Pallava period Sculpture Panels /Sati Stone Panel, Jyeshta Devi Panel and Chandikeswarar, Munnur, Viluppuram District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to the Pallava Period Sculpture panels - Sati Stone Panel, Jyeshta Devi Panel, and Chandikeswarar at Munnur in Viluppuram District was a part of “Visit to Shiva, Vishnu, & Jain temples and Christian Churches in and around Pondicherry / Puducherry”, on 07^th June 2025.

PALLAVA PERIOD SCULPTURE PANEL - SATI STONE PANEL

There are two panels preserved in the Adavalleeswarar temple, one depicting the Linga with other deities, and the other is Jyeshta Devi.

The bigger panel measures 27 cm x 18 cm. This panel consists of 5 deities depicting Brahma with three heads, Shiva in the form of a tall cylindrical banam (Shiva Linga, equal to the height of other deities) on a square peeda, Parvati, Murugan/ Subramaniar, and Narasimha from left to right. All the deities are shown wearing ornaments, with two hands in a seated posture on a common pedestal. The left hand is in dhyana posture, and the right hand in abhaya hastam. Their right leg is folded, and their left leg is hanging. All the male deities are wearing thick yagnopaveetha. Narasimha is shown with open jaws and ears resembling a lion. Muruga / Subramaniar is identified with his crown / makuda. Enclosing the panels appeared in various books.

As per Dr. Nagaswamy, similar panels are available at Manimangalam, Tenneri, Madurantakam, Uttaramerur, Ukkal, and Brahmadesam. As per the experts, the two panels may be assigned to the sixth-seventh century CE, Pallava period. As per the experts, the first panel with 5 deities is a part of the Sati Stone.   

 Munnur

PC website

PC website

PC website

PC website

JYESHTA DEVI PANEL

This Jyeshta Devi panel measures 20.5 cm X 18 cm, found broken on both sides and heavily worn out. This panel consists of six images, of which the first one seems to be a goddess, and the other two are in Anjali hastam, may be devotees or the donors. Jyeshta Devi is in a sitting posture with bovine head and holding a club in her right hand. This image is Manthan, son of Jyeshta Devi. On her right is her daughter Manthi.

Munnur

Ref:

1. Origin of Sculptural Art (c), Chap 2): Pallava period - Pallava period (Social and Cultural History), by S. Krishnamurthy | 2017 ).

2. Munnur, Manimangalam, Tenneri, Madhurantakam, Uttaramerur, Ukkal, and Brahmadesam, vide Nagaswamy, R., ed. Damalica, Vol. I, Part II, pp. 1–5.

3. R. Nagaswamy, “Sati stones from Tamilnad”, in Art and Culture of Tamilnad, Delhi, 1980, pp. 58–59.

4. Article by Dr. Ravichandran and Munnur Ramesh.

CHANDIKESWARAR

This lone idol installed in front of the Sri Santhaiveli Selliamman Temple was mistakenly identified as Lakuleesar. To prove the idol as Lakuleesar, the club with a snake curled around it is not clearly visible. And also the sitting posture doesn't match, instead it matches with Chandikeswarar. Hence, the experts identify this idol as Chandikeswarar. 

The Chandikeswarar is in a sukasana sitting posture with the left leg folded and the right leg in a hanging position. Lakuleesar is with two hands, holding a Mazhu in the right hand, and his left hand is on his thigh. He is shown with a karanda makuda and wearing ornaments.

This Chandikeswarar may be assigned to the 07^th to 8^th century Pallava period.

LOCATION OF LAKULEESAR: CLICK HERE

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