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

The village of Kappalur is a heritage treasure. It has 20 temples, Nadukal, Hero stones, Komarikal, Vijayanagara period granite panel slabs erected in the 4 corners of the village, and many others. The main aim of this field visit was to learn to read the inscriptions and gain hands-on experience in taking estempage of the inscriptions. Mr Ramachandran encouraged the students to read the inscriptions. From the inscriptions, it was learned 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 faces east with Balipeedam and Rishabam mandapam. Even though we enter through the mottai Gopuram Main entrance to the sanctum sanctorum is from the east. Dwarapalakas are on the east side immediately after the main entrance on both sides 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 praharam 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 northeast corner of the outer praharam.

ARCHITECTURE

The main entrance to the sanctum sanctorum. The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, artha mandapam, and a maha mandapam. Ambal is in a separate sannadhi with a front mandapam on the right side of the moolavar sannadhi, which may have been reconstructed during the Vijayanagara Period. Their emblem is on one of the pillars.

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

HISTORY & INSCRIPTION:

The inscriptions are there around the sanctum adhistanam (base). There is a separate Rajendra Chozha two-sided inscription granite slab measuring 185 cm x 138 cm, on the northwest corner. The inscription records that the 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 bear the inscription about the donation made for burning the lamp.