-||Temples of South India ||-
Tamil Nadu
There
are over 30,000 temples in Tamil Nadu. “Don’t live in a place where
there is no temple” is the motto of the people of Tamil Nadu. There fore
you cannot find a hamlet a village a town or a city here without a temple. Each
place and temple has its own presiding deities. Almost all the temples have
similar features – thegopuram or the Portal Tower from all four directions
the Vimanam or the Tower over the sanctum sanctorum spacious halls and corridors.
Besides a place of worship the temple also serves as a community centre. All
activities like education, fine arts, functions, marriages, festivals, etc.
were performed, and they served as hospital, dharmasala, storehouse and during
emergencies and wars it also served as a bastion. The Marathas practically utilized
the temples at Thiruvannamalai and Chidambaram as their barracks for a prolonged
period.
The maid deity of the Tamil is Lord Muruga who is called ‘Seyon’
in Tamil literature and is called ‘Mayon’ or Vishnu, Siva is worshipped
in the form of ‘Lingam’. ‘Kottravai’or ‘Kali’
is the Goddess of ‘Pali’ or arid lands. Indra is the God of fertile
lands and Varuna is the God of rain. Only these deities were worshipped in the
Sangam period. Vinayaga or ‘Pillaiyar’ who is the most worshipped
God nowadays is a later addition brought to Tamil Nadu by Mahendra Varman the
Pallava the Pallava king from Badami. There are no temples at present for Indra
and Varuna. Besides there are umpteen number of lesser deities and local ‘devathas’.
Arupadai Veedu of Lord Muruga-Thiruttai, Swamimalai, Palani, Thiruparamkundram,
Pazhamudirsolai and Thiruchendour and the Pancha Bootha Sthalam or the five
exclusive centres of worship of Lord Siva representing the five elements of
Lord Siva, Chidambaram (earth) and Kalahasti (air) now in Andhra Pradesh are
famous pilgrimage centres of the Saivaites. The Vaishnavaites have 108 sacred
abodes of Vishnu most of which are located in various places like Kanchipuram,
Madurai, and Srirangam etc. The consorts of Vishnu, Sridevi and Bhoodevi, Lakshmi,
and the consorts of Siva, Parvathi, Kamatchi, Abhirami, Meenakshi also have
separate temples in various places. The temples of Kali are varied like Durgai
Amman, Maiamman, Angalamman etc. They are found all over Tamil Nadu.
Temples in and around Chennai
There are over 700 temples in and around Chennai. Some of them are old, some
built during the colonial periods and some modern. We shall here take up some
selective temples known for their antiquity sculptural beauty and popularlarity
Kapaleeswara Temple
Mylapore is one of the oldest towns of Tamil Nadu. Ptolemy,
the Greek and the Arabs of the 11th century have exited for over 2000 years.
Earlier it was a Jain settlement and even beore that the Biddhists were here.
They called it Mayura Sabdha Pattinam (The town of peacock sound). In tamil,
it has been called “Myyil Arpu” (Mayil means peacock and Arpu means
sound) . And Mayil Arpu-oorbecome Mylapore in due course. There was a shrine
in the course. There was a shrine on the shore dedicated to Thirthankara Neminathar.
The famous Jain scholar Mayilai Nathan had lived here. Ha has written a commently
to Nannool a popular grammar of the Tamil Language. Until recently a few multilated
Jain and Buddhist statues could be seen in a compound opppsite ti the santhome
Bascilla.
There are also other temples dedicated to Lord Siva. In one of those temples,
the Lord Smanifests as Lord Veerabhadra. Wielding a sword, a shield, vow and
arrow in his hands.
Mylapore is associated with Vaishnaviate traditions too and there are two
Vishnavaie temples, Madhava Perumal and kesava Perumal in Mylapore. One of
the first three Alwaer –Peyalwar was also born here in a well. Even
today, the birth Arundale Street which is the Borth place of the Alwar. Saint
Thiruvalluar, the author of the illustrious Thirukkral was also born here
and a temple dedicates to Him also exists.
Parthasarathi Temple
This temple also was built by the Pallavas in the mid-eighth centuary. Its tank
is beautiful with lilies, heanc this place is called Thiru-beautiful, Allilily,
Keni-Tank. Parthasarathy means the chariot driver of Partha or Arjuna and it
denotes Lord Krishna. The image in the santum sancotorum is scarred woth arrow
wounds-testimony of the sculptor to the varacity s of the chariot driver of
the Mahabharatha war. Behind the temples is Bharathiar Memorial building the
place where he lived during his last days.
Vadapal Andavar Temple
It is located in Kodambakkam- the Hollywood of Chennai where many of the cinema
studios like Vijaya Vahini, A.V.M. etcare located. The temple is dedicated to
Lord Muruga. It is considered a very important ahrine and on par with the shrine
at Plani- the original Padaiveedu of Lord Muruga in the district of Dindigul.
On can see devotees carrying various types of Kavadis to pay their offerings.
Siva-vishnu Temple
It
is in the busy area of Thygaraya Nagar. Both Siva and Vishnu have separate shrines
here. The temple is crowded during evening. The Kasi Vishwanath temple in Kuppiar
Street, W.Mambalam belongs to the 17th century. When it was built it was called
“Mahabilva Kshetra” Mahabhilva was in later days corruptly pronounced
as Mambalam thus giving this name to this area. The Karaneeswrar temple at Saidapet
is dedicated to Lord Siva.
Jain Temples in the City In George Town area near Adhiyappa Naicken Street,
a Jain Mandir was built in 1899 in typical north Indian Style. There are two
more Jain temples in Most. Street. Another new Jain temples built in 1979 at
G.N.Chetty Road in T. Nagar is of dazzling whiteness. Amagnificent flight of
steps lead to the Svetambaram sect of the Jains. It is two tired and 70 feet
high –the first of its Kind in the south. Two more Jain temples are there
in Chintadroet and another at Veppery.
Some Impaoratant Temples around the City.
These temples are easily accessible either by buses or by taxis.
Tiruvotriyur Temple
This ancient temples is about 10 km on the Northern Trunk Road. It was once
a Part of Chennai city bu then excluded. It isa Saavite Shrine predating the
pallava period. Adi Sankara. The founder of Advaithan has visited this temple
and has sung in prise od the deity. Saivate saints Sundara and Gnanasambandar
too have visited this temple. It was rebuilt by Rajendra Chola It is also associated
with Pattainathar of the 18 Siddhars. He attained salvation here and his Samadhi
too could be seen. The presiding deity is Thyagarajaswami. It was a verdict
center during Chola period and the temple architecture is superb and benolgs
to the Chola period.
Thiruvanmiyar Temple
Another old temple exits in Thiruvanmiyur on the road to Mamallpuram.
It is a 11th centuary Chola temple and the presinding deity is Lord Marundeeswarar.
The author of Ramayana, Valmiki is said to have worshipped here. The name is
due to his association. Valmiyur and finally” Vanmiyur” There is
also a Shrine dedicated to Valmiki. Pamban Swamigal Samadhi ia also found near
this shrine.
Thiruppour Temple
About 40 km south of Chennai is an old temple dedicted to Lord Muruga.”
Soora Samharam” the de feat and salvation to the demon. Soorapadman is
an impartant festival. The temple contains several in scription.
Thiruneermalai Temple
It is a near by place of Pallvaram. A shrine is dedicated to Vishnu whose deity
ia called “Nirvannapperma; lai” drom which the name Thiruneermalai”
is derived. It was once forests shrine about which always have sunghymns.The
bronze images in this temple are very beautiful. This is an old temple is at
he Pallava period. The main temple is at the foot of the hill. There is also
a shrine up the hill which can be reached by a flight of steps.
Uttiramerur Temple
Uttiramerue
could be reached by bus. It is on the road to Vandavasi from Chengalputtu. There
are several ancient temples here. The Sundaravaradaperumal temple of the period
Dentivarma Pallava is of complex design. Three sanctums one above the other
in stroyes house Vishnu seated, standing and recumbent. The idols all are brick
in stucco. In another shrine of the Chola period are the famous inscription
that speak of the elected Panchayat raj of the Cholas. The method of election,
the qualification of the contestants etc. are clearly indicated. It exposes
that local administration was purely a demo critic set-up
Thennangore Radhakrishna Temple
Further o the road to Vanaavasi about 15 km from Uttiramerur, one can find
the recently built beautiful temple of RadhaKrishna in Thennangore. The temple
id built like the Puri Jaganatha temple and the idols are exact replicas of
Panduranga of Pandaripur in North India. The temple was built by Haridas Giri
Swaniji./ There are Gnanananda Giri Swamiji. There are beautiful sculptures
depicting scenes from the life of Lord Krishna. The sanctum has graceful idols
of Panduranga and there is a Bhajan Hall, the pillars of which are nothing
but statues of saints of the Bakthi cult. There is also a shrine for Gnananda
Giri and a Siva temple. Foreigners throng during Krishna Jayanthi festival
and beautiful lodges are provided to them. Daily Bhajans are a speciality
and so is every day free feeding of devotees. It isa most modern temple ans
a visit is rewarding.
Kanchipuram Temples
75 km from Chennai Kanchipuram is one of the grea Mythalogical cities and “Nekareshu
Kanchi” is a Popular saying in Sanskirt that means “Kancipuram is
the best city” It was the capital city of the best city”. It was
the capital city of the Pallavas and the northern capital city of the Cholas.
Even during the Vijayanagar period, it was also a center of learning and a center
for Buddists and Jains in early time. The Chinede traveler Hieun-Tsang who has
visited Kanchipuram praises its glory and painfully notes the silk of Kanchi
–is cherised by one an all and innumerable ancient temples could be seen
at every turning. Aselective list of most impartant temples are given here.
The whole city is divided into Siva Kanchi, Vishnu Kanchi and Jain Kanchi.
Kailasanathar Temple
This Siva templ is one of the earliest temples built by Rajsimha Pallava in
the late 7th century A.D. The front was added by Mahendra Varma III later on.
It is the only temple of the original Pallava architecture without additions
by Cholas and Vijayanagar kings and remains a fine specimen of freshness and
simplicity of early Drvidian srchitecture. True to its name, Kailas or Paradise,
it shelters all the gods in various aspects in several niches along the circumambulatory
path around the sanctum sanctorum. One has to crawl throught a small opening
to enter it and has to come out of a pit at the end. It is belived that by doing
this exercise one will reach Kailas after one’s sojourn on theearth. Puranas
unroll them selves through scuplters to our view. Pallava paintings are also
visible in fragments in some niches. These murals remind ud the magnificence
of the temple as it would have looked when it was first built. The office of
the Archoeological Survey of India is nearby and one could get more details
about the history an importance of Kancipuram.
Ekambaranathar Temple
This is Siva temple id the largest and is spared over nine hectares. Its huge
gopuram or portal tower is 192 feet high and its massive outer walls were constructed
by Krishna Devaraya, the great Vijayanagar King in 1509.
