VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Shri Parthasarathy Temple, Parthivapuram, Arudesam, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

Tuesday 11 February 2020

Shri Parthasarathy Temple, Parthivapuram, Arudesam, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

25^th January 2020.

The visit to this Shri Parthasarathy temple at Parthivapuram in Kanyakumari District was a part of Nanjil Nadu Heritage Walk organized by Yaaooyaakay and Celebrate Kanchi in association with Tamil Nadu Tourism and Development Department, Kanyakumari, scheduled on 24^th to 26^th January 2020.

This was the first temple’s visit on the second day. This place was called once as Parthivasekarapuram. There were 3 types of learning centers functioning for the Brahmins and Kshatriyas during Aay King’s periods.

Moolavar : Sri Parthasarathy.

Some of the salient features of this temple are...

The temple is facing west with an entrance arch. Loose sculptures under worship are on the right side of the entrance arch. A balipeedam is after the entrance arch. A stone temple with sanctum and artha mandapam is on the right side on an elevated platform. Nagars are on the left side. In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Kanteshwara Lord Shiva, Varaha Murthy, Narasimha, Ayyappa and Vadakkum Perumal. Moolavar Sri Parthasarathy is in standing posture ( with one foot ?) in the sanctum. There is no sannadhi for Thayar and Garudan.

Loose Sculptures

ARCHITECTURE

The prakaram around the sanctum sanctorum is almost empty except madapalli. A 4 Pillar mandapam is in-front of the main sanctum sanctorum. The extended front mandapam covers both out side and inside. The koshtams are also empty. The sanctum sanctorum is built on a pada bandha adhistanam with tripatta kumudam. A 2 tier stucco vimanam is over the sanctum. In valabi Bhootha vari is shown. The prastram is of kapota style with nasi kudu. Above the prastaram, is viyyalavari / yazhi vari, various animals are shown. The Vimanam has only 8 deity images, which includes Brahma. Also 8 Lion images are found on the top level. Except Vimanam thangis no other stucco images of deities are found. The front and corridor mandapams, Shiva sannadhi and Vadakum Perumal sannidhis are built in Kerala style with Mangalore tiled roof.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This temple was built by the Aay King Karunandadakkan ( 857 – 885 CE). This place was called as Parthivasekarapuram which has got corrupted to the present name of Parthivapuram.

This place has got a 5 leaves Copper plates. In the 1^st leaf of copper plate, inscriptions records that the king donated many lands in lieu of Uzhakkuvilai, to Munsirai Village sabha. ( it was learnt that a female elephant was let free to roam. The roamed area was gifted to this temple ). The King established a Parthivakesapuram Salai ( a residential learning centre / School ) similar to Kanthalur Salai with a Vishnu temple.

The second leaf of the copper plate records the gift of land to the temple towards temple servants, flower, burning of perpetual lamp and celebrations. The temple servants are supposed to bring 30 pots of water daily for the abhishekam, garlands and oil to burn the perpetual lamps.

The third leaf of the copper plate records the gift of land to Shantikarars, Akanazhikai servants, Panchagavya sprayers, the persons who give flowers and Musicians.

The 4^th and 5^th leaves of the copper plate records the details of the School where Veda teachings was taught, number of teachers & Students ( 95 students ), the rules & regulations / code of conduct to be followed, the process of learning, collection of Taxes, the punishment for the defaulters, etc,.

5 inscriptions of this temple are recorded. The Kaman Dhadakkan’s ( 923 CE ) inscription is considered as the oldest. This king donated land to this temple. Another inscription records the donation of perpetual lamp.

The temple is under the control of Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ).