What you see here below is the moola vimanam of the Chandrasekaraswamy temple at Tiruchendurai , quite some decades ago. You also have a glimpse of the sthalavriksha Palamaram on the left corner.. You can see the images of some of the Hindu deities in the gopuram..
(Moolavar Temple at the Tiruchendurai Chandrasekaraswami Temple – courtesy Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture – South India, Lower Dravidadesa 200 B.C. – A.D. 1324 – contribution by K.V.Soundararajan, edited by Michael W. Meister – publication of the American Institute of Indian Studies)
According to Douglas Barrett,The vimanam is of two talas (bases) with a square griva and sikara, all of stone but obscured by stucco. The north and west Devakoshtas (abode of devas) are empty, but the south contains a good vrsvahana in only fair condition. The tympana are of the most elaborate form, but covered with paint. There are excellent images in the second tala, Dakshinamurthi in the south, Vishnu in the West, and Brahma in the north, and beautiful small figures of adorers.
Just as there are many parts that go into the making of a human body, the temples are also made of various parts, reflecting the skills of the ancient sthapathis (temple builders).. The Padhabandham (basement/foundation), the Prathibandham/Padmabandham (structures, pillars, pilasters, walls etc. – the torso), the gireevam (neck) – the vimanam. The Padabandham consists of Jagathi, Kumudham, Kandam, and Pattikai. Stone inscriptions are usually found in Jagathi, and the Kumudam contains flower patterns. @
If it is a square pillar, it is called Brahmakantham, an octagon pillar is called Vishnukantham, and one with sixteen sides is called Indirakantham.. Similarly circular pillars are called Rudrakantham @. -- (@ excerpts from article on Temple Architecture by Dr.S.Kamalakannan, in the Varalaaru magazine).
Dr. S.R.Balasubramanyam, in his book “Early Chola Art” has the following to say:
The Tiruchenduraii Chandrasekaraswami Temple is built of stone, known as ‘karrali’. The garbagraha is a square measuring 17’6” each side in the exterior and 7’ in the interior.
The Ardhamandapa runs 17’6” in front and is supported in the interior by four pillars in the centre, and two pilasters, on each side. The corbel and the capital of the pillars are of fine workmanship.
You would have noticed from the picture of the ardhamandapa, in the previous post, how the interior and the pillars looked. There are two square pillars, and two circular pillars in the ardhamandapa, and the square pillar has also other patterns and designs displayed in it. You would also have seen some dark patches in the pillars, and these are actually sculptures, somewhat worn out, and hidden by the white lime coating – someone has tried to bring out the images, and they are visible to some extent. Next time you visit the ardhamandapa, look for these sculptures.
The adhishtana (moulded basement) has padmam and kumudam mouldings, with a yali frieze above it. Circles adorn the edges of cornic. It has two talas (storeys). There are pancharas with a barrel roof in the centre and cubical ones with four sided curvilinear sikharas on the edges.
The griva is foursided, and the sikara is square and curvilinear. The niches on the walls of the garbagriha contain Rishabavahanar in the south replaced in its front by a modern Dakshinamurthi, Vishnu in the west and Brahma in the North.
The deity of the Siva temple is called in early inscriptions “Tiruchchendurai Karrali Parameswarar’ or Perumanadigal, situated in the brahmadeya of Isanamangalam in Uraiyur Kootram
SRB also makes a mention that the Viswanatha shrine situated within the Chandrasekara temple has an inscription of the 20th year of Rajakesarivarman, stating that there was, in the western part of the village, a Vishnu temple called Merrali (the western temple). Usually all Vishnu temples are located in the western part of the village and are called Tirumerrali. This was known as Pulalaya Vinnagar but this temple cannot be traced now.
(to be continued)
-Sethuraman
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