26th
November 2017.
Visit to
this cave temple was a part of the Heritage Visit to Vallam, Seeyamangalam,
Thirumalpadi, and Kanchipuram temples, caves, and Heritage structures. After visiting Thirumalpadi Sri Ranganathar Temple headed
towards this Rock-Cut-Cave Temple at Seeyamangalam. Visited this cave temple
earlier along with the R.E.A.C.H. Foundation, a part of the epigraphy field Visit. 11 heritage enthusiasts led by Mr. Venkatesh
visited this rock-cut cave temple on 26th November 2017.
It was
drizzling when we landed and stopped after we came out of the cave. When we
reached it was around 13.00 hrs and the Gurukal was kind enough to open the
temple and explain us.
Moolavar : Sri Sthambeswarar
Consort : Sri Maragathavalli
Some of the important features of this temple are…
An early
period Vinayagar facing east at the entrance of the Gate welcomes us. The temple faces west with a 4-tier Rajagopuram on the north side. There is a mandapam
abutting the rajagopuram. There are two empty shrines built before the Mukha Mandapam. Rishabam mandapam and balipeedam are in front of Mukha mandapam.
Ambal, Bairavar, Vinayagar, Chandikeswarar and
Navagrahas are in the maha mandapam. There
is also a Vamana statue in the mandapam. A Murugan Sannidhi is on a small
boulder with steps chiseled on the rock to climb.
Dwarapalakas
are at the entrance of the cave sanctum. The
left side of dwarapalakas headgear has the horn and it was said that Yama guards
Shiva in the form of Dwarapalaka. The mandapa pillars have the relief of Natarajar, Rishabandhikar, and warriors. The
details of Natarajar's relief are worth watching. The warriors' facial expressions are like before and after the war. It was not
known how the Shiva Linga was moved inside the sanctum with a small doorway.
Dwarapalakas, similar to Vallam rock-cut cave
ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of a Sanctum sanctorum, a sanctum, an artha mandapam ( both are rock-cut caves), a maha mandapam, and a mukha mandapam (which are built separately at a later stage ). Above the sanctum rock is a three-tier vimana like a Raja Gopuram.
LEGENDS
According to the legend, Shiva is in the form of a sthambam, and Gurukkal showed us a sthambam in the midst of a small lake by the side of this rock-cut cave temple. (According to the experts, this is a menhir, which will be written separately).
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
According to the inscriptions, this temple was called the "Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram" Temple. This rock-cut cave was excavated during the 7th century by Mahendravarman I (600 to 630 CE). This rock-cut cave temple is under the control of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). This place was called Jayangonda Chozha Mandalathu Palakundra
Kottathu Thennatrur Nattu Seeyamangalam and Shiva was called ThirukaRRalai
Mahadevar, Seeyamangalathu Udayar Thoonandar, Sthambeswarar, etc.
Koparakesari Barmar’s 5th reign year
inscription on the north wall of the right side of the entrance records the
endowment of burning a lamp by Sripandy Nattu Vesalipadi Vadakarai
Kizhkoornattu Pullavi Vellalan. For the same 10 ma land was gifted to the
temple.
Thiribhuvana Chakravarthikal Sri Kulothunga Chozha’s
22nd reign year inscription on the east wall (hope this is a re-inscribed), the Seeyamangalathu Udayar Thoonandar temple was constructed as
ThirukaRRali by Vadavisai Thirumaligai Kulothunga Chozha Sambuvarayar. The inscription
also records the endowment of burning two perpetual lamps and the land donated
for the same.
Thiribhuvana Chakravarthikal Sri Kulothunga Chozha’s 24th
reign year inscription on the east wall records the 22 veli land gifted to this
temple by Pillayar Kulothunga Chozha Sambavarayar.
Thiribhuvana Chakravarthikal Sri Vikrama Chozha’s 16th
reign year inscription on the east wall records the endowment of Naivedyam and
pooja by Sengeni Nalayiravan Ammaiyappan alias Rajendra Chozha Sambuvarayan.
The same land was gifted to the temple and paddy was also deposited in the
pandaram (treasury).
Thiribhuvana Chakravarthikal Sri Kulothunga Chozha-II’s,
3rd reign year inscription on the east wall, starts with his
meikeerthi, records that Palli Selavan of Sambupuram, killed(?), Palli
Venattarayan of the same village. For the same, he was asked to burn ½ lamp at
this temple, for the same 16 cows gifted to the temple.
The inscription on the north wall of the mandapa,
records, as per the verbal instruction of the king Irungola Pandinattu Merkal
Nattu Paruvur Kootrathu Nerkuppai aliasThirumuthukundrathu Sirramur Udayar
Thondar Thiyagaraja Perumal’s daughter Perumal Gangeyar was gifted Chitramezhi
Madam, Paddy and 12 panam per year for the service done at this temple’s
thiruvasal.
Thiribhuvana Chakravarthikal Sri Kulothunga Chozha-II’s,
9th reign year partially damaged inscription on the south wall of
the mandapa, starts with his meikeerthi, records the endowment of burning ½ lamp,
for the same 15 (Kasu?), was handed over to the Siva Brahmins.
Sri Koparakesari Barmar’s 3rd region year
inscription of the northeast corner of a boulder records the endowment of
naivedayam by Sri Gangarayar Gangasoolamani alias Mumudi Chozhasembiyan Sri
Gangarayar, for the same land was gifted to the temple.
The inscriptions of Veerapandyan Thalai Konda
Koparakesari’s 4th reign year inscription and Kannaradevan’s 22nd
year inscriptions record some endowments and are in damaged condition.
Rajaraja Chozha-I’s 19th reign year
inscription on the rock records the endowment of burning 2 perpetual lamps by Chozha Nattu
Thenkarai Thiruviluthur Nattu Nallur Puthukudi Vellalan Kadamban Venkadan gave
a land after sale.
One of the Rajaraja-III's 12th reign-year Tamil poem inscriptions on a boulder below the Murugan temple reads as...
"திருமன்னு சீராச ராசதே வற்குத்
திருந்தியஆண்டு ஆறிரண்டில் சீயமங் கலத்தில்
தருமன்னு பொழில்தன்மீச் சரத்துறைவார் தமக்குத்
தனியானை மலைசூழத் திருவீதி கண்டான்
மருமன்னு நந்தவனம் கோபுரமும் வாவி
மதகுமதிள் திருவெடுத்துக் கட்டிமத்தும் செய்தான்
அருள்மன்னு கொடைப்பாரி அம்மையப்பன் செம்மை
அடைந்தவா ரலையன்கிளி வைஅதிக மானே".
மூன்றாம் இராசராச சோழரின் பன்னிரண்டாம் ஆட்சியாண்டில்
கிளிவை அதிகமான் என்பவர் தன்மீச்வரம் என்ற அந்தக் கோவிலுக்குக் கொடுத்த கொடைகளை
விவரிக்கிறது இந்தப் பாடல் கல்வெட்டு. கிளிவை அதிகமான் பாரியைப் போன்றவர் என்று
புகழப்படுகிறார். அம்மையப்பன் என்ற பெயரும் அவருக்கு உண்டு.
யானை உலாவரும் திருவீதி, நந்தவனம்,
கோபுரம், மதகு, திரு
எடுத்துக்கட்டி ஆகியவைகளை உருவாக்கினார்.
Ref:
1. தமிழ்க் கல்வெட்டுப் பாடல்கள்.
2. South Indian Inscriptions Volume-7.
TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple
will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Rajasekara
Gurukkal, mobile number 9578160058, may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH:
Seeyamangalam is
about 130 km from Chennai 66 km from Kanchipuram and 25 km from Vandavasi
via Mazhaiyur and Desur.
Town bus Route No
144 from Vandavasi to Gingee and a private Bus from Desur to Gingee pass through the Village and this Jain cave is about a km from the
Village.
Autos are also
available from Desur.
LOCATION OF THE CAVE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Rishabhanthikar
It was said that this relief of Nataraja in Anandha thandavam is the first and earliest. Natarajar is not dancing on muyalakan and the cobra is on the ground with its raised hood. One Shiva gana is playing a musical instrument muzhavu sitting on a stool and the other is worshiping Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is with 4 hands, the upper hand holds fire and Mazhu and the lower right hand in abhaya hastham and othe ther in dola hastham. The waving of hair to the rhythm of dance was beautifully chiseled.
Vamana statue
The
warrior's expression before and after the war
The
warrior's expression before and after the war
Murugan temple
The
Sthambam in the middle of the lake is a part of the Hill (Some of the Experts of the opinion that this may be a menhir)
---OM
SHIVAYA NAMA---
