PALLAVA CAVE TEMPLE - KURANGU ANIL MUTTAM - KANCHIPURAM

 

Pallava Cave Temple - Kurangu Anil Muttam – Kanchipuram.

 

HISTORY

It would not be over exaggerating to say that the Pallava’s created the earliest stone edifices in Tamilnadu. The Pallava Dynasty, Starting from Mahendravarman Pallavan I (600-630 CE) ruled mainly the northern part of modern Tamilnadu that included the Tondaimandalam region consisting of the North & South Arcot along with Nellore and Chittoor districts and included Chennai, between the 6^th to the 9^th Century current era. An estimation of about 172 Temples of the pallava period seems to have existed out of which about 65 are in the form of Rock cut Cave temples.

The earliest of the Rock – Cut –Cave Temples depicting a host of art and sculpture on stone are from Mandagapattu, Pallavaram, Mamandur, Vallam, Mahendravadi, Dalavanur, Tiruchirappalli, Siyamangalam, Vilappakkam, Aragandanallur, Tirukkalukunram, Singaperumal-koil, Singavaram, Melacheri, Kuranganilmuttam, Saluvankuppam, Kilmavalingai and the cave temples and rathas at Mahabalipuram.

At about 7 kms from the town of Kanchipuram is a small village known as Kuranguanilmuttam, which has a place in the Thevaram where Thiru Gnyanasambandar describes the Temple of Valeeshwarar or Koyyamalarnathar (Ishwar anointed with unpicked flowers) as the Paravavahaiveedu (Deliverance from rebirth). The name Kuranguanilmuttam is derived from the divine grace of Mahadev on Vaalee as a monkey (Kurangu), Indra as a squirrel (anil) and Yama as a Crow (muttam).  

TEMPLE

 

About 300 meters from this temple, is one of the earliest experiment of Rock art of the Pallavas lies in the form of a Cave temple cut out of rock by Mahendravarman pallavan l, which seems to have been engraved below the ground level and receives very negligible footfall and hence is unknown to many. Currently maintained very badly by ASI, one would miss it for a park unkempt, unless one goes near to the perimeter of the fencing walls.

This Rock cut cave shrine is supposedly been made to house the Idols of the Trinity of Sanatana Dharma namely Shiva, Vishnu & Brahma. The cave in itself has three shrines facing east, made in between two pilasters with two Pillars in between for a three cavity entrance. This entrance leads one to an elongated rectangle mandapam (Ardhamandapam) and is similarly extended by another set of two pillars and two pilasters which leads to another rectangular block, known as the (Mukhamandapam) which contains the three shrined façade on the back wall. Both the Mandapam’s contain shrine like cavity on their northern and southern side walls, uniquely making it a seven shrined temple.

This cave temple seems to be incomplete and bereft of much of art work on the pillars or the entrance, the garbhagriha or on the walls, except for the front façade of the Garbhagrihas of the Trinity. Infact the pillars and walls look very crude for a work of art. The Garbhagrihas are empty and doesn’t seem to have had any idol placed for worship except the central shrine which has a cavity for a lingam which could have been lost in time. The entire place looks otherwise abandoned for reasons unknown.

The Garbhagrihas in the caves are on a raised level than the Mandapam’s and have to be accessed through two steps each. The main wall facing the entrance to the three shrines is artistically designed with three pair of Dwarapalaka’s, whose iconography matches the diety they were supposed to be guarding in the respective garbhagrihas.

The Dwarapalakas on the Shiva shrine have Jatabhara mukuta with the prongs of the Trishula jutting out of their bhara, standing with the support of their clubs entwined with snakes wearing Sarpayangyopavita. The Dwarapalakas on the Vishnu shrine are wearing a Kirita, standing on the Tribhanga posture with katyavalambita (hands placed on the hips) & kataka postures (hands held for holding a flower). Similarly the Dwarapalas on the northern shrine of Brahma have jatamukuta and Yagyopavitha and are standing in the tribhanga posture with Abhaya and Katyavalambitamudra.

This cave temple is perhaps one of the experiments of the artisans of the Pallava’s, who created a niche for themselves over a period of time in the art echelons of history.