VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Sendalai, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

Friday, 16 August 2019

Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Sendalai, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

27^th July 2019.

The visit to this Sendalai temple was a part of the Kumbakonam Heritage Walk organized by "Yaaooyaakay" - யாஊயாகே” and "Celebrate Kanchi" on 27^th and 28^th July 2019. In this walk, 13 temples were covered, which included 6 Paadal Petra Shiva Temples. Will be posting the details of the temples which are not covered during my previous visits/ Padal Petra Sthalangal Visit. This place, Sendalai, is on the banks of the river Kudamurutti, a tributary of the River Kaveri, near Kumbakonam.

Moolavar : Sri Sundareswarar

Consort : Sri Meenakshi

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with a 7-tier Rajagopuram. Kambathadi Vinayagar. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. The sanctum sanctorum consists of the sanctum, antarala, artha mandapam, maha mandapam, and a Mukha mandapam. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the antarala. In koshtam, only Dakshinamurthy. Ambal is in a separate temple, like a sannadhi with sanctum, antarala, and artha mandapam.

In the praharam, Saptamatrikas panel, Murugan, Gajalakshmi, Navagrahas (all the Navagrahas are not in their usual position), Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Vinayagar, Durgai, Vishnu, Hanuman, Vageesar, Dakshinamurthy, Brahma, Natarajar, Bhairavar, Shanishwar, and Shiva Lingas. Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Sri Vinayagar, and Dwarapalakas are in the Mukha mandapam.

ARCHITECTURE:

The sanctum sanctorum is on a simple patha bandha adhisthana. A two-tier vesara vimana is over the sanctum. Brahma and Vishnu are with their consorts. The Rajagopuram wall pilasters have the Jain Tirthankara reliefs. The details will be posted separately.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This temple is believed to have been built 7^th to 8^th Century during the early Pallava / Mutharaiyar Period. The pillars have the Pallava & Mutharaiyar period Grantha inscriptions. As per the inscriptions, this place was called Chandralekha Chaturvedi Mangalam, later corrupted to the present name of Sendalai.

This place was in the Mutharaiyar Nadu before the Chozhas and was ruled by Perumbidugu Mutharaiyan-II (705 – 745 CE). Experts are of the opinion that Sendalai may be the Capital of the Mutharaiyar.

A pillar inscription speaks about the construction of a temple in this Village for Pidari, by Mutharaiyar King Suvaran Maran. The Pillar inscriptions are in the form of Songs, mentioning the titles of Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar as Sri Maran, Sri Chathuru Kesari, Sri Kalvarkalvan, Sri Adhisahasan, etc.

The songs are composed by the poets. 1. கோட்டாற்று இளம்பெருமானார், 2. பாச்சிள்வேள் நம்பன், 3. கிழார் கூற்றத்து பவதாயமங்கலத்து அமருண்ணிலை ஆயின குவாவங்காஞ்சன் மேலும் 4. ஆசாரியார் அநிருத்தர். One song mentions the hills are like stalked dead bodies of their enemies, and received the gifts as Elephants that move on the paddy hill. Another poem indirectly mentions that Chozha King Vijayalaya was defeated by Sruvaran Maran.

The Pillar inscriptions mainly speak about the glory of Mutharaiyar Kings, Pandya King Maransadaiyan's (775 CE) order, Nandhipothraiyan’s order, and Rajakesari’s 18th-year rule (889 CE) orders. Since Maran Nedusadaiyan’s name was mentioned, experts are of the opinion that the temple might have been constructed before him. The Rajendra-I period inscription is also there.

The pillar inscriptions also mention the donation of gold, lands, etc, towards the Burning of Lamps and Naivedyam by Nandivarman-III, Videlvidugu Mutharaiyar, Aditya Chozha-I, Narikudi Narayana Maran (Pandya King Maran Sadaiyan’s period), Kaasavan of Ambar Nattu Thirukadavur during Parantaka Chozha Period.

This place was under Arcot Kootram till Pandyan Thalaikonda Koparakesari Aditya Chozha. After Rajaraja-I, this place came under Pandya Kulanasinivalanadu. Kulothunga-I gave a donation to this temple for butter kappu to Lord Shiva and Naivedyam. Hoysala King Viramathevar also donated to this temple.

Kumbhabhishekam was conducted during 1994 CE (partial) and 2000 CE.