I have updated the article with Lower Cave Temple details. Some salient features of the cave are:
1. Two inner shrines on side walls, one for Shiva and another for Vishnu. 2. Five niches on back wall, displaying Ganesha, Subramanya, Brahma, Surya and Durga 3. Probably the first representation of Ganesha as a bas-relief in Tamilnadu 4. Bhuta-vali in kapota 5. Pillar style seems to be transitional style from Mahendra to Mamalla period
Hi Sankar sir, You can view the picture of monkey gana at the following location. However I am confused on Muchukunda, as I am not able to associate him with any of the Shiva story. May you please explain a little over this.
dose that look like a person with monkey head. it looks like a monkey.
In that case - it is vali. I have seen this in Koliuanur valisvaram. ( but not in Takoolam valivaram)
Others - pl inform if you have seen this anywhere.
Valikondapuram - at that time i ddi not look at this aspect. Will recheck when i visit
Muchukunda - A chola puranic emperor. associated with Thiruvarur. Once when shiva and Parvati were sitting under a Bilva tree in kailash.
A monkey was playfully plucking and throwing bilva leaves under, which fell on siva. He was pleased and gave a boon to the monkey to be born as a king. The monkey requested him that, he be born with the face of monkey so that people will know the power of worshipping siva.
There are references of him ( indirect) in Silappathigaram too.
Hi, Thanks a lot for this story, I think I heard this somewhere before as well. The confusion arose as there is another Muchukunda, son of king Mandhata in Ikshvaku dynasty. What is Chola puranic emperor? Is there is some connection between Cholas and Ikshvaku dynasty?
Sir, More story abt MUCHUKUNDA CHIZAN,: Legend has it that Vishnu presented Indra the King of the Devas with the image of Somaskanda which he had created and held in worship. Indra held this image in great reverence.
Mucukunda Chakravarty was a valorous king who ruled over the earth. So great was his valor that Indra the King of the Gods had to seek his help to destroy a powerful demon Vaalaasuran.
Full of gratitude for the king;s help, Indra implored him to ask for anything that he wanted. The king promptly replied that he wanted to receive from Indra the image of Somaskanda that had been held by him in worship - i.e. the very same image that Vishnu had held in worship.
Indra was in a dilemma. He did not want to go back on his word and he did not want to part with the image either. He therefore had six other identical images made and sought the king to guess which the right one was.
Divine intervention prompted the king to pick the right image. An overwhelmed Indra blessed the king and urged him to keep all of the seven images.
Mucukunda Chakravarty brought back all of the 7 images of Somaskanda with him to the Chola kingdom and had them installed at 7 different places (in and) around Tiruvarur. The image housed at Tiruvarur is the one that was held in worship originally by Indra and Mahavishnu. The seven shrines collectively are known as the Sapta Vitanka Stalams.