CHAPTER – V

TEMPLE SCULPTURES AND INSCRIPTIONS

Sculpture is called silpa. The Indian construction of sculpture begins from

the Pre-Ariyan period. The Hindu believes about the World’s creation is that when

the creator, Brahmá first brings it into existence?

INDIAN SCULPTURE

Arts are said to be sixty – four in number; “Aya kalaikal Arupattunangu is

an of quoted saying. The most prominent of them are painting, sculpture, dance,

music and poetry. Primitive man danced in ecstasy as an emotional outburst at

times of peril and pleasure. Music came to occupy an integral part of dance later.

The world kalai in Tamil and kala in Sanskrit are the equivalents of the

English word, Art. In samgam poetry, Kalai connoted deer as well as its horns. It

is also used to mean wide knowledge – paranta arrivu. In the Cilpadhikaram, kalai

is used to mean body in the word kalaiyilan he without a body. Kallvi-education is

derived from kal meaning read. Karpu-chastity, kalai-art are also derived from kal.

Kala in sanskrit it derived from kal, which means spreading. Whatever be the

original of kalai in Tamil and kala is sanskrit, art may be taken to mean all that is

beautiful, serene and elevating.

Sculpture is one among the fine arts. This sculpture has its rules laid down

in the sastras. The sastras are the science of sculptures and Architecture. There are

many sastras mentions the rule for the creations of the images are called silpa

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sastras though they have mentioned the Architecture. The images or the Silpa is

the form of object. The images of Divine Beigns, human, animals and natural

things have to be made as sculptures. Sculptures have been classified into major

classifications, as bass-reliefs sculptures which is scooped out of rock, stone, wood

or any other materials. One portion of the images is visible while the other portion

is attached with the material where it is carved generally called bass-relief

sculptures or relics.

The kind of sculptures on the basis of erection is called rounded-sculptures.

In this form of sculptures, all the portions are noticed, or visible.

Apart from these classifications, there are also:-

Stone Sculptures, Metal Sculptures, Wooden Sculptures, Stucco Sculptures,

Terracotta’s, Ivory carvings and Sand Sculptures etc., on the basis of material.

Hindu temples in Pudukkóttai are the treasure-house of sculptures. There

are many forms of a single deity is noticed in the same temple. The Śiva temple

has various aspects of Lord Śiva while the Vaishnavaite temples have the idols of

Vishnu and his ten incarnations. Apart from the presiding deties there are

innumarble idols of miner deities, Alwars, Nayanmars and the Donors, The King

and royal patrons.

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DEVELOPMENT OF SCULPTURE IN EARLY PERIOD OF TAMILNADU

PALLAVA :

The Pallavas should be considered as a power that enriched that tradition

by incorporating foreign influences from other equally vital centers of Dravidian

art at Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Badami and Vengi.

The Gangádhara panel in the upper cave at Tiruchy is a fine piece of art of

the days of Pallava Mahéndravarman I (7th century A.D.). At Mamállapuram we

have a large number of picture-galleries. The icons and portraits on the

Dharmaraja and the Arjuna rathas, the two sets of rotal portraits in the Adi-Varáha

cave temple, the spirited battle scene in the Mahishásuramardini cave, Varáha

uplifting Bhúdevi in the Varáha cave, the pastoral life depicted in the Govardhana

cave, and above all, the devas, men and animáls (elephants, lions, monkeys and

cats in different moods, postures and activities) sculptured in the ‘Fresco in stone’,

the Ganga-avatarana panel these are among the grandest in art.

CHOLA

This great tradition is carried on to further heights of glory by the Cholas.

The continuity of this movement is as much astonishing and wonderful as it is

varied and widely distributed. “But excepting certain Chola statuary of the

eleventh century, which is pre-eminently excellent, the southern figure sculpture

does not often attain high quality1. In quantity, it is enormous, the gigantic temples

and halls characteristic of the Dravidian kingdoms being commonly over-loaded

1
Smith.V.A, “History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon”, New Delhi, 1985, p.119.

130
with sculptured ornament in every member. Mythological subjects from the

Puranas and Tantras are the favourite, and the tendency is to treat the conception

of a luxuriant mythology with exuberant fancy. The result to often is merely

grotesque, and very few of the individual images can claim to be beautiful. The

sculpture of the south is really the successor of its mediaeval art of the north. The

figure sculpture is purely iconographical and executed exactly according to literary

canon.”

VIJAYALAYA

The earliest Chola sculpture is the icon of Nisumbha-sudani a broken image

of perhaps the original temple of Nisumbhasudani built at Tanjavur by Vijayálaya

Chola2 himself. It is a fine spirited image. Next, we have the Saptamátrika group

of the original parivara-alaya, and the Nrsimha and Vinadhara images (vimana-

devatas) of the Vijayálaya chóliśvaram at NárttáMálai.

ÁDITYA I

Some of the unidentified sculptures of the Koranganatha temple at

Śrinivasanallur are some of the best productions of this age. In the sublimity of

expression, the delicacy of chiseling and elegant ornamentation, they have their

counterpart in the Nagesvara temple at Kumbakonam. Represent the sculptured

achievements of the sthapathis during the closing period of the reign of Áditya I in

Tondaimandalam, far from the heartland of the traditional Chola desa. Perhaps the

2
Balasubramaniyam.S.R., “Early Chola Architecture”, Madras, 1974, p.43.

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last phase of sculptural attainment in Áditya I’s age can be seen in the devakoshta

figures of the Tirumulasthanattup-perumanadigal at Tirukka-lukkunram.

PARANTAKA I

The noblest artistic expression of Parántaka I time is found in the

devakoshta sculptures of the Brahmápurisvarar temple at Pullamangai Ganapati,

Durga, Lingódbhavar, and Brahmá (Dakshinamúrti is inaccessible) are gems of art

. Naltunai Iśvaram at Punjai and the Muvarkóvil at Kodumbálúr which come next

in chronological order have to be assigned to the period of Sundara Chola and

Áditya II. The sculptures of Pullamangai are slender and elegant resembling those

of the Nagesvarar temple at Kumbakonam, whereas those of Erumbur are heavy

and well-built, similar to those of Punjai.

The Muvarkóvil at Kodumbálúr however stands apart, and has intrigued

students of art for nearly half a century. There is greater resemblance between the

sculptures of Pullamangai and Kodumbálúr. Viewed from the basic facts of history

and Paleography, Bhuti Vikrama Kesari the builder of the Muvarkóvil, has to be

assigned to the latter half of the tenth century A.D. Barrett calls it “a late lingering

of (his) phase I style of art out of the main stream of development near the Chola

court”. Gangádhara, Kalarimúrti, Gajasamharamúrti and Ardhanariśvarar reveal an

attractive conception of life and beauty, delightful delineation and charming

flexion.

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UTTAMA CHOLA

The last phase of the Early Chola period is represented by the stone-

sculptures of the period of Uttama Chola when under the inspiration and guidance

of his queen-mother Sembiyan Mahadevi, great encouragement was given to

temple-building and to the art of sculpture. Now metal images received greater

attention and patronage with the result that stone-images became stereotyped and

lost much of their individuality and originality of the earlier period.

SYMBOLS OF SCULPTURES

Plato defines: "we believe that when we worship the imagesthe Gods are

kindly and well-disposed towards us"3. The temple in India is designed to serve

many purposes social, economic, aesthetic, and religious. The religious interest of

the temple consists in its being a dwelling for an icon and the images that are

sought to be evoked by the icon. The icon is to the temple what the spirit is to the

body, and images are like the vital currents that relate the body with the spirit. The

icon-makers work in a traditional framework, and their artistic abilities are

channelled in well-defined modes of expression which are relevant to the images

associated with the icons. The variety of Indian icons acquires meaning only in a

polytheistic context. It is a fact, often ignored, that Indian polytheism does not

militate against the deeper philosophical conviction of monotheism, even monism.

This apparently paradoxical detail has not been widely appreciated because

3
Hocking, “The Meaning of God in Hindu Experience”, New Delhi, 2000, P. 321.

133
scholars and critics, not rooted in the temple tradition, tend to stop at the icons and

do not inquire into the relevant images which are stylized in the Agama texts.

Hocking W.E. States, "as bodies are reflected in mirrors so incorporeal things are

reflected in bodies, and the intelligble Kosmos is reflected in the sensible Kosmos.

Therefore, my king, worship the statues of the God's, seeing that statues too have

in them forms which come from the intelligble kosmos"4.

According to Hermeneia of Athos "all honour that we pray the image, we

refer to the Archetype, namely Him whose image it is…… In no wise honour we

the colors or the art, but the archetype in Christ, who is in heaven" 5. "Worship me

in the symbols and images which remind thee of me"6. "By the visible aspect, our

thought must be caught up in a spiritual suge and rise to the invisible majesty of

God”7. "It is for the advantage of the worshippers and not by any intrinsic that

Brahma –whose nature is intelligence beside whom there is no other, who is

impartite and incorporeal is aspectually conceived rupa-Kalpana"8. The simple

folk were led into error by this …..for instead of regarding those sensible

expressions as an image they took them for the truth itself9. The result of this was

that the masses become idolaters, where as philosophers for the most part,

continued to have a correct idea of unity of God, as can be attested to by anyone

who has carefully read the ancient philosophers and cicere's. "De Doorum Nabural

4
Ibid., PP. 324 - 325
5
Sir Mad Bhagavandam, IXth capter.
6
Ibid., IXth capter
7
Ramopanisad Agarwal, “ Gaek Watt’s oriental series” ,No. 25.
8
Kera, H, “The Brahat – Sambita of Varahamihira”, P. 17.
9
Ibid., P.P. 19-20

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Nicholas of Cusa Pichres," means that ornaments in Churches are the lessons and

the scriptures of the deity10. when Gregory denotes, "it is one thing to adore a

picture, and another by means of a picture historically to learn what should be

adored …. We worship not images, nor account to them to be God's, nor put any

hope of salvation in them; for that were idolatry. Yet we adore them for the

memory and rememberance of things done long ago”11.

Historical perspective of iconographic involvement in India has been

continuous at least for about seven thousand years now. The iconic specimens are

found in the sites of the Indus valley Civilization. The descriptive hymns dealing

with iconic conceptions in the Rig-veda provide background, for the nation-wide

iconographic tradition that has held the field till this day. The art form that

developed in the north-western region during the days when the Indian princes

repulsed the invasions of the Greek generals has been called 'Gandhara' after the

name of the region12.

Although this art-form is heavily Greeko-Roman, it did not materialize here

when the Greeks were in the ascendant. It is only when the Indian princes under

the leadership of the Mauryan prince Chandraguptha of Magadha around 340 B.C.

assumed control over the area, allowing the Greeks to reside here as citizens. The

Greek sculptures and artisans were encouraged to exhibit their artistic talent and

temperament. They found it expedient to integrate the Hellenistic craft with the

10
William Durandus, “The Treasury of Traditional Wisdom”. P. 372.
11
Frederic. L, “The Temples and sculptures of south East Asia”, New Delhi, 1996, p.71.
12
Ibid., P. 73.

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Indian idiom, and this is how Gandhara art was born. The Greek sculpture had an

eye for the human figure; he had a penchant anatomical perfection. He treated

God's as robust and prepossessing humans, modelling the body as realistically as

possible. He introduced the detail of drapery in a conspicuous manner 13. The

Gandhara artist shared this love of the perfect human form, and the tendency

towards naturalism14. We have a large number of Buddha and Bodhisattva images,

both large and small, in relief as well as in the round, answering to the Gandhara

type in Texila, Peshawar, Baniyan where there is a colossal statue of Buddha

measuring 50 feet in height carved on a rock face, Hadda and Jalalabadall in the

Gandhara region of those days. The statues are designed as if they were meant to

be accommadated in an architectural pattern, although free-standing statues of

those days are not rare. But Gandhara art is notoriously impersonal. The artists

were commissioned to execute works on Buddhist monuments by Indian patrons,

especially by the kushana princes15. It is unlikely that the artists had much

sympathy for the Buddhist themes that they asked to handle. This becomes evident

by the rigidity of most of the statues belonging to this period. The Buddha images

of the Gandhara type are more portraits than icons; they scarcely suggest a

transcendental feeling or the divine element. That is why the Gandhara art was

short-lived; and it disappeared after sixty or seventy years, leaving no lineage and

13
Goetz. H, “India-Five Thousand years of Indian Art”, New Delhi, 1985, P.97.
14
Ibid., P. 98
15
Harle. J.C, “Gupta sculpture ” , New Delhi, 1997, P. 194.

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no impact16. The early Buddhist monastic settlements were chiefly cenobiums, and

did not accommodate any iconic worship of the Buddha, although the lay-folk that

supported these-settlements were given to the worship of numerous spirits and

demi-Gods17. Even when the Buddha images were made, as in the Gandhara

period, they were intended more as works of art than as objects of worship. The

relic- worship and the worship of symbolic representations like foot-print, bodhi-

tree, and umbrella were in vogue from early times. When the theme of the

Buddha's life and career caught the fancy of sculptures, especially inspired by the

Hellenistic models, it was the narrative aspect that was dominant. During the latter

part of the second century, Nagarjunakonda in the south, a celebrated Buddhist

centre of Mahayana persuation, witnessed the transformation from the iniconic

representation of the Buddha18. A section of the Buddhist monastic assembly, the

mahasaughikas, favoured iconic worship in the shrines of common devotion in

opposition to the more conservation Mahisasakas who were against both the shrine

idea and iconic representation of the Buddha although in course of time they

conceded the former. The art-form that emphasized the Indian idiom and tempered

the Hellinistic realism with idealistic symbolism that was indigenous to India was

the one that developed in the city of Mathura, about fifty miles south east of Delhi,

when the Gandhara-style was half-way through its carreer19. Mathura, under the

Kushanas, did an important trade-centre and attracted large concourses of

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mercantile people owe all eligance to different religious orders. Craftsmen, skilled

in local style of making stylized stone and metallic icons of folk.

God's, Buddhist and jain deities, plied a busy trade. Preparations of icons

for money and sale of icons were known even to patanjali. Mathura icons now

became popular all over the country and even abroad. The great demand

necessitated the mass manufacture of icons. The iconography that originated at

Mathura during this period developed and attained maturity in the golden age of

the Guptas20. It is interesting that the city of Mathura in those days was frequented

by merchants, generals and noble men from central Asia; and other parts of

Northern India especially from Indus Valley, Taxila, Gujarat gulf etc21. And there

were four centuries, in the city generous sprinkling of more or less resident

foreigners; Greeks of Bactoria, saythians of central Asia, parthians of Iran and

Kushnas of Mongolia22. The craftsmen of Mathura were thus exposed to numerous

extra-India influences. Notwithstanding this circumstance, they evolved an

iconographic style that was perfectly indigeneous and that was in complete accord

with the idiom that is illustrated in the canonical texts. After a phase of initial

development, the ubsequent period saw a large number of canonical works in

Sanskrit in the nature of iconography manuals23. It was about the same time that

temples also began to be built in a manner that was different from the stupa

20
Vichnot.O., “ Temples de.1’ inde centrale et occidentale,” P. 63
21
Rawson. P. “ The Art of South East Asia,” New Delhi, 1989, P. 141
22
Ibid., p.141
23
Op.cit., p.142.

138
chaitya or vihara24. It was about the same time too that the Bhagavata cult was

making headway in the main land of India. And it was about the same time that

the nucleus of the puranas had been formed and the myths and legends of God's

were becoming popular. The folk deities as well as the divinities of the

sophisticated classes had risen to importance; they needed elaborate shrines and

complicated rituals of worship. Agama as the prescriptive temple-literature took

shape in answer to this demand. There was already an Agama corpus in Tamil. It

had got formed during the early centuries before and after Christ25. The Vedic hold

had an extended slackened, and the Tantrik-framework gradually assumed

considerable importance. Worship in a temple is of course not a Vedic idea. There

were no temples even in the earlier Indus valley phase, although there were house-

hold icons26. Now the elaborate Vedic rituals and sacrifices as community affairs

receeded to the background, and the temple as a public place of worship were

taking its place27. There is a curious inscription found in Ghosundi near chittor

belonging to the second century B.C., which mentions that the king Gayayan, a

Bhavata who had also performed an Asvamedha sacrifice, got a temple, now

Narayanavatika for Vasudeva and samkarshana. The inscription suggests the co-

existence of Vedic rituals of a collective nature and the temple as a religious

24
Agarwal Gaekwad. V.S, Vastu Sastra – Samaranganasutradhara , oriental series
25
Ibid., p. 84.
26
Popatbhai Ambashankar Mankad, Aparajtaprc has , Series No. CXV, P.68.
27
Nagari inscriptioin.

139
institution during the initial phases of this transformation. It was in this context

that the Agama developed28.

The Bhagavata cult, which advocated devotion to the iconic representation

of Vishnu, encouraged the building of public shrines. Even in the first century

A.D., we have an inscriptional reference to a 'sacred shrine' at Mathura dedicated

to the 'Worshipful vasudeva, During the reign of the saka satrapredesha,. son of

Rajuvala; we have also references to "the icons of the five worshipful heroes of the

Vrishni clan" installed in this shrine29.

The cult became wide-spread during the rule of the early Gupta Kings.

Samudragupta performed an asvamedha sacrifice, but his son Chandraguptha II

styled himself a " Parana Bhavata "30. The Varaha Vishnu temple in Udayagiri

near Bhilsa was a Bhagavata shrine of 402 A.D. A rock inscription dated 404 A.D.

at Mandsor by Mara – varmah, a feudatory of the Gupta King, begins with a verse

which transforms the Vedic purusha into a personal iconic deity.

The Bhagavata-cult began with an adoration of Vishnu, but its basic creed

of devotion drew within its fold other popular God's also. The later Guptas were

devoted to Siva almost exclusively31. Even Patanjali, commentator on Panini, was

acquainted with "Sivasthalas" built as early as the first century after Christ32.

There are several inscriptions which unmistakably bear iconic representation of

28
Nagari inscriptioin.
29
Harle.J.C., Op. cit., P. 191
30
Coomarasamy A.K, “Elements of Buddhist Iconography Yakshas”, New Delhi, 2000, P.117.
31
Patanjali, Op. cit, P.118
32
Karoshti inscription, Archoological survey of Indian. 76. Yazadanai. G, “History of the
Deccan”, Vol. I, P. 45.

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Siva33. Besides the later Gupta Kings, Bharasivas and the Vakataka rulers, the

Huna generals Maitrikas of Valabhi, and the Maukhari chief of Kanoj encouraged

the Siva-Bhagavata cult.

The innumerable folk divinities were accommodated within the general

ideaology of Bhagavata, which was the impulse to partake of the grace and glory

of God head. The icons of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas were already being

reverence. The icons of Tirtankaras known as perfected saints guiding humanity

were object of adoration among the adherents of the Sramana-tradition. These

iconic saints were accompanied by folk divinities such as Yakshas and

Yakshinis34.

With the spread of the cult of devotion to personal God's and Goddesses, the

Agama manuals attempted a classification of deities and stylization of their iconic

forms35. By about the fifth century after Christ, Indian iconography was more or

less finalized and formalized. Technical development in metal-craft also reached a

stage of maturity so that casting of metallic icons began to be attempted on a mass

scale36. The class of workers known as sthapathis, involved in the preparation of

icons, came to be well-established. An icon is, in the nature of a paradigm. The

idea of a paradigm was popularized by Thomas. S. Khun, an assumption derived

from a specific achievement, and the sharing of this assumption in a community,

33
Marshall.J.H., “ The Buddhist Art of Gandhara”, New Delhi, 1989, P. 119.
34
Agarwal. V.S, Op. cit., P.117
35
Zimmer. H, “Myths and symbols in Indian Art and Civilization”, New Delhi, 1974, P.46.
36
Thomas. S. Khun, “The Structure of scientific Revolution”, New Delhi, P. 100.

141
which acts of sharing will facilitate coordinated effort37. ‘A paradigm’ is a frame

work; it has a binding function, in the sense that it prevents the user of this

framework from wasting his time and energy on trivial issues, and helps to

concentrate on relevant and specific issues. It brings into being a way of looking at

things naturally, meaningfully and purposefully; and it develops its own language.

"A Paradigm” is something, which can be functioning when the theory was not

there"38.

It is like a local road map, which is used when it is needed and which is

meaningful when relied upon. A paradigm works, especially when it is shared in a

community. The success of the paradigm; provides delight to the user of the

paradigm; and human become emotionally attached to what gives them pleasure.

The role of an icon in a tribe is exactly the same. It binds the members of the tribe

in a exactly the same. It binds the members of the tribe in a generality of

understanding, and helps them communicate with each other as well as function

within a frame work. Its relevance and value are confined to the community which

has generated it and within which it operates.

An icon as an object of reverence satisfied not only the religious impulse of

its user, but the artistic expectations also. It thus develops a 'vital quality' and a

‘protective role’39. No user of the icon can derive any benefit from it unless he

regards it as imbued with a living quality and unless he had trust in its special,

37
Lian Hudson, “Criticism and Growth of Knowledge, New Delhi, 1980, P. 81.
38
Zimmer. J.H. Op.Cit., P.82
39
Ibid., p. 83.

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although unseen, power. An icon is a "charm”, it can work. The earnestness and

concentration of the user of the icon determines how the icon going to benefit him.

It was not the mad love of Pygmalion prompted Venus to give him the woman that

he loved, out of the inert stone that he skillfully carved40.

The temple is a structure designed to house an icon, which both an object

of veneration and a work of art. The icon in the temple has a cult, a tradition, a

function that is laid down as paramount within the community. The Indian words

for icon are ' pratima', bimba' and 'bera'. 'pratima', empasizes representation of the

actual object of veneration or divinity; 'bimba' brings out the character of image;

and 'bera' the origin of which word is obscure, means an idol in which certain

traits and powers are especially invoked. There is another synonym, ' Murthi ' that

is sometimes used; it signifies personification, incarnation and formation. It is

making an abstract idea concrete and practical41. The word pratima is an ancient

one, found even in the Vedic hymn's42. It had become popular in the centuries just

proceeding the Christian era, for we find it used in the sense of icons in several

inscriptions belonging to the second and first centuries before Christ.

For instance, an inscription of this date on the pedestal of a stone image of

Manibhadra attlefolk God has been found in poll near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh

and another in near Mathura which mentions the icons of the five heroes of the

Vrshniclan. The Rig- veda employes another word ' Sub – pratika' in the same
40
Soundarrajan.K, “ The Matrix of South India Architecture, Journal of Indian History” ,
Vol. XI. No.129, P.1.
41
Rig – Veda, 10.10.130.
42
Rig – Veda, 6.28.6.

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sense as ' pratima'43. 'Biama' and ' bera' however, are more frequently employed in

the Silpa texts. They are specifically sculptures in stone, wood, clay or metal, as

distinguished from coloured line – drawing and painting. Bera' in particular refers

to the variety of icons worshipped in temples in the contexts of different rituals.

We do not know whence this word was derived, for it is clearly not a regular

Sanskrit word.

SCULPTURES OF SRI GOKARNESWARAR TEMPLE

The 63 nayanar sculpture was created by Pallavarayers in 15-16th century

A.D. this sculpture was made by one single stone. Not only 63 Nayanmars, Shiva

with Parvathi seen by all peoples those are visited this place. An important days,

some special Abhisekam took place on lord and 63 nayanmars.

PAVAI VILLAKKU SCULPTURE

This sculpture was placed Sri Prakathambal temple. It was created by raja

ramachandra thondaiman of Pudukkottai. It’s not only a lamp but beautiful

sculpture. A lady woman called as natchiyar44 who took the lamp in her hand.

SAPTHA KANNIAR SCULPTURE

Before the entrance of cave temple, Saptha Kanniar was present on the left

side of the path, from which the entrance of the cave temple began (started). It had

11 feet length and 2 feet breath with 9 sculptures starts with Veerapathirar then

pirami (Biravi) Maheswari, Cowmari, Narayani, Indhirani, varaki, samundi and

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vinayaka were constructed as cave sculptures on the hill-rock. They were builded

by Mahendravarma Pallavan – I in 17th century A.D cave temple and saptha

Kanniar were on same period.

METAL BODY STRUCTURES

Among pancha moorthikal, Someskanther and Santikeswarar were

important metal body structures. Someskantheer had 3 ½ feet height and

santikeswarar had 13/4 feet height. Umadevi with paramasivan along with skandar

was called as someskandar.

Sandikeswarar was an oldest metal body structure. In this metal body, had

an axe in his left hand and shown in a manner of join hands, just like of

“Namasthe” style. A well beautiful metal structure body especially on hair and hip

was shown.

Another metal body structure was chokkar. It had 1 1/2 feet height. Next

sakthi amman metal body sculpture of 2 ¾ feet height. Uthsva metal body

structure of Sri prakathambal had 3 ¼ feet height.

A treasury of ornament room had an another metal body sculpture of Sri

Pidariamman with 2 ½ feet height Sri Pidariamman metal body sculpture was

designed in such a manner of terrible and horrible, so that the amman had no Pujas

and placed in the treasury of the ornamental room45.

Step down to dhuvajasthambam (sthamba tree0 a natarajar metal body

sculpture shrine was shown. In this place natarajar metal body sculpture with high

45
Ibid., p.42.

145
level base, then Annai Sivakami metal body sculpture and four samaya kuravar

were present. A another name of “Selva Koother” was given to the Nataraja metal

body sculpture presence of Natarajar metal body in /pandia period shown by some

evidences.46

BRONZE PLATE SCULPTURES

Bronze plate sculptures have seen on the Dhuvajasthamba tree upto

“Kumbum” made and covered by bronze and upper of Kumbum made and

covered by copper.Four directions of Dhuvatja sthambam, a number of metal

sculptures were created in a beautiful manner. Dhuvatjasthambam covered by

bronze and copper body sculptures which were made by Raja Thondaimans of

Pudukkottai. In front of Dhuvatjasthambam a small nanthi mandapa and behind

the Dhuvatjasthambam, a small beedam were present. In four directions of

dhuvatjasthambam tree, had a lot of God and Goddess sculptures were there.

INSCRIPTIONS

Totally 12 inscriptions were present in this temple.

Gokaneswara Temple – on the south wall of the rock cut shrine. It stated

that the cave temple of Thiru Gokaneswarar appeared on 7-A-D century47.

Inscriptions of grindha evident that, this cave temple constructed by the leadership

of pakthachatiyar .

46
IPS No. 590
47
IPS, No.6,Part-I,p-11

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 Tirugokarnam on the east face of the second pillar from the right in front of

the rock-cut central shrine in the Gokarneswarar temple.48 The inscriptions stated

that king Rajakesarivarman of Chola donate a village to ThiruGokaneswar temple.

On the south face of the third pillar from the right in front of the rock-cut

central shrine in the Gokarneswarar temple.49 This inscription stated that, king

Rajakesvaraivarman of chola in 7th century AD donate a Village (Kulampatti) for

the maintenance of tank to the brahmana of Merkilli Mangalam in Tenkasi in

Tiruvalundur nadu in sonadu (chola nadu)

On the south wall of the rock cut shrine in the Gokarneswarar temple. 50 The

inscriptions stated that king Rajakesarivarman of chola who was pleased to

destroy the enemy’s fleet at Kandalur salai… Velakkari, the.. of Adambar and a

Vellan (Cultivation ) of tenkavirnadu, desposited with nattar (members of local

assembly of the nadu ) to pay as tax on behalf o fMahadeva(siva) at Sri Gokarnam

On the south wall of the rock cut central shrine in the Gokarneswarar

temple.51 The inscription stated that the king parakesarivarman donate one

“kalanju” weight of gold was given to the magadeva (siva) of Thiru Gokarnam to

keep the lamp lightedfor one sandhi daily at dawn. This gold was deposited as an

endowment to the temple with us, kodumbu singan, sattan aran pallavan singan,

son of Sattan and Malapadi Niccal, may this bright lamp be under the protection of

the Maheswara.may it be lighted as long as the moon and sun endure”.

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 On the forth pillar from the north in front of the rock cut central shrine in

the Gokarneswarar temple.52 The inscription stated that the fourth year king

parakesarivarman nof chola donate II kalanjus of gold to the mahadeva (siva) of

Thirugokarnam in the hands of the priest of this temple to keep the lamp always

burning night and day.

On the north face of the second pillar (from the right) in front of the rock-

cut central shrine in the Gokarneswara temple. It stated that the 13th year of king

Parakesarivarman of chola… were entrusted to the priest of the temple by… of

Tiruvetpur for the Ganavatiyarvilavu (festival in the name of hanavetiyar) during

the punguni Uthiram festival

On the east face of the third pillar from the right in front of the rock-cut

central shrine in the Gokarneswarar temple.53 The inscription stated that the 3rd

year of king parakesarivarman of chola for the food offering to the Mahadeva

(siva) of thirugokaranam during the ‘tiruvuttiram” festival, donate a land as gift

and assigned as free tenure to the lord54

On a stone built in the south wall of the mandapa before the central shrine

of the Gokarneswarar temple.55 It was built by Rajendra Chola Deva in 1012-1044

A.D the name of king though lost is identical by the Prasasti . Prasasti is

fragmentary having only a few words in 7 lines

52
IPS, No.41, Part-I,p-34
53
IPS, No.73,Part-I,p-47
54
ARE 1904, No.308
55
IPS, No.102,Part-I,p-82

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 On the rock above the rock-cut central shrine of the Gokarneswarar

temple.56The inscription stated that the 12th year of “Tribuvana

chakkaravarthical”[ also called “Kulottunga chola Devar’57 who covered

ponnumbalam ( A Golden dance Hall) with a golden throne of victory along with

his queen Bhuvani Mududaiyal58.

On the rock to the left of the steps leading to the turn on the north of the

rock-cut shrine of the Gokarnam temple.The inscription state that “20th year of

king Rajaraja devar of chola in 1235-3659 made and endowment to secure the

welfare of his mother Manjavi and father Parasadevar to the Nayanars who abide

in thirugokarnam in order to provide which was kept alright daily and for keeping

alight another lamp daily from the first day of ‘Uttarayanam”.

On the south wall of the cave temple is Gokarneswar temple.It stated that

the 17th year of king Maranjadaiyan of Pandia60 in the period of 781-82 A.D

endowed 15 pon kalanjus of gold which collected by begging (for holy purpose),

for a lamp to be kept alight for ever for the Madevar (siva) of gokarnam temple

56
IPS, No.120,Part-I,p-89
57
MEC 1902, No. 411.
58
S.I.I,Vol.VII-1044
59
IPS, No.183,Part-II,p-168
60
IPS, No.239,Part-II,p-207

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