VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Kamesuwarar Temple / Thirukkameshwarar Temple / Thirukkamiswarar Temple, Kappalur, Near Polur, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

Tuesday 29 November 2016

Sri Kamesuwarar Temple / Thirukkameshwarar Temple / Thirukkamiswarar Temple, Kappalur, Near Polur, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

27^th November 2016.

This Kappalur Heritage visit was arranged by R.E.A.C.H Foundation for it’s 7^th batch Epigraphy students. Since I am also an alumni of the Epigraphy class, Mr Ramanath included me for this Visit. As planned we, 38 heritage enthusiasts started from Chennai through 2 vans and a car around 05.45 hrs. Total journey was around 4.30 hours, on 27^th November 2016. We reached Kappalur from Chennai via Uthiramerur, Vandavasi, Polur . On the way we had our breakfast under a road side tamarind tree. Mr Ramanath had taken much pain to carry from Tindivanam. It was a pleasant journey with lot of information pouring in from Mr Ramachandran, Mr Vakula Varadharajan and Mr Madhusudhanan of our group also added flavor to it. Learned a lot throughout the journey and from the field visit.

The Village Kappalur is a heritage treasure. It has 20 temples, Nadukal, Hero stones, Komarikal, Vijayanagara period granite panel slabs erected in 4 corners of the village and many. The main aim of this field visit was to learn to read the inscriptions and hand on experience of taking estempage of the inscriptions. Mr Ramachandran encouraged the students to read the inscriptions. From the inscriptions it was learnt that the original name of the Village was “Kamapullur” and has the contributions of Pallava, Chozha, Early period Chozhas, Rashtrakutas, Latter period Pandyas, Sambuvarayar and Vijayanagar rulers. We started our field visit from Sri Kamesuwarar Temple.

SRI KAMESUWARAR TEMPLE

Moolavar : Sri Kamesuwarar

Consort : Sri Kadina Kujambal.

Some of the important features are..

The temple is facing east with balipeedam and Rishabam mandapam. Even though the we enter through mottai Gopuram Main entrance to the sanctum sanctorum is from east. Dwarapalakas are at the east side immediately after the main entrance on the both side of a granite jolly work. Moolavar is on a round avudayar. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy ( installed separately not installed in the niche), Vishnu in place of Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. In the maha mandapam, Urchavars, Suryan and Vinayagar.

In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Naalvars, Two Vinayagars, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Shiva Lingam & Ambal, Annapoorani, Natarajar Saba ( with a separate vimanam ), Chandikeswarar, Bairavar and Navagrahas. The bell is in the north east corner of the outer prakaram.

ARCHITECTURE

The main entrance to the sanctum Sanctorum. The temple consists of Sanctum, artha mandapam and a maha mandapam. Ambal is in a separate sannadhi with front mandapam on the right side of moolavar sannadhi, may be reconstructed during Vijayanara Period. Their emblem is on one of the Pillar.

The emblem of Vijaya Nagaras ( at the entrance of Ambal sannadhi )

HISTORY & INSCRIPTION:

The inscriptions are there around sanctum adhistanam ( base). There is a separate Rajendra Chozha two side inscription granite slab measuring 185 cm x 138 cm, on the north west corner. The inscription records that Chief of army Rajaraja Bhiramarayan’s son donation of ninety goats for burning a perpetual lamp, land donated to nandhavanam ( Garden ), and land donated for pooja with naivedyam to Dakshinamurthy.

The Pillars of the mandapam bears the inscription about the donation made for burning the lamp.