple structure, out of which six survive till date. The Parivara temple structure are generally built to accommodate the family of Bhagwan Shiva or local gods.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/bt9rLbh1gqHMs7GS9





Labels:
Location: Narthamalai, Tamil Nadu 622101, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE PART 1 - TARAMANGALAM

SRI KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE- TARAMANGALAM - SALEM DISTRICT - TAMILNADU.- PART 1 Seven tiered Rajagopuram Shaped like a chariot. Mahavishnu gave his sister Parvathi in marriage to Shiva. This process of handing over the bride, is known as "Thaaram vaththu koduppadhu" in Tamil, hence the name of the town THARAI MANGALAM now known as Tharamangalam. MAHAVISHNU giving his sister MEENAKSHI in marriage to SHIVA. In the centre of this Town is an exotic Temple of Lord Shiva as Shri Kailasanathar with his consort Sivakami Devi. One of the rarest of temples with a treasure of exotic Sculpture and the many stories attached with them. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL U NKNOWN TEMPLES IN TAMILNADU. The first precinct on entering from the Rajagopuram. The temple had an existence before the 10th Century CE. However the same was rebuilt by the Getti Muthaliar Clan who ruled the Kongu Part of Tamilnadu from the 13th to the 17th century. The temple seems to have b...
Post a Comment
Read more

ELEPHANTA CAVES PART 10 - SHIVA as LINGA – The SAGUNA form of NIRGUNA - GHARAPURI

GHARAPURI  - ELEPHANTA CAVES 10 SHIVA as LINGA – The SAGUNA form of NIRGUNA. Symbolic form of SHIVA – SHAKTHI. DWARAPALAKAS to the shirne of MAHADEVA Saguna  means “with attributes.”  Nirguna  means “without attributes.” “ Saguna ” describes a God with (tangible) attributes. The term “ Nirguna  Brahman” describes a God with no (tangible) attributes (source). The most popular form of worshipping Lord Shiva in Hinduism is in the LINGA form. It is known as SHIVALING or SHIVALINGA. The LINGA symbol is an attempt to give form to the formless, referred as Supreme Being or Brahman in Hindu religion. When a LINGA is installed on a YONI, it represents the union of SHIVA and SHAKTI – the beginning of creation. It is found at the centre of the temple, often resting in the middle of a rimmed, disc-shaped YONI. SHIVA as a LINGAM In the main cave, in the right middle six steps lead to a raised platform of 3.5 feet high. A cu...
Post a Comment
Read more

CHENNARAYA PERUMAL TEMPLE - VISHNU - THE OCEAN OF MILK - ATHIYAMAAN KOTTAI

CHENNARAYA PERUMAL TEMPLE - ATHIYAMAAN KOTTAI – DHARMAPURI – TAMILNADU. Courtyard with the Garuda Sannadi  Chennamma Naicker a cowherd by profession, who lived during the period of King Krishna Deva Raya of the Vijayanagara dynasty, was returning home one day after gracing his cows. He found one cow missing and on searching for the same he found the cow, and to his utter astonishment, the cow was feeding a child with milk from its udder. The cow which had not delivered a calf till date, feeding milk to a child was a strange sight, and he presumed it could be only a form of divine intervention. The boy summoned Chennamma Naicker and gave him Darshan as Lord Maha Vishnu.(Perumal). The Lord told Chennamma that he wished to stay in the hills and asked Chennamma to build a Temple for him. As lord Mahavishnu came to his Devotee, he is known as Chendru(Devotee) Aiya(Lord), which got corrupted to Chenraya Perumal. The Temple was in exist...
Post a Comment
Read more