As a part of the Madras week celebrations 2013, Dr. Chitra Madhavan had an illustrated lecture on temples in and around Chennai.
She is such a treasure house of information on temple architecture, epigraphy and history; She is an M.Phil Indian history, Doctorate in Sanskrit inscriptions of TN, has authored books on “ History and culture of Tamil Nadu” and also a guest faculty in Kalakshretra for the arts management at Dakshin Chitra.
Dr. Chithra highlighted about the great Chola heritage and what they have left for us in Tamilnadu – She mentioned that Cholas have touched nook and corner of villages in TN and of course with significant giant monuments like Thanjavur temple, Darasuram or Gangai konda chola puram - Chennai also has a number of Chola temples in Porur, Padi.
She gave glimpses on the main characteristics of a chola temple :
1. The base structure of the gopuram is always in granite and the super structure in brick and mortar
2. The sanctum is built in a circular base and is termed “Gaja Brishtam” or “Thoongaanai Maadam” – i.e., the shape looks like the back of a sleeping elephant
3. Intricate work of chola pillars and inscriptions in the rear circular base of Gaja Brishtam almost in every temple
Amongst the virtual temple darshan, she covered the Thirumazhisai temples - Sri Othaandeswarar temple and Jagannatha Perumal temple. And the next was the Kovur temple, near Porur.
Kovur Shri Sundareeswarar temple was built in 7th century and the main highlight was that Saint Thyagaraja visited this temple. He even composed 5 krithis called the “Kovur Pancharathnam”. The outer gopuram of this temple has sculptures of incidents from Thyagarajar’s life.
In addition to the above, she also introduced us to the Pallava rock cut temples, built by Mahendra Pallava. Mahendravarma also called as “Vichitra Veeryan” was initially a Jain and got converted in to a saivaite by Appar. He is said to have specialized in constructing rock-cut temples – i.e., unique way of temple architecture without using brick or mortal or granite!
The highlighted temple was the famous “Singaperumal Kovil” – where the temple and the deity is carved out of a small hillock (Like Pillayarpatti, Thiruparankundram etc). The Lord is known as “ Sri Paatalaadri Narasimhar”. Whoever wants to do a pradikshanam around the temple has to actually go around the small hillock as Giri Pradhakshinam. The deity has three eyes (Netri Kann) which is showed during the aarthi.
The next interesting temple was right in the middle of our chaotic city, Koyambedu – The ancient Koyambedu shivan temple which has beautiful sculptures and pillars like rama doing abhiskhem for shiva, Dasabuja Ravananan, Sarbeswarar, Veerabadra etc.,
Lots of interesting Trivia :
1. The River Yamuna’s vahanam is Makara, while Yamuna’s is Tortoise
2. Veerabadra was born out of the sweat of an angry shiva when he heard about Dakshyani’s sacrifice and the one who slayed Daksha.
3. Do check out the Veerabhadra Swamy’s bronze @ The Broze gallery of Madras museum
4. Pallava pillars are very tall and the upper most design is like that of Plaintain flowers/tree
She is such a treasure house of information on temple architecture, epigraphy and history; She is an M.Phil Indian history, Doctorate in Sanskrit inscriptions of TN, has authored books on “ History and culture of Tamil Nadu” and also a guest faculty in Kalakshretra for the arts management at Dakshin Chitra.
Dr. Chithra highlighted about the great Chola heritage and what they have left for us in Tamilnadu – She mentioned that Cholas have touched nook and corner of villages in TN and of course with significant giant monuments like Thanjavur temple, Darasuram or Gangai konda chola puram - Chennai also has a number of Chola temples in Porur, Padi.
She gave glimpses on the main characteristics of a chola temple :
1. The base structure of the gopuram is always in granite and the super structure in brick and mortar
2. The sanctum is built in a circular base and is termed “Gaja Brishtam” or “Thoongaanai Maadam” – i.e., the shape looks like the back of a sleeping elephant
3. Intricate work of chola pillars and inscriptions in the rear circular base of Gaja Brishtam almost in every temple
Amongst the virtual temple darshan, she covered the Thirumazhisai temples - Sri Othaandeswarar temple and Jagannatha Perumal temple. And the next was the Kovur temple, near Porur.
Kovur Shri Sundareeswarar temple was built in 7th century and the main highlight was that Saint Thyagaraja visited this temple. He even composed 5 krithis called the “Kovur Pancharathnam”. The outer gopuram of this temple has sculptures of incidents from Thyagarajar’s life.
In addition to the above, she also introduced us to the Pallava rock cut temples, built by Mahendra Pallava. Mahendravarma also called as “Vichitra Veeryan” was initially a Jain and got converted in to a saivaite by Appar. He is said to have specialized in constructing rock-cut temples – i.e., unique way of temple architecture without using brick or mortal or granite!
The highlighted temple was the famous “Singaperumal Kovil” – where the temple and the deity is carved out of a small hillock (Like Pillayarpatti, Thiruparankundram etc). The Lord is known as “ Sri Paatalaadri Narasimhar”. Whoever wants to do a pradikshanam around the temple has to actually go around the small hillock as Giri Pradhakshinam. The deity has three eyes (Netri Kann) which is showed during the aarthi.
The next interesting temple was right in the middle of our chaotic city, Koyambedu – The ancient Koyambedu shivan temple which has beautiful sculptures and pillars like rama doing abhiskhem for shiva, Dasabuja Ravananan, Sarbeswarar, Veerabadra etc.,
Lots of interesting Trivia :
1. The River Yamuna’s vahanam is Makara, while Yamuna’s is Tortoise
2. Veerabadra was born out of the sweat of an angry shiva when he heard about Dakshyani’s sacrifice and the one who slayed Daksha.
3. Do check out the Veerabhadra Swamy’s bronze @ The Broze gallery of Madras museum
4. Pallava pillars are very tall and the upper most design is like that of Plaintain flowers/tree
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