Evolution of Temples in Tamilnadu - 1

Tamilnadu is abundantly blessed with a lot of temples. Temples in Tamilnadu are famous for their historical, spiritual aspects and mythological associations with the Puranas and Itihasa. The main reason for such abundant growth of temples and its worship in Tamilnadu has come a long way and many Kings of different dynasties have innovated and patronized this custom of constructing temples in various forms and sizes.

Front Facade of the Lower-Rock-Cut-Shrine, Trichy

If we closely study and understand the temples, the holistic approach and usage of this divine cultural space, it forms a whole ecosystem that provides (still providing) a livelihood for thousands of people. A Temple is not just a place of worship. It is a whole ecosystem that had survived and still thriving beyond a millennium. Temple as a whole is a socio-cultural recreational space. In the first place, constructing a temple means providing a job for the Sthapatis/the sculptors. They were well-paid and patronized for their craftsmanship, keeping in mind that we are always moved by the skills they possessed a thousand years ago. Because of temples, art forms like dance, music and folklores were patronized. Temples were the perfect medium through which art forms were understood by common people.

Other untold art forms that needed understanding and skills like decorations during the festivals (be it floral decoration as well as the decoration done by the priest within the sanctum and for the processional deities) were celebrated. Other ritualistic practices like chanting of the Vedas and other sacred hymns during an occasion were taken care. This in turn made divine literature in Tamilnadu like the sacred Thevaram, Divyaprabhandam and other important poems flourish with the help of various cultural institutions patronizing it.

Gangadharamurthy/Mahendravarman - Upper Rock-Cut-Shrine, Trichy

Now coming back to Temple architecture, In the Sangam literature of Tamil, we have a lot of references to temples that were built of perishable materials like wood, bricks, thatched roofs etc. Then came the ever intelligent Mahendravarma Pallavan of the Pallava dynasty. In the cave temple at Mandagapattu, he inscribes that he’s built the temple out of non-perishable material (i.e. Rock). He also inscribed that he didn’t use wood, bricks, metal nor mortar. While Mandagapattu cave temple being the Northernmost, Lalitankura Pallaveswara Gruham at the Trichy rockfort is the southernmost cave temple of Pallavas in Tamilnadu. There is a common claim by scholars that the Pillayarpatti cave temple constructed by the Pandyas were the first rock-cut cave temple. But for now, we are not getting into this debatable topic. 

Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple

Tamilnadu houses hosts many rock-cut cave temples built by Pallavas, Pandiyas and Muttaraiyars in which the Pallava rock-cut cave temples being beautiful and famous among the others. Pallava Kings can be rightfully called the pioneers of the evolution of temple architecture in Tamilnadu, for their innovative contributions. Cave temples were the initial development in Tamilnadu’s temple architecture during the early 7^th century CE. Narasimhavarman I, son of Mahendravarman started experimenting the concept of “monolithic” structures, which are now known as “Pancha Pandava Rathas” at the Mamallapuram.

Another marvelous development took place when Rajasimha Pallavan decided to build a structural temple, which is now popularly known as the Kailasanathar Temple (685-705 CE). This, being the oldest structural temple existing in Tamilnadu is built of sandstone. The temple has seen 3 layers of development or additions. The central sanctum built by Rajasimha Pallavan, then the sanctum in front of the central shrine built by Mahendravarman II and the dedicatory shrines in the front of the complex were built by the Pallava queens. One remarkable evolution here in this temple is the main entrance. The first ever two-level Rajagopuram is seen here. For me, this temple is a sandstone marvel and the oldest treasure trove of sculptural panels. It also shelters the remnants of paintings of the Pallava period.

 

Vaikunda Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram.

Parameswaravarman further added to this huge development by building the Vaikunta Perumal temple aka Parameswara Vinnagaram. The central shrine has three storeys and in each storey, different forms of Lord Vishnu has a sanctum. The ground floor shelters Lord Vishnu in sitting posture, in the first floor the reclining posture and in the second floor the standing posture of Lord Vishnu is placed. Currently the sculpture in the second floor is absent. Another interesting fact about this temple is the sculptural panels in the circumambulatory passage. These panels depicts the whole history of the Pallava Dynasty as well as few panels depicts the Puranic stories. 

 If you had observed that temples in Kanchipuram, especially the ones which are historically old doesn’t have a separate shrine dedicated to Ambal/Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva unlike its commonly seen in the temples that were built later. This notable addition came into existence only during the later Chola period (as the scholars term this period).

Dedicatory Shrines in front of the Kanchi Kailasanatha Temple

Pallavas were innovative enough to establish a standard for building temples in Tamilnadu. Along with the temple architecture, Tamil literature saw a significant growth. Many saints and poets sang hymns in praise of Lord Shiva and Vishnu. The Shaivite quartet sang Thevaram and the Vaishnavite Azhwars sang Diyvaprabandham. All these literature were praised and patronized by the Kings throughout different generations from 6^th-8^th Century CE. Cholas who rose to power in the 9^th century further understood the importance and sweetness of this literature which beautifully describe what Bhakti is. We’ll briefly look about the greatest contributions of the Cholas in the next blog post.

Yours East Gaterr