Showing posts with label Heritage Buildings & Structures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heritage Buildings & Structures. Show all posts

Tuesday 23 April 2024

Kumizhi Thoombu / குமிழிதூம்பு / Sluice Gate, Chellandi Amman Temple / Sellandi Amman Temple, Pachal, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Kumizhi Thoombu / Sluice Gate in Pachal Eri and the inscription stone connected to this, at Sellandi Amman Temple at Pachal Village, was a part of Namakkal District Temples and Heritage sites Visit on 23rd February 2024. Thanks to Mrs Sakthiprakash who accompanied with me to this Visit. Thanks to Mr Srinivasan for the Photographs and more details. 

Usually these Kumizhi thoombu / Sluice Gate will be installed to regulate the out flow of water, which depends on the storage and requirement. The drawing shows, how the Kumizhi Thoombu works. The old system was abandoned and new Kumizhi thoombu was installed at the overflow side of the eri.

THOOMBU INSCRIPTION STONE
This eri Kumizhi Thoombu / Sluice Gate belongs to Chozha period. A Kumizhi Thoombu / Sluice Gate inscription stone is installed on the side of the temple. The inscription records the excavation of the Chozha chaturvedi mangalathu Eri and the stopping of breach was done by the Moonru karai nadan ( a head of the person ). Then this has to be maintained by Moonru karai nattar. The text of the inscription goes as….  
பிரமதேயம் பாச்சிலான உலகளந்த சோழச்சருப்பேதி மங்கலத்து ஏரியை வெட்டுவித்து உடைப்பை அடைத்தவன் மூன்றுகரைநாடன் என்ற தலைவர் என்று பொருள் படலாம். இனிப் பாதுகாப்பது மூன்றுகரைநாட்டார் பொறுப்பு எனலாம்.

1. ….
2. து…………………………..
3. ணைவ………….
4. யாநாட்டுபிரம்மதே
5. யையம்பாச்சில
6. ாநஉலகளந்தசோழ
7. சருபேதிமங்க
8. லத்துஏரியும்இ
9. வ்வுடைப்பும்மூன்று
10. கரைநாடன்இவ்வூ
11. ர்மூன்றுகரைநாட்
12. டார்ரக்ஷை


HOW TO REACH
This temple is on the south banks of Pachal eri about a KM from the Village. The Village Pachal is 8.7 KM from Rasipuram, 24 KM from Namakkal, 35 KM from Tiruchengode and Salem.
Nearest Railway station is Rasipuram. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE WITH HORSE : CLICK HERE

PC - Srinivasan, Omalur
PC - Srinivasan, Omalur

The old arrangement was replaced with modern screw type. 
The old arrangement was replaced with modern screw type.
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sunday 21 April 2024

Rock Horse / Stone Horse / Kalkuthirai / கல் குதிரை, Chellandi Amman Temple / Sellandi Amman Temple, Pachal, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Sri Sellandi Amman and the Stone Horse  at Pachal Village, was a part of Namakkal District Temples and Heritage sites Visit on 23rd February 2024. Thanks to Mrs Sakthiprakash who accompanied with me to this Visit. 


This Sellandi Amman temple on the banks of Pachal lake facing North. Dwarapalaka and Dwarapalaki are at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum.

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala and ardha mandapam. A salakara Vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. The temple belongs to 11th to 12th Century Chozha period and the same was reconstructed during Vijayanagara period. Some of the inscription stones are misplaced.




STONE HORSE / ROCK HORSE
The Horses was sculpted out of a single stone, in standing posture facing east. The rock horse looks similar to the real horse. The horse head with protruding tongue, the teeths, the nose holes, Small bells on the neck, the simha medallion on the neck, mala with human faces is around the neck. The saddle with step & Kunjaras, the centre supporting pillar reliefs, its tail, the pedestal dwarf are beautifully carved out of a single stone.    








HOW TO REACH
This temple is on the south banks of Pachal eri about a KM from the Village. The Village Pachal is about 2 KM off from Salem - Namakkal- Thuraiyur road, 8.7 KM from Rasipuram, 24 KM from Namakkal, 35 KM from Tiruchengode and Salem.
Nearest Railway station is Rasipuram. 

LOCATION OF THE ROCK HORSE : CLICK HERE







--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Saturday 27 January 2024

Bibi-ka-Maqbara / बीबी का मक़बरा / பி பி கா மக்பாரா / பிபியின் கல்லறை– Aurangabad, Maharashtra State, India.

The Visit to this Bibi-ka-Maqbara, a mausoleum / grave built for Aurangzeb's wife and one of the world Heritage sites, at Aurangabad  was a part of “Ajanta & Ellora Heritage Walk”, organized by Enthisai Historical Heritage Walk Group - எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக் குழு, from 23rd to 26th December 2023. We have made this visit after visiting Ellora Caves. The total complex including the entrance arch / building was illuminated. This Historical monument  is being maintained by Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI  ).


THE HISTORY OF BIBI-KA-MAQBARA. 
இந்த பிபி கா மக்பாரா அல்லது ஒரு பெண்மணியின் கல்லறை, ஔரங்கசீப்பின் மனைவி ராபியா துரானியின் ஞாபகார்த்தமாக  ஔரங்கசீப்பின் மகன் ஆசம் ஷாவால் காம் நதியின் வடக்கு கரையில் கட்டப்பட்டது, இக்கல்லறை பொயு 1668 ஆம் ஆண்டு ஆக்ரா தாஜ்மஹாலின் கட்டிடக்கலைஞரான அஹ்மத் லஹௌரியின் மகன் அதாவுல்லாவால் வடிவமைக்கப்பட்டது. தாஜ்மஹாலின் அமைப்பிலேயே வடிவமைக்கப்பட்டு இருப்பதால் இது மினி தாஜ்மஹால் எனவும், தக்கானத்தின் தாஜ் எனவும் அழைக்கப்படுகின்றது.

தெற்குபகுதியில் இருக்கும் மற்றுமொரு கல்லறை, ஔரங்கசீப்பின் மனைவி ராபியா துரானியின் பணிப்பெண் ராபியா தௌரானியின் கல்லறறை என்று கருதப்படுகின்றது.

குலாம் முஸ்தபாவின் தாவரிக் நாமா, கணிப்பின் படி இக்கல்லறை ஆறு லட்சத்து அறுபத்து எட்டாயிரத்து இருநூற்று மூன்று ரூபாய், ஏழு அணாக்களால் ( Rs 6,68,203-7 - Rupees Six Lakh, Sixty Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Three & Seven Annas ), பொயு 1651-1661, இல் கட்டப்பட்டது.

The beautiful mausoleum of Aurangzeb's wife, is believed to have been constructed by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother Rabis –Ud-dauranl alias Dilras Banu Begum between circa 1651-1661CE,  on the banks of north side of the river Kham. An inscription on the main entrance door records that, this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-Ulla, an Architect and Hanspat Rai, an Engineer. As the mausoleum architecturally resembles the Taj Mahal of Agra built in 1631-1653 CE, this is known as "Taj of Deccan" or “Mini Taj Mahal”.

There is another tomb adjacent to the southern part of platform believed to be the nurse of Rabia Daurani.

According to the "Tawarikh Namah" of Ghulam Mustafa, the cost of construction of the mausoleum was Rs. 6,68,203-7 (Rupees Six Lakh, Sixty Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Three & Seven Annas) in 1651-1661 CE.

ARCHITECTURE
இக்கல்லறை மற்றும் திவான்-இ-அம், திவா-இ-காஸ் என்ற மசூதியும் 458 x 275 மீட்டர் என்ற அளவில் உயர்ந்த மேடைமீது முகலாயர் மற்றும் நிஜாம் கட்டிடக்கலையில் படி தெற்குப்புற நுழைவாயிலுடன் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. நுழைவாயிலில் இருந்து அழகான தோட்டத்துடன், என்கோண வடிவ நீத்தொட்டி, 61 நீர்ஊற்றுக்களுடன் ஆக்ராவில் உள்ள தாஜ்மஹாலைப் போன்றே அமைக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. இக்கல்லறை கட்டுமானத்திற்குத் தேவையான பளிங்கு / சலவைக்கற்கள் ஜெய்பூரில் இருந்து கொண்டுவரப்பட்டதாக கூறப்படுகின்றது.

இக்கல்லறை, கல்லறைக்குச் செல்ல மூன்றுபுறம் படிக்கட்டுகள், அதனுடன் நான்கு மூலையிலும் எட்டுப்பட்டை மினாரெட்டுகள், நடுவே குவிமாடத்துடன் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. தெற்குபுறம் உள்ள மசூதி ஹைதராபாத் நிஜாம் நவாப் மிர் அக்பர் அலிகான் சிகந்தர் ஜா அசப் அலிஜா- III, என்பவரால் பொயு 1803 – 29ல் நிமானிக்கப்பட்டது.

கல்லறையின் கீழ் பகுதி மற்றும் குவிமாடம் வெள்ளை பளிங்கு கற்களாலும் நடுப்பகுதி பசால்ட் / எரிமலைப் பாறைகொண்டு கட்டப்பட்டு சுண்ணாம்பால் பூசப்பட்டு, சிக்கலான பூவேலைப்பாடுகளுடன் உள்ளது. ஜாலிவேலப்பாடுகள் மிகவும் நுணுக்கமான முறையில் வடிவமைக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. குவி மாடத்தின் நடுவே எட்டுப்பட்டை காட்சிக்கூடம் / கேலரி அற்புதமான வேலைப்பாடுகளுடனான சாளரங்களூடன் கீழே உள்ள கல்லறையைக் காண வசதியாக அமைக்கப்பட்டு உள்ளது. கீழே உள்ள கல்லறைக்குச் செல்ல தெற்குப்புறம் படிக்கட்டுகளும் உள்ளன.

The mausoleum stands within an enclosed area measuring 458 x 275 meters approximately. The main entrance is on the southern side of the outer wall, and at the centre of the three remaining walls are open pavilions, which were used as Mosque, Diwan-e-Am, and Diwan-e-Khas. These buildings contain beautiful paintings of Mughal and Nizam periods.

The mausoleum is built at the centre of a raised square platform of polished red porphyritic stone provided with a railing in trellis work at the edge. Four tapering octagonal minarets with domed pavilions at the top stand freely at the corners of the square platform. It was approached by a flight of steps from all the sides earlier, but at present it has no approach on the western side as a mosque is constructed by Nizam of Hyderabad in a latter period.

The lower part of the mausoleum along with its dome are constructed with white marble, while the middle portion is of basaltic trap plastered by a fine coat of lime, rendered with marble finish and adorned with stucco work. The doorway on the south leads to an octagonal gallery with low barricaded marble screen running around the interior enabling an imposing view to the grave  of the lower level. The interior portion of the mausoleum is decorated with beautiful carvings. There are windows of marble at the corner angles. Four little chattries with corresponding minarets in each are also seen at the corners of the dome.

A number of rooms with arched domes in diamond cut design are made beneath the platform from all sides. The walls and roof of these rooms are decorated with graffiti designs.

entrance arch / building
entrance arch / building







THE GRAVE OF RABIS-Ud-DAURANL
The grave is simple, devoid of any ornamentation, surrounded with marble screens of exquisite design. A flight of steps descend in to the basement of mausoleum from the southern side, where the grave of Rabis–Ud-Dauranl is enclosed by an octagonal screen made by delicately carved marble.


MUGHAL GARDEN
The Mughal garden, Living Water Management System, Pavements which are ornamented with little kiosks, finely worked brass plated doors, Stucco floral motifs on the shell lime plaster, rank Maqbara among the best of the “Beautiful Mughal buildings of Deccan”.


MOSQUE ( NIZAM )
The mosque is built on a raised platform of tomb to its west. It is believed to have been constructed by the 3rd Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizam Nawab Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikander Jah Asaf Jah III during 1803-29 CE. The mosque is entered through an arched opening on the east while the side walls are closed using perforated brick work. Basalt is used as main component of construction of mosque which is further plastered with a fine coat of lime. The interior consists of rows of pillars with corner pilasters interconnected by a series of cusped arches. The whole floor area is divided into rectangles so that it can accommodate one person for offering namaz in one block. These rectangles are surmounted by an arch and can accommodate approximately 377 people at a time to offer prayer.



REF:
1.  Display boards at bibi-ka-Maqbara

TIMINGS
This mausoleum will kept open between 09.00 hrs to 21.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH
This mausoleum is at Begumpura, a part of Aurangabad, in Maharashtra state.
This mausoleum is about 7 KM from Aurangabad Railway Station, 29 KM from Ellora Caves, 114 KM from Ahmednagar, 185 KM from Nashik and 343 KM from Mumbai.
Nearest railway Station and Airport Aurangabad.

LOCATION OF THE MAUSOLEUM : CLICK HERE

Ceiling dome








 View through the entrance arch / building
View through the entrance arch / building
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Tuesday 9 January 2024

Vembakottai Excavations / Vembakottai Archaeology Survey / வெம்பக்கோட்டை தொல்லியல் களம், Vijayakarisalkulaam, Kottai Medu, Vembakottai, Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this  Archaeological Excavation site  at Vembakottai in Virudhunagar District was a part of “Temples, Heritage Sites and archaeological excavation sites Visit around Thoothukudi”,  between Dec 1st and 2nd December 2023.

PC -Website

Since March last year, the state archaeology department has been exploring the archaeological site at Vembakottai, 15 km away from Sivakasi, in Virudhunagar District and completed the first phase of the excavation in September 2022. The second phase of excavation is in progress. The first phase at the 25 acres of the mound at Vaipparu bank unearthed gold ornaments, terracotta items, dolls, bangles made of conches, ivory ornaments, glass beads and pendants among others. Altogether 3,254 antiquities were unearthed in the first phase.

Excavation site Director Pon Baskar said that they were finding 60 to 65 antiquities every day. The antiquities could be estimated to 2,000 years old and further research to ascertain the exact age is underway, he added.

In the first phase of excavation 16 trenches were dug, antiquities including copper coins, shell bangles, smoking pipes, glass beads among others were unearthed. 

PC -Website
A piece of Bangle made of Ivory- PC -Website
PC -Website
PC -Website
The second phase of excavation was commenced on April 6th 2023 and 6 trenches are dug. Around 1780 antiques ivory dice, copper coins, terracotta figurines and shell bangles are being unearthed so far during the excavation. These gold pieces unearthed in the second phase were found at a depth of 1.15 metre and 1.59 metre in two different trenches at the site. A mangalsutra was also excavated in the second phase of excavation.

Gold ornament PC -Website
 Gold ornament - PC -Website

One of the celebrated findings of Vembakottai excavation  was  the gold ornaments. As per the site director Pon Baskar, one gold piece was a conical-shaped shaped ornament while the other was a gold plate-like plece. The ornament weighed 2.2 gram with 4.3 mm length and 6.2 mm diameter and the gold plate weighed 2 gram with 8.8 mm length and 7.2 mm breadth.

An on site  exhibition was constructed by the state archaeology Department and the same was inaugurated by the State ministers Thangam Thennarasu and KKSSR Ramachandran, on May 23 this year. The site exhibition displays the 3,254 antiquities excavated in the first phase.  



HOW TO REACH
Vembakottai is about 15 KM from Sivakasi, 31 KM from Kovilpatti,  51 KM from Virudhunagar, 97 KM from Madurai and 562 KM from Chennai.
Nearest Railway Station is Sivakasi.

LOCATION OF THE EXCAVATION         : CLICK HERE



Dice 
Neolithic Stone Tool










--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---