10th September
2016.
This Heritage visit was
arranged through R.E.A.C.H Foundation for its Epigraphy students by Mr
Ramanath on 10th September 2016. Though it was not
a planned visit, 19 heritage enthusiasts in their cars and motorcycles participated. I was fortunate to hear the
history, architecture, and inscriptions of Chozhas and Pallavas once again from Mr. Ramachandran Sir and Mr. Vakula Varadharajan after a long gap. We had
covered Madambakkam, Sri Dhenupureeswarar, a Chozha Period Shiva Temple, A Buddha
Statue at Ottiambakkam, Nandhiwaram Sri Nandeeswarar a
Nandhivarman, a Pallava period temple and a Pallava period and reconstructed during Vijayanagara Period
Gajaprishta / Gajabirushta sanctum Sanctorum Perumal temple at Vandalur.
Sri Varadharaja Srinivasa Perumaal Temple, at Vandalur Chennai District. / AN ASPIDAL VISHNU TEMPLE
AT VANDALUR, CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU.
A continuation to the
previous post …..
The temple is immediately after the Vandalur over the bridge towards Padappai via Manimangalam. Even though the deity is Maha Vishnu, as per the inscription the temple must be a Shiva Temple.
Moolavar : Sri Varadharaja Srinivasa Perumal
Consort : Sri Mangalambigai
Some of the salient features of this temple are.....
The temple is facing east with a Deepa sthambam /vilakkuthoon and Garudan sannidhi. Moolavar Sri Varadharaja Srinivasa Perumal is on a pedestal. The Koshtas are empty without any images.
ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is of Gajaprishta style up to prastaram on a pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam on a lotus pedestal. The Brahmakantha pilasters are shown on the Bhitti with kalasam, kudam, mandi, palakai and Pothyal. The prastaram consists of Valapi, Kapotam with nasi kudus and Vyyalavari. The brick eka tala nagara vimana is over the Gajabrushta sanctum Sanctorum was built at a later date.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The inscriptions belong to the Vijayanagara period ie. the 17th century and as per Mr. Ramachandran may belong to 1520 CE. The original temple may have been constructed during the Pallava period and reconstructed during the Vijayanagara Period. During reconstruction, the athistana stones are not kept in their original position, hence the continuity of the inscription is lost. Vandalur was the ancient Vandainagar during the Chozha period which is referred in “Kalingathuparani”.
The 17th century Vijayanagara King Maha Mandaleswara.... period inscriptions, records the endowment of Pooja and burning a sandhi/day light lamp at this temple in Vendalur - வெண்டலூர். For the same 2005, Kuli land was gifted to this temple. The inscription confirms an earlier grant of land for daily worship and the burning of a day/sandhi lamp.
The inscription’s ompadaikilavi / curse is in two parts. One part mentions that obstructing this endowment will be equivalent to the sin of killing a cow on the banks of the River Ganga
and Killing their mother and father. The second part is so strong that, obstructing this endowment, will be equal to the sin of sending their wife to the person who burns the dead body ( Vettiyan
) and to the umbrella holder.
The inscription traced by Dr. Gift
Siromoney (click here )
is written wrongly on the website, as per Dr. Ramachandran Sir.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK
HERE
--- Om SHIVAYA NAMA
:---
nice blog... thanks for sharing information about this with us.
ReplyDeleteMcx gold tips