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 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 includes 6 Padal Petra Shiva Temples. Will be postings 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 river Kudamurutti, a tributary to River Kaveri, near Kumbakonam.

Moolavar : Sri Sundareswarar

Consort : Sri Meenakshi

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

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

In the prakaram, Saptamatrikas panel, Murugan, Gajalakshmi, Navagrahas ( all the Navagrahas are not in 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 has the Jains Tirthankara reliefs. The details will be posted separately.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

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

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

A pillar inscription speaks about construction of a temple in this Village for Pidari, by Mutharaiyar King Suvaran Maran. The Pillar inscriptions are in the form of Songs, mentions 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 songs mentions the hills are like stalked dead bodies of their enemies and received the gifts as Elephants which moves on paddy hill. Another poem indirectly mentions that Chozha King Vijayalaya was defeated by Sruvaran Maran.

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

The pillar inscriptions also mentions the donation of gold, lands, etc, towards Burning of Lamps and Naivedyam by Nandivarman-III, Videlvidugu Mutharaiyar, Aditya Chozha-I, Narikudi Narayana Maran ( Pandya King MaranSadaiyan’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 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.