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Narthamalai Vishnu Rock Cut Temple

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இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: நார்த்தாமலை விஷ்ணு குடைவரை கோவில் ‎

Narthamalai Vishnu Rock Cut Temple - Full View
Narthamalai Vishnu Rock Cut Temple - Adhisthana

The Narthamalai Vishnu Kudaivara Temple is located in the Kulathur taluk of Pudukkottai district. The temple, which is known by various names such as Samanar Kudagu, Thirumer Kovil, and Pathinen Bhoomi Vinnagaram, was built in the 7th century CE.

Introduction

The Narthamalai Vishnu Temple is located in the Kulathur taluk of Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu. There is no information available about who built this 7th century CE temple. Based on the inscriptions available in the temple, the structure and history of it were studied and written in the 20th century. Currently, this temple is under the custody of the Archaeological Survey of India.

There is no main deity in the temple. Details about the temple's Agama traditions, Sthala Puranas, and literary evidence are not available.

Location

Narthamalai Vishnu Rock Cut Temple is located in the town of Narthamalai, 19.5 kilometers northwest of Pudukkottai railway station and 40 kilometers south of Trichy railway station.

To the northwest of the town, the hill, Melamalai, stretches from north to south. On the eastern side of this hill is the Vishnu Rock Cut temple.

History

The primary historical information about the Vishnu Rock Cut Temple in Narthamalai has been compiled by historians K.R. Venkatarama Iyer, S.R. Balasubramaniam and D. Dayalan. Information about the temple has been gathered from the inscriptions found inside the temple and in the Narthamalai village.

Present name of the village, Narthamalai, is believed to have come from the name 'Nagarathar Malai'. Nagaram was an association of merchants who lived in the village. This association was also the local governing body that looked after public works such as administering temple properties, examining tax exemption of lands, and recording land transfer details in registers. The members of this association were called Nagarathar[1].

The sanctum sanctorum was built in the 7th century CE. Mahamandapa and Mukhamandapa of the temple were built during later date.

Initially a Jain Rock Cut temple (Samanar Kudagu), it was converted into a Vaishnava temple during the reign of Kulothunga Chola I (1115 CE) and was known as Thirumer Kovil. Karumanicka Alwar was worshipped as the main deity. After 100 years, during the reign of Maravarma Sundara Pandian (1228 CE), the deity was re-enshrined and worshipped as Pathinen Bhoomi Vinnagara Peruman. It is now known as Vishnu Rock Cut temple.

Views from Scholars
Narthamalai Vishnu Rock Cut Temple - Sanctum Pedestal
Vishnu's Bas reliefs in Ardhamandapa
Vishnu's Bas relief in Ardhamandapa
Viyalavari Sculptures - Elephant
Viyalavari Sculptures - Yali, Inscription
Viyalavari Sculptures - Elephant, Yali and Inscription
Viyalavari Sculptures - Yali

S.R. Balasubramaniam studied and recorded the inscription of Kulothunga Chola I (1115 CE)'s 45th year of the reign, in the Adhisthana of the Mahamandapa. Since the inscription is located in the narrow spaces of the Adhisthana elements, the inscription must have been engraved prior to the construction of the Adhisthana. Accordingly, the year 1115 CE when the inscription was written, can be taken as the year of Mahamandapa construction. S.R. Balasubramaniam states that the temple was renovated almost a century later during the reign of Maravarma Sundara Pandiyan (1228 CE).

According to S.R. Balasubramaniam, this temple, which was previously a Jain temple, was converted into a Vishnu Rock Cut temple during the reign of Kulothunga Chola I in 1115 CE.

However, K.R. Venkatarama Iyer disputes somewhat with this, arguing that Thirumer Kovil may have been somewhere else during Kulothunga Chola's rule and that the temple might have been demolished a century later. The broken portions of Thirumer Kovil were brought in and the Mandapa of this Rock Cut temple was constructed during the reign of Maravarma Sundara Pandian (1228 CE). According to K.R. Venkatarama Iyer, Pathinen Bhoomi Vinnagaram, the primary deity of the Thirumer Kovil, must have been erected in this Rock Cut temple and worshipped there. A trading association known as "Ainnuruvar" that inhabited eighteen villages may be referenced by the term Pathinen Bhoomi Vinnagaram. The local governing body 'Nagaram' may have collaborated with this Ainnuruvar association, he adds.

According to K.R. Venkatarama Iyer, this temple, which was initially a Jain Rock Cut temple, was converted into a Vishnu Rock Cut temple during the reign of Maravarma Sundarapandiyan in 1228 CE.

Mythology

During the Rama vs Ravana war in Sri Lanka, Hanuman brought the Sanjeevi mountain located atop the Himalayas, to Sri Lanka in order to treat wounds of the soldiers. It is believed that the small hills that fell from the mountain when it was carried back from Sri Lanka are the hills surrounding the village of Narthamalai. It is considered that these hills are rich in herbal plants and are hence a place frequented by doctors.

According to the Perungalur Sthala Purana, this village was initially named 'Naradar Malai' after the sage Narada and later changed to Narthamalai.

Deities

Main Deity

There is no main deity in the temple. Sculptures of Vishnu are found in the Ardhamandapa.

Temple Architecture

The sanctum sanctorum and Ardhamandapa of the Vishnu Rock Cut Temple in Narthamalai are carved out of rock. The sanctum sanctorum faces east. The granite-built Mahamandapa stands next to the Ardhamandapa.

To the right of this Rock Cut temple, there is another temple Narthamalai Shiva Rock Cut Temple on the same rock. Directly opposite to these two temples is Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, the granite temple .

Sanctum Sanctorum

The sanctum sanctorum, carved out of rock, is rectangular in shape, measuring 3.1 meters long and 2.7 meters wide. The entrance to the sanctum sanctorum is 1.2 meters wide and 2 meters high.

Inside, there is only a pedestal without the deity. This pedestal, carved from the same rock, is square in shape and 26 centimeters high. In the center of the pedestal, there is a circular cavity-like structure for placing the idol.

Ardhamandapa

Ardhamandapa, standing next to the sanctum sanctorum, is also carved out of rock. The Ardhamandapa is rectangular in shape, measuring 11.5 meters long, 1.8 meters wide and 3 meters high.

Two large full pillars and two half pillars with a cut structure Potika stand in front of the Ardhamandapa. The pillars are square in shape. Only one pillar in the northern part shows signs of an attempt to build a square cut structure.

Vishnu sculptures are carved in relief on the Ardhamandapa's walls. Ten sculptures of Vishnu are located on the sanctum sanctorum's entrance walls, five on the left and five on the right, and two more are positioned on the adjacent walls facing each other, making a total of twelve sculptures. These identical sculptures are believed to represent the 12 forms of Vishnu, namely Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu, Madhusudhana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhar, Rishikesh, Padmanabha and Damodhara. Based on the sculptural style, D. Dayalan infers that these might have been sculpted in the 8th or 9th century CE.

Each Vishnu sculpture stands two meters tall, has four arms, and is supported by a lotus pedestal. Two front hands are in Abhaya hasta and Kati hasta. Two hind hands hold the conch and prayoga chakra. Along with a kirita makuta in head, sculptures are with embellishments such as Makara Kundala, Kantikai, Sarapali, Utara Bandham, Idaikattu, and Kadaga. Pearl strings adorn the Yagnopaveetham, the sacred thread that runs from Vishnu's left shoulder to his right waist. Additionally, the shoulder strap is embellished with elaborate artistic designs. From Vishnu's waist to his feet, a silk fabric is draped in precisely folded patterns.

Mahamandapa, Mukhamandapa

Mahamandapa and Mukhamandapa, built of granite, currently have the Adhisthana only. Inferring from the inscriptions and other damaged parts, these structures must have been a complete mandapa with pillars and a roof in the past. These mandapas were built during the reign of Kulothunga Chola I (1115 CE).

Adhisthana consists of elements such as Upana, Jagati, Vrutthakumuda, Vyalavari, Kanta, Kambu and Patika. Adhisthana is 1.8 meters high. The vyalavari has sculptures of lions, elephants, kamadenu and yali. There are sculptures of lion, elephant, kamadenu, and yali in the Vyalavari. On the edges of Vyalavari are sculptures of warriors seated on yali and soldiers emerging from the mouth of yali.

A small Mukhamandapa that stands next to the Mahamandapa has the same height as the Mahamandapa and has the similar elements.

In the Mahamandapa, independent sculptures, in broken state, like Sapta Mata, elephant-faced Thorana, Dakshinamurthy, Dvarapalaka, lion, and elephant are available.

List of Sculptures

The Narthamalai Vishnu Rock Cut Temple has independent sculptures of Dvarapalaka, Sapta Mata, Dakshinamurthy, Lion, and Elephant, as well as 12 sculptures of Vishnu in relief.

Inscriptions

Chola Period Inscriptions
  • An inscription dated to the forty-fifth regnal year (1115 CE) of Kulothunga Chola I (1070 - 1118 CE) is found in the Adhisthana of the Mahamandapa. This 54-line, damaged and incomplete Tamil inscription begins with the auspicious word Swasthi Sri. The inscription speaks of an agreement made by the 'Nagarathar' of the Telugu Kulakalapuram with a merchant named 'Mudikonda Chola Telungai Arayan' of that village. This agreement is for the daily offering of the Karumanicka Azhwar, the main deity of the Thirumerkovil. According to this, Mudikonda Chola Telungai Arayan was to give 75 kalams of paddy to the temple annually from the land he had conditioned. It is also stated that this land should be exempted from tax and considered as donated for temple..
  • The main notes found in the inscription are: sempon veerasingasanathu avani muluthudayalodu veetruntharliya kovi rajakesari panmrana thiripuvana chakravarthy sri kulothunga chola devar, irattaappadi konda cholavala naatu anna vayil kuttrthu telungu kulakalapurathu, thirumerkovil, karumanikka azhwar, thiruppadi maatru, vyapari devan periyanaana mudikonda chola telungai arayan, kudikkadu, kudineenga devathanamaga, kalam.[2]
Pandya Period Inscriptions
  • On the rock to the north of the temple is an inscription dated to the twelfth reign (1228 CE) of Maravarma Sundara Pandiyan (1216 - 1238 CE). This Tamil inscription, consisting of 31 lines, mentions the installation of the God Pathinen Bhoomi Vinnagara Peruman and His consort in the Thirumerkovil. The 'Nagarathar' of the Telungu Kulakalapuram donated 5 ma 3 kaani land tax-free for the daily offerings and pujas of the temple. The inscription speaks in detail about the boundaries of this land and the amount of paddy to be given to the temple from this land. It is mentioned that the male family should give 180 paise and the female family 200 paise as a donation to the temple at the time of marriage and that 120 paise should be given to the temple again when the bride goes to her husband's house. Symbols have been used to indicate land, paddy, vessel, etc.
  • The main points found in the inscription are: Sonadu valangiaruliya sri Sundarapandiya devar, irrattapaadi konda cholavala naatu Telinga kulakalapuramana Kulothunga Chola Pattinathu, innagarathu, Pathinen Bhoomi Vinnagara Emperumaniyum, Thirupponagathuku, Kudininga Thiruvudayattamaga, samaiyavallavar, Mukkani, Irandu Maakani, Murukkurudaiyar, Mavarikani, irupathyiru kalamum, Kanjirangudaiyan, ulagalantha Cholasila setti, nagarathar, poyya mozhicheti, manavandar kudikkatu kulamum vayalum, iraikudimai, thirupanikudalaga vaithu kodutha parisavathu, kannalathuku, aadu, kidayul, aadaikaasu enbadu kidai kaasu noorum, pen pillaigl, anukkasilai chetti, marungala naatu, azhakiya pandiya silai chetti, vallanattu, seyangkonda silai chetti[3].

Related Personalities

  • According to the inscriptions at the Vishnu Rock Cut temple in Narthamalai, members of the local governing body 'Nagarathar' are known to have built and renovated the temple.
  • The modern period historians who compiled historical studies on the Vishnu Rock Cut Temple in Narthamalai are S.R. Balasubramaniam, K. Venkataranga Raju, K.R. Venkatarama Iyer and D. Dayalan.

References

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Narttamali and Its Temples by by S.R. Balasubrahmanyam and K. Venkataranga Raju : Journal of Oriental Research - VII - Page 351 to 358
  2. ↑ This is an unpublished inscription in the Inscription texts of Pudukottai District. Recorded by S.R. Balasubrahmanyam and K. Venkataranga Raju in Journal of Oriental Research - VIII after studying the inscriptions, Refer to: Journal of Oriental Research - VIII - Page 27 to 28
  3. ↑ Inscriptions (Texts) of the Pudukottai State Published by Authority Inscription no.: 281, Page no.: 162

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✅Finalised Page

First published on: 11-Mar-2025, 20:24:55 IST

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