Another Interesting subject is the row of animals – predominantly deer in 9th and early 10th C temples.
I have noticed them in Lalgudi, Dharmapuri and now in Kanyakumari. But it is not observed in many other temples of such period.
We will see one more temple. When any one asks “ where is Then Tirupathi?”, the immediate answer would be Oppiliappan koil. Trichy people may say Gunaseelam – Chettinadu people may say “Ariyakkudi” and many such temples will come up.
But which temple is referred as “ Then Thiruvenkadam” in epigraphs?
A Parantaga epigraph referring a temple as “ Thiruvengada Nilai” , Thiruvengadathunilai Paramaswamigal” , A ref by Cholan Thalaigonda Vira Pandiyan as “ Thiruvengadanilai nindraruliya Perumanadigal” .( A Cholantaga Brahmarayan was also refered. Must be a Brahmin General who fought a war on Pandya side. ) This temple has epigraphs from Pandya Chadayan Maran (905 ) period and hence dates much earlier. In Chola Pandya – Jatavarman Sundara Chola Pandya period ( 1030) the lord is referred as Then Tiruvengadathalvar.
The place is nothing but Thiruchivindram , now popularly called Suchindram. Apart from the main deity “Sthanumalayan” who represents the trinity, there are 2 separate temples inside. The Vishnu temple is referred even today as “ Thiruvenkada Vinnavarap Perumal. ( It is actually Thiruvenkada Vinnagarap Perumal) Our ancestors have installed the Thiruvenkada Perumal, who guards the North of Tamizhagam in the Southern end also. The moorti is made of medicinal herbs and covered with kavacham. He has Chakram and Sangam in top hands , Abya hastham and Gadha in the bottom hands.
The other shirine is for Kailasanatha on a small rock inside – built by Parantaga 1. This temple looks exactly similar to Guhanatheswara temple. The line of deers, the moortis in vimanam all are similar.
Then there is this interesting Kutralam temple. Which has epigrahs from Pandya Maran Chadayan ( 866) and many Parantaga 1epigraphs (927-943). Must have taken over by Pandyas again till RRC reclaimed. This temple dose not have any goshta moortis ( But the walls and epigraphs of main shirine intact) A Dakshinamoorti is installed in southern side. They have kept some moortis separately on a platform. Interestingly a Brahma, An Yoga Narasimha are present. Looks all of them must be from the Vimanas including the Dakshinamoorti.
The next day, I happened to hear a lecture by Kanchi Mahaswami in Sankara TV on Vimanas. He refers that earlier all temples irrespective of the deity – On southern side Dakshinamoorti, Narasimha in the western side which changed to Vishnu in later period, Brahma in the northern side and in East the deity of the temple. Whatever may be the temple – Pillayar, Murugan, Pidari etc et – They follow the same system. He mentions having seen the Tirumala Vimanam when they removed the plates for re plating. He had seen Dakshinamoorti on the southern side. Also in Nagalapuram, a veena dakshinamoorti is present in southern side. ( Gokul once referred on the Dakshinamoorti of Manimangalam Rajagopala temple) Now let us see the images.regards sankar
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