Lalitankura Pallavesvara Griham / Rock Cut Cave Temple / Pallava's Top rock cut cave temple / Rock fort, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this “Lalithankura Pallavesvara Griham”, the upper Rock Cut Cave at Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort was a part of the structural and Rock Cut cave  Shiva and Vishnu temples visit in Tiruchirappalli, Pudukottai and Sivagangai Districts, on 21^st November 2021. This Rock cave is just after Thayumanavar Swamy Temple towards Uchi Pillayar Temple, which will be missed by most people.

As per the inscriptions, the top cave was called “Lalitankura Pallavesvara Griham”, after one of the titles of Mahendravarman-I (600 – 630 CE). He was addressed in 80 different titles, such as Lalithankuran, Sathrumallan, Vichithira Sithan, Chithrakarapuli, Kalakapriyan, Sangeeranajathi, Gunabaran, Nirpeksha, Nayambu, Tukanu, Nilvuleneyambu, Naihikamutrika, Narapash, Anityaragah, Satyasandha, Pinhpinhakku, aimuku, Kuhakah, Ankakapasu, Kuchagranah, Lakshitah, Aaluptakamah, etc,. The Grandha inscriptions mention about 80 titles.  

ARCHITECTURE

This cave temple excavated vertical scrap of the top boulder is in a rectangular shape and a Shrine on the eastern side.  The Rock Cut cave consists of a sanctum Sanctorum, Mandapam, and a mukha mandapam. The mandapam has 8 square pillars and 4 pilasters. The Pillar base is a square at the bottom and top and octagonal in the middle. A tharanga pothyal is shown on the top. The bottom of the pillars has the lotus medallion.

The sanctum sanctorum is shown with adhisthana. The adhisthana comprises simple jagathy, three patta kumuda, kanda, and pattikai,. Dwarapalakas are on both sides of the sanctum sanctorum. Both are standing in a similar posture, like a mirror image. They are keeping one leg firm on the ground and folding the other leg in ardha jalanthara asana. One of the hands is kept on the club coiled with a snake ( left dwarapalaka ) and the other hand is resting on the other hand and hanging.  Both are wearing bangles and tholvalai. Pathra kundala is on the ears. No image is found in the sanctum sanctorum, instead, there are two square holes, probably for installing images of the deities. Scholars have different opinions regarding this.   

Gangadhara Panel

On the western wall of the mandapam is a large bas-relief panel depicting Lord Shiva as Gangadhara. It is one of the masterpieces of Pallava iconography. It is believed that this is the first Gangadhara sculpture in the Rock Cut caves of Tamil Nadu. Lord Shiva is in a standing posture, keeping his left leg firm on the ground and his right leg on Muyalachan. Lord Shiva is with 4 hands. The right lower hand holds a snake and the left hand is in kadi hastam. The upper right hand holds the strands of hair to let the Ganga water slowly and the left hand is in a mudra. On the top, there are two Gandharvas in flying posture on both sides. Two persons are shown on both sides of Lord Shiva’s leg in Garudasana. As  per Mr Kudavayil Balasubramanian, both are Mahendravarman-I, who excavated this cave. This was confirmed by one of the inscriptions (in the form of a song) records that he created this ( Sthanu) Lord Shiva’s image as an un destructible and the same way I also stand near his leg with fame and un destructible. On both sides of Mahendravarman-I, there are two Munivars with beard and mustaches. Ganga is shown in worshiping posture. A Dog in barking posture is shown on the opposite side of Ganga. The dog image can be seen in all Pallava period sculpture panels.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This rock-cut cave has the maximum number of inscriptions belonging to Pallavas, Chozhas, and Pandyas. The Sanskrit Pallava Grantha characters belong to Mahendravarman-I. The Titles of Mahendravarman Pallava are inscribed in Grantham, in the form of a poem. These inscriptions were recorded by Hulzsch, in 1890 CE and published in 1907.

The Mahendravarman-I’s inscription is in the form of a poem starting from the northern pilaster. The poem was composed by him in praise of Lord Shiva.

Stanza 1

Śailendra-moordhani-śilaa-bhavane-vichitre

Mountain-king top-of-on stone abode-in wonderful-in

śailin-tanum-guNabharo-n-nRpatir-n-nidhaaya

Stone-body Gunabhara king established-having

sthaaNum-vyadatta-vidhiresha-yathaarthaa-samjñaam

SthaaNu made creator-this meaning-true-to name

sthaaNuh-svayañcha-saha-tena-jagatsu-jaatah. (1)

fixed himself-also together Him-with world-in become-has

When King Gunabhara [Mahendra] established a stone figure [the relief image of Siva-Gangadhara] in the wonderful stone abode on top of the King of Mountains [the Rock-Fort Hill], this ruler, (entitled) 'Vidhi' [the Creator], made Sthanu [Siva] true to His name ['sthau': stationary / firmly fixed] and became himself sthanu [fixed, immortal] together with Him, on earth.

Stanza 2

gRhamakRta-śatrumallo-gireendra-kanyaa-paterggiraavasmim

abode-made śatrumalla mountain-king daughter-of husband’s mountain-on this

Giriśasya-giriśa-sajñaamanvartthee-kartumartthaapatih.

giriśa’s mountain-dweller name meaningful to-make wealth-lord (2).

The lord of wealth, Satrumalla [Mahendra], made on this mountain an abode for the husband [Siva] of the 'Daughter of the King of Mountains' [Ganga], so that the meaning of His [Siva's] title 'Girisa' (i.e., 'Mountain Dweller') would be made literally manifest.

Stanza 3

vibhootimñchoLaanaam-kathamahamaveksheya-vipulaam

wealth Chozhas-of how I see-well which abundant

nadeem vaa kaaveereemavanibhavanaavasthita iti.

river and Kaveri earth abode-remaining thus.

hareNoktah preetya vibhuradiśadabhramlihamidam

Hara-by-asked-having-been affection-with the-king ordered cloud licking this

Manuprakhye [raajye]-giribhavanmasmai-guNabharah. 3.

Manu-famous [country-in] mountain-abode Him-for Gunabhara.

Having affectionately been asked by Hara [Siva], 'How can I, while remaining in an earthly abode, see the abundant wealth of the Cholas and the river Kaveri?', this Supreme Ruler, Gunabhara, the fame of whose empire rivals that of Manu, ordered for Him [Siva] this skyscraper ['cloud-licking'] mountain-abode

Stanza 4

nirmaapitaamiti mudaa prishottamena

made-was thus pleasure-with Purushottama-by

śaileem harasya tanumapratimaamanena.

stone Hara’s body incomparable him-by.

kRtvaa śivam śirasi dhaarataatma samsthamuchchaih

made-having Siva head-on holder-by-heart firmly-fixed-in lofty

śirastvamachalasya kRtam kRtaartham. 4.

mindedness mountain’s made-was reality.

By first raising Siva, the God within (his) heart, to his head, an incomparable stone figure of Hara [Siva] was then, with pleasure, raised to the top of the mountain by this Purushottama [Mahendra]. And by thus himself first bearing, and then by making the mountain bear, God immanent, on top, the 'Exaltedness' of the 'Immovable One' [acalasya] was made a concrete reality by him.

Stanza 5

Kaaveereen-nayanaabhiraama-salilaamamaalaadharaam

Kaveri eye-pleasing water-possessor garden-garland-bearer

Devoveekshya nadipriyah priyaguNaamapyesha raajyediti

the-God on-seeing river-lover pleasing qualities-possessor also this desiring thus.

saaśamkaagirikanyakaapitRkulamhitvehamanyegirau

with-suspicion mountain-daughter of-father’s-family having-left-here I-guess mountain-on

nityantishThati pallavasya dayitametambruvaaNaanadeem.5.

forever stations (Herself) Pallava’s wife this calling river

Suspecting that the God [Siva], who is fond of rivers, on seeing the Kaveri, whose waters please the eye, who wears a garland of gardens, and who possesses attractive qualities, might fall in love with her also, the 'Daughter of the Mountain' [Ganga] has left her father's family to reside, I reckon, permanently here on this mountain, calling this river [Kaveri] the beloved wife of the Pallava (king).

Stanza 6

guNabhara-naamani-raajanyanena-lingena-lingini-jñaanam

guNabhara-named king-this-by image-by image-having-become-embodied-in faith

prathataañchiraayaloke-vipakshavRtteh paraavRtam .6.

Renowned-be for-long the world enemy circle-from brought-back

As the king called Gunabhara has become embodied in this image [lingini=Kaveridhara/Gangadhara], let the Faith, which has been brought back from the encircling opposition, be forever spread by this same image [lingena] throughout the world!

Stanza 7

choLvishayasya-śailo-maulirivaayam-mahamaNirivaasya

Chola province-of mountain diadem like-this great jewel like-his

haragRhametajjotistadeeyamiva śaamkaram-jyotih .7.

Hara-abode this (his Chola province) splendour hi (crest jewel’s) like

Sankara’s splendour

This mountain is like the diadem of his [Mahendra's] Chola province, this abode of Hara his (diadem's) chief jewel, and the splendor of Sankara [Gangadhara] is, as it were, his ( Mahendra's/Kaveridhara's crest-jewel's] splendor.

Stanza 8

śilaakshareNa-janita-satyasandhasyaa-bhautikee

Stone-inscription-out-of created-has-been satyasandha’s bodily

Moorthih keertimayeeñchaasya-kRtaa-tenaiva-śaaśvatee

Image fame-full-of and his made-has-been it(stone)-by eternal

This bodily image [of Satyasandha (God/king)] was created out of the stone inscription [silaksharena] of Satyasandha [the poet-king]. By the same imperishable character, an embodiment of His/his fame was made imperishable.

The meaning of the poem is interpreted as…

The first sloka states that King Mahendra established a stone figure of Siva in the cave temple of on the top of this hill in his own image, and became ‘immortal’, like the God, on the earth.

The second stanza explains why Mahendra chose a hill. He says that he chose the hill to justify Siva’s name as Girisa (mountain-dweller).

The third verse purports to explain the circumstances and the manner of choice of this hill. Mahendra says that when proposed an earthly abode, God wondered how he could remain on the earth without seeing the fertile country of the Chozhas and the river Kaveri. Then the king chose the spot atop this Trichy hill facing the river.

The fourth describes how the temple became a reality. Here there is an identification of God and the king. The translation is also given at the last.

The literary composition continues on the right pilaster......

In this fifth one, the king is mischievous. Ganga, the daughter of Himavan, now fearing that the Lord may become infatuated with the river Kaveri, let Her mountain-dwelling reside here along with the Lord. Here Lockwood et al differ from the popular conception. Hultzsch read this stanza as Parvati feeling worried came to reside with Her husband.

The sixth verse says that he (Mahendra) himself has become embodied in the image of Gangadhara. The whole poetry is supposed to be full of double-meaning, more than one meaning. Sanskrit literature is famous for this, called Dhvani.

The seventh verse says that the mountain was the crest jewel of Mahendra’s Chozha province, this abode of Siva its chief jewel.

This last one is important. It says that through this stone Siva, a physical embodiment of Satyasandha (a title of Mahendra) was created, and through this form, his fame was made eternal. By the way, the traditional understanding, that is, of Hultzsch and his followers, differs from this.

( Reference from an article by Prof Swaminathan of THT. Thank you very much, Sir)

“Chirappalli Andhathi” 

The “Chirappalli Andhathi” written by Tamil Narayana Kavi is inscribed in the form of Tamil inscription, on the north side wall. The composer’s name of this literature is also mentioned as “Tamil Narayanan” in the inscription. It is believed that this is the first of its kind that Andhathi, is inscribed in the form of inscription. In this, he praised Lord Shiva of Chiramalai and River Ponni / Kaveri as the garland on Lord Shiva’s neck. The Andhathi starts like this… 

ஸ்வத்தி ஸ்ரீ

உலக மடந்தை நுதலுறைந் தைப்பதி யந்நுதற்குத்

திலதம் பரமனமருஞ் சிராமலை யம்மலைவா

யலகின் னிறைந்த கதிர்மணி பாய . . மேல் வந்ததந்தாதி

. . ப் பொன்னி பரன்கழுத்திற் கொண்ட வெள்வடமே

வடகயி லாயமுந் தென்மான் மலயப் பொருப்புமென்னுந்

தடவரை தாமிதன் றன்மைய வாவது தாம் உணர்ந்துங்

கடவரை மேக முழக்குஞ் சிராமலை கண்ட (கண்)

முடவரை ய(க்கு மறுசான்) றெண்ணி மொழிகின்றதே

………..

மற்பந்த மார்வன் மணியன் மகன் மதிள் வேம்யையர்கோ

னற்பந்த மார்தமிழ் நாரா யணனஞ் சிராமலைமேற்

கற்பந்த நீழலில் வைத்த கலித்துறை நூறுங் கற்பார்

பொற்பந்த னழீ லரன்திருப் பாதம் பொருந்துவரே

The Pandya King Ko Maran Sadayan’s 11^th reign year inscription records an endowment by Anda nattu Velan, For the same 537 Kalanju gold was gifted to this temple.  Also, this inscription records that he destroyed the compound wall of Vembathu and was stationed at Niyamam / Nemam Palace. (The Vembathu mentioned in the inscription is the present Veppathur). Also, it is understood that Chozhas are defeated by Pandyas in a war held at this place.

The Chozha king Rajaraja-I’s 16^th reign year inscription records this place as Uraiyur Kootrathu Chitrambal Tiruchirappalli and Lord Shiva as Thiribhuvanapathi. River Kaveri was called “Uthama Chozha Peraru”.

HOW TO REACH

This cave is Just after Sri Thayumanavar Temple towards Uchi Pillayar Temple, approximately at an altitude of 259 feet and 375 Steps from the base.

This Rock Cut Cave is about 2.2 km from Chatram Bus Stand, 6 km from Central Bus Stand, and Trichy Railway Junction, 324 km from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Tiruchirappalli Junction.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---