I happened to visit Thiruvotriyur on Saturday. This temple has inscriptions from Later Pallavas onwards. It was reconstructed during Rajendra period as per the epigraphs. Intrestingly the Natraja shirine has the same deer row which is observed in the 9th to mid 10th C temples.
Request members to clarify whether this deer row can be taken as a thumb rule to ascertain the age of the temple? In that case - please refers to Sri's Kaverippakkam album. The same deer row is found outside the fort walls of Kottai Varadarajaswamytemple and the wall has Ramayanan panels. Can we assign them to Parantaga or later Pallava period?
Conclussion:
The following Ramayana traces were found in Kanyakumari dt.
1. Thirunandikkara Murals - Though lost to time - some recordings are available and need to be traced.
2. Guhanatheswara temple with the Vali Sugreeva fight
3. The Kanyakumari epigraphs giving the name of Aditya 1 as Kothandarama and the Thirunandikkarai giving the name of a Chera King as Vijayaraghava.
Other Intresting facts:
1. Yoga Narasimha in Vimanam 2. Then Thiruvenkadam in Kanyakumari ie Suchindram 3. Vediya Sathan in Kanyakumari
Need to Close- Can we take the deer row as a symbol of 9th -10th C?