Kali Temples at Chengamedu, Veerareddy Street, and Gangaikonda Chozhapuram, Ariyalur District, Tamil Nadu.

22^nd July 2017.

Even-though had visited twice to this Gangai Konda Chozhapuram temple, this visit is a special one. In connection with the Avanam 28^th year book release decided to attend the function and to see some of the temples around Gangaikonda Chozhapuram. Initially planned to start from Chennai on Saturday morning along with Raja. Due to dropout of Mr Raja, travelled alone and Mrs Sakthi Prakash and Mr Srinivasan joined at Gangaikonda Chozhapuram from Erode and Omalur.

After attending function, hired a Taxi and visited Kali statues installed at Chengamedu on east direction and Veera Reddy Street on the south direction of Gangaikonda Chozhapuram.

“தஞ்சாபுரீம் சௌத சுதாங்காராகாம

ஐக்ராஹ ரந்தும் ரவி வம்ச தீப:

தத:பிரதிஷ்டாப்ய நிசும்ப சூதனீம்

சுராசுரை:அர்ச்சித பாத பங்கஜாம்

சது : சமுத்ராம்பர மேகலாம் புவம்

ரஹாஜ தேவோ தத்பராசதந”

Meaning: As pee Thiruvalandau Copper plate, The idol of Nisumba soodhani, who conquered and annihilated the demons Shumba and Nishumba, was consecrated in Thanjavur. With the grace of the worshipful feet of Nisumba soodhani, the king ruled the earth surrounded by ocean with the ease, as if wearing like a garland.  

KALI  TEMPLE AT CHENGAMEDU

The Kali and Durga, Bairavar and Bhairavai sculptures are brought from Kalinga ( the northern part of present Odisha State, India was called as Kalinga in ancient times ) as a mark of Victory by Rajendra Chozha –I. The sculptures are made out of red sand stone. Looks beautiful, but in my opinion these sculptures are not in par with Gajalakshmi, Gnana Saraswati, Chandeswara anugraham, etc, installed at Gangaikonda Chozhapuram Shiva temple. The Kali kept in a separate sannadhi is about 8 feet tall.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

KALI TEMPLE AT VEERAREDDY STREET.

This Kali is also one of the eight kali sculptures brought from Kalinga made of Red stone. This in smaller in size compared with Chengamedu, Regular one kala pooja is conducted and gate will be locked rest of the time.

LOCATION:

GANGAIKONDA CHOZHAPURAM.

It was an unforgettable visit this temple, since Mr Sasidharan took us around the temple and explained in detail about original structures & the latter period additions and beauty of the various forms of Shiva sculptures installed in the koshtam. Finally Mr Sasidharan took us in batches  to 1^st floor and second floor santharam of Vimana. In the second floor the inside view of the vimana was awesome and unbelievable. He also explained us how the vimana starts at square and ends with octagonal. The echoing of OM mantra  chanting was experimented at the centre of second floor, above moolavar.

Had the opportunity of seeing the stucco images on the eastern side of the Vimana very closer, which cannot be seen from the ground level. Really we are blessed by Lord Shiva for the rare opportunity. Thanks to Sasidharan.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Prehistoric Rock Arts and Anthropomorphic Figure at Kilvalai, Settavarai, Alambadi and Udayanatham, in Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu.

...a Continuation post to  Panamalai Talagirisvara temple .

23^rd July 2017.

The stretch between Villupuram to Thirukovilur on the banks of river Thenpennai has the  small small hills in which boulders are scattered in zig-zag fashion. This formed a  natural shelters for prehistoric people. We know that the human’s civilization started on the banks of rivers only, Prehistoric burial sites, cairn circles, the stone tools,  The remains of Iron slags,  are found between this stretch.
   

ஆதி கற்கால மனிதர்கள் தென் பென்னை ஆற்றின் கடரைகளில் இயற்கையாக அமைந்த பாறை இடுக்குகளில் வாழ்ந்து வந்தனர். வடகரையில் கீழ்வாலை, ஆலம்பாடி, செத்தவரை உடயார்நத்தம் ஆகிய பகுதிகளில் அவர்கள் வாழ்ந்தற்கான ஆதாரங்கள் தான் அக்குகைகளில் அவர்கள் கண்டவற்றை, வாழ்வியல் முறைகளை ஓவியங்களாக பதிவு செய்து இருந்தது தான் நாம் தற்போது காண்பது. அதில் குதிரை, மாடுகள், மான்கள், புலி, மீன் போன்ற மிருகங்களும் அவர்களின் சடங்குகள், அவர்கள் நெருப்பில் வாட்டி மாமிச உணவுகளை சாப்பிட்டு உயிர் வாழ்ந்தனர் என்பது அவர்கள் வரைந்த ஓவியங்கள் மூலம் அறியலாம். அவர்கள் தலைக்கு அணிந்து இருந்த கொம்புகள், அவர்கள் கை நகல்கள், படகு போன்ற சாதனங்களும் ஓவியத்தில் காணக் கிடைக்கின்றது. கை நகல்கள் அவர்கள் கூட்டமாக வாழ்ந்தனர் என்பதையும் காட்டுகின்றது.. இன்னும் ஒரு படி மேலாக மிருகங்களின் உடற்கூறுகளை, குடல் இரைபை, விலா எலும்பு போன்றவற்றை நாம் தற்போது காணும் எக்ஸ் ரே கருவி கொண்டு காண்பது போல இருக்கின்றது.

மேலும் உடையார்நத்தம் பகுதியை மையமாக வைத்து வாழ்ந்தனர் என்பதற்கான சான்று உடையார் நத்தத்தில் நமக்கு கிடைக்கும் தாய் தெய்வ வழிபாட்டின் சின்னமும், கல் பதுகைகளும் ஆகும். இங்கு கற்கால மனிதர்கள் உபயோகித்த ஆயுதங்கள் கிடைத்ததாக அறிஞர்கள் கூறுகின்றனர். பிற்காலத்தில் மக்கள் ரோமர்களுடன் வாணிபம் செய்தனர் என்பதற்கான சான்று தென் பென்னை ஆற்றங்கரைகளில் கிடைத்த நாணயங்கள். இரும்பு காலத்தின் கழிவுகளும் இங்கு சிதறிக்கிடக்கின்றது.

KILVALAI – ROCK ARTS.

This arts are drawn on two rock shelters called Rettaparai in Kilvalai about 10 to 17 feet high. The colour of the paintings are in saffron red  in colour. These arts are about the men, women mainly with open hands for some ritualistic significance especially the horned headgear of the men and their faces resembles birds beak, which bear very close similarity to some of the Egyptian painting of the second millennium BCE. There are bow and arrow. The occurrence and  depiction of men rowing a boat  indicates a link between the Indus valley and the southern region.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

The experts says that the symbols are related to Sindhu region civilization

SETTAVARAI  - ROCK ARTS.

These arts are drawn on rocks about 100 meters high hill  in the village Settavarai. ( Settavarai means varai – hill, setha – dead so it is a dead hill ) The trekking was bit difficult with uneven boulders provided as path and in two places ladders are also provided. Safety grill was provided for the safety of the visitors from falling. Local children guided us from the base.  

The drawing are in both ochre red and white colour. The arts are about the animals, human beings and fish too....The Buffalo is drawn in red ochre and a deer out line in red ochre and inner is completed with white color. Palm impressions are also there, in one impression the pointing finger was not there. It was told that many number of palms means many number of peoples in that group. In the animal paintings the internal organs are drawn, looks like X ray image.  There is a fig of flesh and fish are fried on fire. So come to a conclusion that during that period the people are aware of eating the fried flesh and fish. 

From the style  and execution of this painting we can estimate the age of the painting  must belongs to 1500 BCE.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

 The parts of the body looks like X-ray image 

Fish

 Palm prints

ALAMBADI – ROCK ARTS

This is painted between the two rocks.  Pictures of Cow, calf, deer and bear are painted in white ochre on the rock. The inner organs of the cow has been depicted as if they have been X Rayed. The paintings are incomplete.

Ref: http://www.tnarch.gov.in/cons/paint.htm

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

UDAYANATHAM – Anthropomorphic Figures worshiped as Thai Deivam 

This site is about 500 to 600 meters off from a quarry under TAMIN.  This is a Single stone slab cut to look like woman without head. The  stone belongs to stone age and erected on burial site. The place is called by the locals as visiriparai and on the way to Aathiliamman temple. This stone is also called as Thai Deivam ( Mother god )

For the  discussion on the Facebook click here

As per Historians these are the Anthropomorphic figures installed along with Cairn Circles. A monument created for the deceased. 

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

THE TEAM

இது பற்றி தமிழில் அறிய திருமதி சக்திபிரகாஷ் அவர்களின் முகநூலின் தொடர்பைச் சொடுக்கவும்… CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---