Tamil Arts Volume33 Pāṇḍyā Rock Temples – Some perspective
T.S. Krishnan

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Abstract Temples have been part of the cultural heritage and tradition of Tamiḻagam since Saṅgam days. There are mentions of various types of temples and deities in Saṅgam texts. From those, it can be inferred that the ancient temples were built using bricks, mortar and wood. After the Saṅgam period, the temple-building activity in Tamiḻagam went into hibernation due to the invasion of Kalabhras, who followed the non-Vedic religions. Subsequent to the revival of Pāṇḍyā and Pallava rule during the 6th century, the temple building reached a spectacular scale under both these dynasties. However, the type of temples they built distinctly differed from the earlier ones. Both Pallavas and Pāṇḍyās built cave / rock-cut temples by excavating hills. Pāṇḍyās built several such temples during the medieval era till they were overthrown by the Cōḻa dynasty during the 9th century. These temples can be seen throughout Pāṇḍyā Nadu right from the Kaveri river, which served as a de facto boundary between Pallavas and Pāṇḍyās and up to Kanyākumari down south. These temples were built in the 6th century, and one can see a gradual change in the architecture of the temples built by Pāṇḍyās. While some of these temples were built for specific deities like Śiva, Viṣṇu and Murugaṉ, one can see the panels depicting all the Gods worshipped as part of the Sanātana Dharma. The inscriptions in the temple also shed light on many facts, such as the development of the Tamil script, the richness of the language, the details about the builders and their contributions, etc. The important aspect of these temples is that there are many similarities between the temples built by the Pallavas and Pāṇḍyās and those built by the dynasties in the north, including the Guptas and Chāḷukyas. This suggests a continuous cultural exchange across kingdoms that ruled Bharath over a period of time. 1. Background Tamil Nadu is known as a land of temples, not only due to the number of temples but also to the variety of temples in terms of deities, construction, architecture, rituals and so on. This region has many temples of varied sizes; some spread across acres of land, and some are very small. However, per the tradition, having a temple in every village, town, or city is important. This is why one of the old sayings in Tamil goes as “kovil illātha ūril kuṭi irukathe”, forbidding one to live in a place that doesn't have any temples.1 The history of temples in Tamiḻagam goes as far as the history of Tamiḻagam itself, as there are innumerable references to temples in the Saṅgam literature. Akanāṉūṟu (167) mentions a temple built using bricks. இட்டிகை நெடுஞ்சுவர் விட்டம் வீழ்ந்தென, மணிப்புறாத் துறந்த மரம் சோர் மாடத்து எழுது அணி கடவுள் போகலின் புல்லென்று (15) Iṭṭikai neṭuñcuvar viṭṭam vīḻnteṉa, maṇippuṟāt tuṟanta maram cōr māṭattu eḻutu aṇi kaṭavuḷ pōkaliṉ pulleṉṟu (15) The temple built with bricks is in a dilapidated status, says the poem. This is evidence that the temples were built using bricks during those days. It can also be inferred that perhaps even temples made of mortar and wood were also there during those days. Saṅgam text Perum-pāṇāṟṟupaṭai (405) says ‘cuṭumaṉ ōṅgiya neṭunilai koṭṭam’. Tamil epic Cilappatikāram speaks about a number of temples in both Pūmpūhar and Madurai for the deities Śiva, Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Murugaṉ. During the post-Saṅgam era, Cōḻa king Ko Cēṅganaṉ built more than seventy temples, as mentioned in the verses of Shaiva saint Appar and Vaiṣṇava saint Tirumaṅgai Ālvār. Hence, the history of the temples goes a long way back. Even the rituals like installing deities in the temple were detailed in texts like Cilappatikāram. During the Kalabhra interregnum, temple building in Tamiḻagam took a pause, as Kalabhras were followers of Jainism and Buddhism. There was not much information about temples built during their reign, though there were exceptions, like the Pūlaṅkuṟicci inscription, which speaks about a Dēvakulam (temple) on the adjoining hill. After the Kalabhras were overthrown by Pallavas in the north and Pāṇḍyās in the south of Tamiḻagam, the temple building took a new turn. In contrast to the earlier temples, which were built using bricks and mortar, both Pallavas and Pāṇḍyās started constructing temples in mountains, hills, and hillocks. These were popularly known as Cave temples / rock-cut temples. Mahendra Varma Pallava, who was one of the foremost in building such types of temples, mentions in his inscription at Mandagappaṭṭu that etad aniṣṭakaṃ adruṃ[malo]- hamasudhaṃ [vicitraci]ṭṭena nimmarpitannrape[ṇa] brahmo . śvaraviṣṇula[kṣi]tāyana. The temple for Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva was excavated by Vichitrachiṭṭa (Mahendra) without using brick, timber, metal and mortar, says the inscription. Starting from the 5th century, a number of rock-cut temples were constructed throughout Tamiḻagam, and Pāṇḍyās played a significant part in constructing such temples in south Tamil Nadu. 2. History The great lineage of Pāṇḍyās who ruled Madurai during the Saṅgam period disappeared after the king Kanaperiyil Erintha Ukkira Peruvaḻuthi due to the invasion of Kalabhras. During the 6th Century CE, Pāṇḍyān Kadunkon revived the dynasty by overthrowing Kalabhras and reestablishing the Pāṇḍyā empire at Madurai. There were some illustrious kings in the medieval Pāṇḍyā lineage, including Arikesari Parāṅkusa Māravarmaṉ, Rājasimha Pāṇḍyān, Parāntaka Neṭuñcaṭaiyaṉ, Srimara Srivallabhan, Varaguna Pāṇḍyān etc. All of them were involved in constructing some major temples with most of them being rock-cut temples. The Ilayanputhur copper plate inscription mentions Arikesari Māravarmaṉ building several temples. However, one of the earliest rock-cut temples at Pāṇḍyā Nadu was built during his father's time. Chendan Maran built a rock-cut temple at Malayadikurichi. The temple has an inscription in Tamil letters in contrast to Vaṭṭeḻuthu, which the Pāṇḍyās used mostly in their temples. The Piḷḷayārpaṭṭi rock-cut temple, which has one of the oldest Gaṇapathi Vigraha in Tamil Nadu, was also supposed to have been built during his time. Rock cut temple building reached a fillip during the reign of Parāntaka Neṭuñcaṭaiyaṉ who ruled the kingdom between 765 CE – 790 CE. A number of temples were built around Madurai, including Āṉaimalai Yoga Narasimha temple, Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam temple, Kuṭumiyāṉmalai temple and Ariṭṭapaṭṭi Śivan temple. When Sri Mara Sri Vallabha Pandian ruled Madurai, his minister built the cave temple of Jains at Cittaṉṉaṉvācal. Like this, in about 3 centuries, more than 80 rock-cut temples were built in south Tamil Nadu, and most of them were constructed by Pāṇḍyās. Some places where these rock-cut temples were built were also associated with poets of the Saṅgam age. For example, the famed Saṅgam poet Kaṉiyaṉ Pūṅkuṉṟaṉār came from Mahibālaṉpaṭṭi, whose old name was Pūnkuṉṟam. He wrote the verses ‘yāthum ūre yāvarum kēḷir’, which is similar to the concept of vasudaiva kuṭumbakam is mentioned in our Upaniṣads. Similarly, Piranmalai, which has one of the important cave temples, was known as Parambu Malai in Saṅgam times, where Vel Pari lived. Poet Kabilar has sung about the richness of the hillock and the king. Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, which has two rock-cut temples of Pandays, was where the chief of Madurai Tamil Saṅgam Nakkeerar lived. He sang about God Murugaṉ in the text Tirumurugatrupadai. 3. Architecture The rock-cut temples are constructed mostly according to the orientation of the hill, and there seem to be no specific rules followed in this regard. It is also not the case that the sanctum always faces the entrance. Many times, the entrance faces a particular direction while the sanctum faces another direction. Some of the unfinished rock-cut temples gives a clue on how the excavation happened. First, a suitable portion of the hill is chosen. The portion is chiseled into small square or rectangular blocks. Subsequently, each block is removed, paving the way for a sanctum and mandapas. Like everything else, the rock-cut temple architecture also seems to have evolved over a period of time. The earlier temples only had a small facade to provide shelter from rainwater. An example of this type of temple is the one at Varichiyur (Udayagiriswarar temple). Some temples do not have such a façade and only have a sanctum. (Example: Malayakovil cave 1). From these models, the structure evolved into a pillared ardhamaṇḍapa and a sanctum. This model has two varieties, with the ardhamaṇḍapa in the front (Kuṭumiyāṉmalai) and the Garbhagriha on the side (Malayakovil Cave 2). There are a few temples in which the Garbhagriha (sanctum) is seen on the side of the ardhamaṇḍapa itself. Another unique architecture used by the Pāṇḍyās was to construct two sanctums opposite each other and build a few shrines on the rear wall in between. Some examples of this type of rock-cut temple are Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, Trichy lower rock-cut temple, and Tiruvellarai. There are a few temples that have only a Garbhagriha with an open porch. Examples of such temples include Mahibalanpaṭṭi, Ariṭṭapaṭṭi, and Varchiyur Asthagireeswarar temple. Another category of Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples has an ardhamaṇḍapa, and the sanctum is excavated in an elevated Adhishtana (platform). Āṉaimalai temple is an example of such a construction. 4. Iconography An important aspect of these rock-cut temples is that they give an overview of how the iconographies of deities have developed across centuries. Nataraja, Lingodbhava, Arthanareeswara, Gangadhara, Narasimha, Durga, and Saptamatrkas are some of the examples. Many of them have been influenced by the rock-cut temples built in other regions, which even goes back to the earlier era Kingdoms like Guptas. However, it needs to be noted that while there are innovations and modifications to the sculptures, none of them violated the iconographic principles mentioned in our scriptures. 5. Gaṇapathi
Gaṇapati
Gaṇapathi / Viṉāyagar is present in most of the rock-cut temples of Pāṇḍyās. This, in fact, dispels the myth that the Viṉāyagar worship started only after the Narasimha Pallava's invasion of Vatapi (Badami), during which his general Paranjothi, aka Siruthondar, brought the Gaṇapathi sculpture from Badami. Piḷḷayārpaṭṭi temple predates the Badami war by at least a couple of centuries. Early Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples have Gaṇapathi with only two hands, with one having a Modaka and the other in a Kati Hastha posture. Many of them are seated in Ardhapadmasana. Most of them are Valampuri Viṉāyagars, with the trunk turning towards the right side. Piḷḷayārpaṭṭi, Ariṭṭapaṭṭi, Mahibalanpaṭṭi, and Tirukolakkudi are some of the temples which feature Viṉāyagar prominently.
6. Śiva
Śiva
Śiva is worshipped in the form of a Liṅga in most of the Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples. In a few temples, Somāskanda, that is, Śiva with Uma and Murugaṉ, is seen in the panels of the sanctum. One notable feature of the Śiva Lingas in the Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples is that the Linga is scooped out of the basal rock. Only in very few temples was the Linga brought from outside and installed. In Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, for example, the Somāskanda panel is seen on the back wall. The linga in front was installed at a later stage. The Āvudai or Pīṭam of the liṅgas in the Pāṇḍyā temples are square in shape. The Brahmabhaga and Viṣṇubhaga of the linga are square in shape, while the Rudrabhaga is cylindrical, with few exceptions. At Malayakovil, the Brahmabhaga and Viṣṇubhaga are octagonal in shape. An interesting feature is the gomukhas, which are used to take out the water from the Śivalinga, are supported by ganas. The cistern used to collect this Abhisheka water is also carved from the basal rock.
7. Murugaṉ
Murugaṉ
Vigraha of Murugaṉ can be seen in a few of the temples. Temples like Ladan Kovil, Tiruchendur, and Kaḻgumalai have Murugaṉ as the main deity. Murugaṉ is sculpted in a niche in temples such as Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, Thenparankuṉṟam, Trichy Lower Cave, and Kunnakkudi. At Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam and Ladan Kovil, Murugaṉ is seen in the sitting posture and with the consort Deivayanai. Ladan Kovil and Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam were perhaps the earliest temples in which Murugaṉ is depicted in the Vigraha form. At Ladan Kovil, the vahana of Murugaṉ, the Peacock, and the rooster, found in Murugaṉ's flag, are seen in the garbhagriha panel. At Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, Ram & Elephant are seen below Murugaṉ's panel.
8. Mahāviṣṇu Mahāviṣṇu is the main deity in temples like Tirumeyyam, Tirutāṅgal, Malayaṭippaṭṭi and Kurattiaṟai. At Āṉaimalai, Narasiṁha is worshipped as the main deity. At Tirumeyyam and Malayaṭippaṭṭi, Viṣṇu is seen in the reclining posture of Anantasayana Mūrthy. A few other temples also have Viṣṇu in one of the garbha-gṛhas. At Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam and Trichy lower cave temple, the sanctum of Viṣṇu is seen opposite the sanctum of Śiva. At Kunnakkudi, Viṣṇu is seen as the Garudanthika Muruthy with Garudan on the side. Viṣṇu, in the standing posture, is found at the Sevalpaṭṭi temple and Tirumalpuram. All these Viṣṇu vigrahas have four arms, with the upper arms holding Shanka and Chakra. 9. Devi Śakthi worship has been part of the Ṣanmatha Sampradāya for a long time, and hence, Devi figures prominently in the cave temples in several forms. Umā-sahita-mūrti, in which Śiva is seen along with the consort, is one of the common forms of Devi seen in many temples. Piranmalai and Kundrandarkovil are two temples where the Umasahitamurti is seen. Devi in the form of Durga is also seen in several temples. Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam is one temple where Durga is seen in the center shrine at the rear wall. The devi is in the form of Viṣṇu Durga in this temple, holding Shanka and Chakra. Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam also features Jyeshta Devi at a shrine below the main sanctum. However, the devi is not worshipped now. Saptamātṛkas, the seven goddesses, are also seen in many Pāṇḍyā temples. Seated in a row along with Gaṇapathi and Virabhdra, the goddesses Brāhmi, Māheśvari, Indrāṇi, Kaumāri, Vaiṣṇavi, Vārahi, and Chāmuṇda are seen in Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, Tirukkōlakkuṭi, Malayaṭippaṭṭi, and Varichiyūr cave temples. In addition to the above deities, Varahamurti, Virabhadra, Lingodbhava, and Narasimha are featured in a few of the rock-cut temples. 10. Inscriptions The linguistic aspects of the region can also be understood by the way the inscriptions are made in these temples. One of the first Vaṭṭeḻuttu scripts, which mentions the maker of the Pillayārpaṭṭi Karpaga Vināyagar vigraha, is found in the Pillayārpaṭṭi temple. This is perhaps one of the earliest inscriptions with a ".", 'Puḷḷi' inscribed in Tamil Script. Puḷḷi denotes the Mei Eḻuthu in Tamil, and the earlier period inscriptions in Tamil didn't have a 'dot'; though phonetically, it was understood that the mei eḻuthu came there. This was researched and written by scholar Iravadam Mahadevan. Similarly, the inscription in the Malayaṭikuṟicci rock-cut temple (6th century CE) is written in archaic Tamil script. While most of the Pāṇḍyā early temples have inscriptions written in Vaṭṭeḻuttu script, this is quite unique, which also helps in understanding how the Tamil script has evolved over time. Other inscriptions worth mentioning are the Grantha inscription at Āṉaimalai, the inscriptions at Mahibālaṉpaṭṭi, and the musical inscription at Kuṭumiyāṉmalai. 11. Temple Details As it would be difficult to discuss the details of all the Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples, some of the key temples and their features are mentioned below. 12. Mahibālaṉpaṭṭi
Inscription
The temple is situated near Tiruppattūr. The temple has a beautiful Gaṇapathi. It was carved from a small rock on the side of a road. The Gaṇapathi is a Valampuri Viṉāyagar, which can be seen in most of the Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples. He has four hands. The hands on the back carry Pāśam and Aṅguśam. The front right hand has Modaka, and the left hand rests on the thigh. There are many similarities between this and the Piḷḷayārpaṭṭi Viṉāyagar.
There is a Śiva temple adjacent to this and it has a Śivaliṅga in the sanctum. The fact that Mahibālaṉpaṭṭi was known as Pūṅkuṉṟam during the Saṅgam age is inferred from the inscription of Jatavarman Sundarapandiyan in the face of the sanctum, which says 'Pūnkuṉṟa Nāṭu Pūnkuṉṟam' as the name of the place. 13. Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam
Gopuram
Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam temple is one of Lord Muruga’s six abodes and a very ancient one in Tamil Nadi. While there are references to the temple in Saṅgam literature, the current temple complex was built as a rock-cut temple during the reign of Pāṇḍyā Parāntaka Neduñcaṭaiyaṉ. The sanctum of the temple is unique, with five shrines. The east-facing shrine on the right is of Śiva. There is a Śivaliṅgam in the front. On the back of which, a beautiful Somāskanda Mūrthy is carved on the rock. There is a Sanskrit inscription in Grantha lipi in this shrine.
Inscription
It records that Gaṇapathi, who is the Samantha Bhima, consecrated the glorious abode of the shrine of Sambhu. He was the commander of King Neṭuñcaṭaiyaṉ. Śiva is called Satyagirīśvarar here.
The next one facing north is Gaṇapathi. Like other Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples, it is a Valampuri Viṉāyagar here, but he is holding a sugarcane in his hand. The Gaṇapathi is known as Karpaga Viṉāyagar. Adjacent to Viṉāyagar shrine, in the center facing north, is the shrine of Viṣṇu Durga. There is a Tamil inscription in Vaṭṭeḻuthu here by the same Sattan Gaṇapathi in a pillar. It records the construction of Tirukovil and Śrithaṭākam by him and Durga Devi shrine by his wife, Nakkaṉ Kortri.
Inscription
Next is the shrine of Lord Muruga. Another unique Mūrthy is the sitting posture carved in the rock. His consort, Deivayāṉai, and a Rishi were seen next to him. Sūrya and Chandra are on top, and Śiva Gaṇas is on the bottom, along with the elephant and ram, which are seen beneath. The shrine of Lord Viṣṇu is on the left, facing south. Here, Perumāḷ is in a sitting posture with Mahālakṣmi on the side. He is called as Pavaḷakaṉivai Perumāḷ. Brilliant Bas reliefs of Naṭarāja and Var āha, respectively, are seen on the sides of Śiva and Viṣṇu shrines, and they bear the stamp of Pāṇḍyā Architecture. 14. Malayakovil
Inscription
There are two rock cut temples in the village Malayakovil near Pudukoṭṭai. Both are Śiva temples. In one temple, an Ardhamaṇḍapa is seen and the sanctum is located on the lateral side. Opposite to sanctum, a Gaṇapathi vigraha is carved out in the wall. The second temple has only the sanctum excavated out of the hillock. In that temple, the name Parivādhini, which was a musical instrument mentioned in Bharata Muni’s Nāṭya Śāstra and Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsa, is inscribed in the wall. Parivādhini was a big string instrument with 7 or 8 strings and was popular during ancient times. It is interesting to note that the name of the instrument is mentioned in Malayakovil, Tirumeyyam and Kuṭumiyāṉmalai rock-cut temples which are close to each other.
15. Lādaṉ Kovil
Lādaṉ Kovil
Lādaṉ Kovil is a Murugaṉ temple at the base of Yāṉai Malai in Madurai. A 6-7th-century rock-cut temple made by Pāṇḍyās, it is one of the very ancient temples around Madurai. Apart from the sanctum, it has an ardhamaṇḍapa. Four pillars are carved out in front. All four pillars have Lotus symbols in the square portion. On the sides of the sanctum, the Peacock, which is the Vahana of Murugaṉ, and the Rooster, the flag of Murugaṉ, can be seen. The sanctum is somewhat similar to the Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, and Murugaṉ is seen with Deivayāṉai, his consort. The God and goddess are in a sitting posture that is quite unique and not seen in many temples. A Vaṭṭeḻuthu inscription on the side of the rock is almost invisible now. “Pullāri Vaṭṭakuṟichi Nambirāṉ Paṭṭa Sōmayāji Parivirajagar Puthukku” is written here, showing that one Vaṭṭakurichi Nambirāṉ, who did Soma Yāga, sculpted the temple. A Sculpture of Lakulīsa is seen in front of the temple, establishing the connection of Pāsupathas with medieval Pāṇḍyās. One could see a similar structure in Ariṭṭapaṭṭi, another Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temple. Efforts are also needed to prevent the inscription and other parts of the temple from decaying. This will go a long way toward preserving a unique temple in Pāṇḍyā country.
16. Ariṭṭāpaṭṭi
Ariṭṭāpaṭṭ
Ariṭṭapaṭṭi is a small village off the Madurai-Melūr NH. After passing through the village, one will come across a small lake. Overlooking this lake is a hillock in which one of the earliest rock-cut temples of Pāṇḍyās (6-7th century) is located. The rock-cut temple is unique in several aspects. It has three sanctums. Gaṇapathi, Śiva and Lakulīsa. The temple has no inscription except a few letters inscribed in ancient Vaṭṭeḻuthu. The Ganesha is in typical Pandiya style: a four-armed Valampuri Vinayaka with a Modaka on the right hand. The Mūrthy here closely resembles the Piḷḷayārpaṭṭi Vinayaka. The presence of a sanctum for Lakulīsa is unique to this temple. The gigantic vigraha with Karanda Makuta and club clearly establishes that the Pasupatha sect was prevalent in Pāṇḍyā country during those days and that some of the Pāṇḍyā kings were followers of the Pasupatha sect. Two Dwarapalakas adjoin the main sanctum. Both are brilliantly carved with rich ornaments on the head and neck, again a remarkable feature in an ancient Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temple. This is, in fact, a 'living' temple with pūjas happening daily and well maintained by a Pūjari from the village.
17. Āṉaimalai Āṉaimalai Yoga Narasimha Swami temple is situated on the western side of the hill, named after its shape, which resembles an elephant. The sanctum has Yoga Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Viṣṇu, seated in the Yogic posture. Inscribed at the left side of the sanctum in Grantha script, it details the consecration of the rock-cut temple of Yoga Narasimha by Madhurakavi, the illustrious minister of Pāṇḍyā King Parāntaka (Neṭuñcaṭaiyaṉ). He set up the image of God (Viṣṇu) in the temple during the Kali year 3871 (770 CE). He also donated an Agrahara to Brahmins, says the inscription. It is said that the Madhurakavi mentioned in this inscription was, in fact, the Madhurakavi Azhwar who built the shrine for Sri Narasimha in Āṉaimalai. There is another Tamil Vaṭṭeḻuthu inscription on the right side of the sanctum. 18. Cittaṉṉaṉvācal
Cittaṉṉaṉvācal
Cittaṉṉaṉvācal is a Jain rock-cut temple located near Pudukkottai. Popularly known as Aṟivar Kovil, this sanctum has the reliefs of Tīrtankaras. A few surviving parts of the paintings are seen on the ceiling and also on the walls and pillars. The earliest picture of a medieval Pāṇḍyā king is depicted in the temple. Pāṇḍyā Śrimāra Śri Vallabha (815 CE) came to the temple, which was renovated by his Asiriyaṉ Iḷan Gautamaṉ. He gave grants to the temple, which can be found in the inscriptions here. The Tamil inscription here calls him Avaṉipasekhara. In the painting, he is seen with a long crown and ornaments and Yagñopavītam in his chest. The Queen stands behind him. It looks like the royal couple came to the temple to pay homage.
19. Malaiyadippaṭṭi Malaiyadippati, near Kīranūr—Pudukkōṭṭai, has a wonderful cave temple popularly known as Olipathi Viṣṇu Graham (Kaṇ Nirantha Perumāḷ). This Pāṇḍyā cave temple dates to the 7th—8th Century CE and was carved out of a small hillock in the village. In the Mukha Maṇḍapa, on the eastern side, Mahāviṣṇu is seen in a standing posture. The Viṣṇu has four hands, with the top ones having Śaṅka and Cakra. The lower right hand is in Abhaya Hasta, and the left hand rests on the waist. Śridevi and Bhūdevi are on either side. Before entering the sanctum, on the right hand, there is a unique sculpture of Narasimha in the sitting posture known as Maharaja leelasana. He has four hands, with the top ones having Shanka-chakra. The lower right hand rests on the bent right knee, and the left hand rests on the left thigh. In the Sanctum, Perumāḷ is in Ananthasayana Kolam on Adiseśa. The 15-foot Mūrthi's right hand is stretched in a protective pose, and the left hand raises in Kaṭaka Mudra. The Seṣa has five hoods. Brahma rises from the naval, and the other devas are seen in the wall. The temple's sculptures have many similarities with Gupta architecture, which shows that Pāṇḍyā cave temples are modelled based on the Gupta temples. There is an inscription in the temple by Sundara Pāṇḍyā of later Pāṇḍyās, who calls the pond near the temple Araṅgaṉ Suṇai. This temple is believed to have the power to cure eye-related ailments. There is also a Pallava period cave temple of Śiva nearby. 20. Kuṭumiyāṉmalai
Inscription
Kuṭumiyāṉmalai is a town near Pudukoṭṭai. On a hill in this town stands the temple of Lord Śiva, known as Kuṭumitēvar. The sculptures in this temple are renowned. Inscriptions about the donations made by kings from various dynasties during different periods are found both in the Kuṭumitēvar temple and elsewhere. Adjacent to the main temple known as Melaikovil, on the face of the rock, a grand inscription is found next to a Gaṇapathi bas relief. This musical inscription is one of the surviving sources of the ancient Indian musical system. It must be noted that similar inscriptions were also found in nearby rock-cut temples at Thirumeyyam and Malaiyakovil. The inscription begins with the prayer ‘siddham namah śivaya’ - salutations to Lord Śiva. In the body of the inscription, there are seven sections that consist of musical notes. These sections are titled as: मध्यग्रामे चतुष्प्रहारा स्वरगमः। षड्जग्रामे चतुष्प्रहारा स्वरगमः। षड्बे चतुष्प्रहारा स्वरगमः। साधरिते चतुष्प्रहारा स्वरगमः। पञ्चमे चतुष्प्रहारा स्वरगमः। कैसिकमध्यमे चतुष्प्रहारा स्वरगमः। कैसिके चतुष्प्रहारा स्वरगमः। madhyagrāme catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ ṣaḍjagrāme catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ ṣaḍbe catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ sādharite catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ pañcame catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ kaisikamadhyame catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ kaisike catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ Each of them belongs to grāma rāgas, which was prevalent during that time. The words catuṣprahārā svaragamaḥ denote 'texts of notes in four strikings', which is striking of a percussion or string instrument. If we look at the evolution of our musical system, the Nāṭya Śāstra of Bharata Muni predominantly refers to ‘Jāti’s and does not mention the grāmas. Dattilum, which is said to have been composed after Nāṭya Śāstra during the 1st to 4th century CE, mentions both madhyagrāme and ṣaḍjagrāme rāgas. In the Brahaddesi of Mataṅga, which belongs to the 6th- 8th century CE, all these seven rāgas are mentioned as a group of suddha (pure) rāgas. Naradhiya Sikṣa of the first millennium, Bharatabhaṣya of Nanyadeva (1100 CE) and Saṅgita Ratnākara of Sarngadeva (1200 CE) mention all the seven as basic ragas. Based on these, it can be concluded that these were ragas practiced during the earlier times. (from 6th century onwards) and later merged into the extended raga system. The inscription stands as testimony to Tamiḻagam's musical tradition and its link with the rest of the country. 21. Conclusion There have been many arguments about the religions followed by Tamil kings, with many attribute them to a single sampradāya like Śaivism or Vaiṣṇavism. However, even a cursory look at the temples built by Pāṇḍyās during the medieval era establishes that they followed the Sanātana Dharma like many of us. While they had their favorite God or Goddess, that didn’t stop them from building and patronizing temples of other deities / sampradayas. Many of the Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples were built based on the Ṣanmatha aspect of Sanātana Dharma. All six or five of the main deities of Ṣanmatha, viz. Śiva, Viṣṇu, Śakthi, Gaṇapathi, Skanda, and Surya are seen in many temples. Examples of such temples are the Lower Rock-cut Cave temple of Trichy, Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, Thiruvellarai, Pechiparai, etc. While there was political rivalry between these Kingdoms, like the Pāṇḍyās and Pallavas, there was also a competition for Art. However, this didn’t prevent them from having cultural exchanges across the county. For example, one can see the influence of Chalukya art in Pāṇḍyā rock-cut temples, and some of the Chāḷukya temples have Pallava influence. One of the important aspects of the rock-cut temples in this region is that they served as the places where music was taught. An example is the Kuṭumiyāṉmalai rock-cut temple, which houses the famous musical inscription. All these establish that Tamiḻagam is closely connected to the rest of Bharath on the cultural front, and there were exchanges of all the art forms, including the music system. The Tamil part of the inscription mentions that the notes are documented here for teaching the students of music. Thus, the rock-cut temples have taught us the music mentioned in our ancient texts. The instrument used to play these notes is 'the Parivadhini', also mentioned near the inscription. The richness of such a detailed musical tradition is also documented in texts like Cilappatikāram. Many of these temples also have panels from our Itihāsas and Purāṇas depicted in Sculptures. Hiraṇya killed by Narasimha, Varāha lifting Bhūdevi, Vāmana Avatāra, Kṛṣṇa slaying Bhūtana and Bakāsura, and Durga killing the demon Mahiṣāsura were some of the examples of Purāṇik scenes seen in the rock-cut temples. These scenes show many of the finer details of the Purāṇas, which were well known in this region. Despite being an innovation in excavating temples from rock, it must be noted that all these temples were built in accordance with the Āgamic principles. For example, the Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam rock-cut temple was built based on 'Suksmāgama', which has the details of how the various shrines are to be constructed. Not only the main shrines but also the other deities like Matanga Muni, Gaṇas, etc. are also placed in line with that Āgamic text. Most importantly, many of these temples are still ‘live temples’ where the rituals and pūjas performed on a daily basis and worshipped by lakhs of devotees. 22. From the Author It is a privilege to be part of the 25th annual year celebrations of Tamil Arts Academy founded by Dr. Nagaswamy avargal. Dr. Nagaswamy is a legend in the fields of history, archaeology, temple architecture, Tamil and Sanskrit literature and epigraphy. He was a fine example of how a true historian should be. There are not many in the field who have such an all round knowledge. His expertise in such multiple areas helped in deciphering and understanding the history in a proper manner without any bias. His passion for history even in old age is worth remembering and his enthusiasm to teach those whom he had not even met is something to be proud of. Tamil Arts Academy stands as a legacy to his great work. I am happy that the legacy is carried forward by Smt. Uma Nagaswamy who is propagating his works to everyone with the same enthusiasm. Once again, thanks for the opportunity. 23. About the Author T. S. Krishnan (Krishnan Subramanian) is a historian and a literary enthusiast. He has done research in the fields of Tamil inscriptions and literature and has written many articles and books on these subjects. He had compiled some select inscriptions and copper plates of Chera, Chola, Pandya and Pallava kings in his book ‘Chera, Chola, Pandya Kalvettukalum Cheppdukalum’. He had written books on Vijayanagar and Tamil history covering Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas and Madurai Nayakars. One of his other books include taking the history through the wars titled ‘Tamilnattu Porkalangal’ which details about the wars happened in Tamil Nadu. 24. Endnotes and References 1. https://thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/onepage.php?thiru=6&Song_idField=60950 திருக்கோயி லில்லாத திருவி லூரும் திருவெண்ணீ றணியாத திருவி லூரும் பருக்கோடிப் பத்திமையாற் பாடா வூரும் பாங்கினோடு பலதளிக ளில்லா வூரும் விருப்போடு வெண்சங்கம் ஊதா வூரும் விதானமும் வெண்கொடியு மில்லா வூரும் அருப்போடு மலர்பறித்திட்டுண்ணா வூரும் அவை யெல்லாம் ஊரல்ல அடவி காடே. (6.095) tirukkōyi lillāta tiruvi lūrum tiruveṇṇī ṟaṇiyāta tiruvi lūrum parukkōṭip pattimaiyāṟ pāṭa vūrum pāṅkiṉōṭu palataḷika ḷillā vūrum viruppōṭu veṇcaṅkam ūtā vūrum vitāṉamum veṇkoṭiyu millā vūrum aruppōṭu malarpaṟittiṭṭuṇṇā vūrum avai yellām ūralla aṭavi kāṭē. (6.095) A town without a temple is not a town. A town without the sacred ash is not a town. A town where the devotees do not sing is not a town. A town without proper rituals is not a town. A town where the white conch is not blown is not a town. A town without a canopy and white flag is not a town. A town where flowers are not plucked and offered is not a town. All these are not towns but forests.
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