VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Sthambeswarar Temple / Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram Temple - a Rock Cut cave Temple at Seeyamangalam, near Vandavasi, Thiruvannamalai / Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

Thursday, 30 November 2017

Sri Sthambeswarar Temple / Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram Temple - a Rock Cut cave Temple at Seeyamangalam, near Vandavasi, Thiruvannamalai / Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

26^th 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 26^th 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 5^th 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 22^nd 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 24^th 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 16^th 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, 3^rd 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, 9^th 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 3^rd 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 4^th reign year inscription and Kannaradevan’s 22^nd year inscriptions record some endowments and are in damaged condition.

Rajaraja Chozha-I’s 19^th 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

head crown with horns - may be soolam but the Gurukkal claims it as Yama.

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.