Temples of Pondicherry
A Heritage Guide by INTACH Pondicherry
Temples of South India Elements of a Temple
Through the centuries temples have occupied a central position in the lives of Indians. In addition to being plac- Gopuram:
es of worship, they have also served a role in the following areas Entrance Towers
Economic development (a source Aesthetic enjoyment (sculptors, Entertainment (with special man-
of livelihood for those associated in painters, and craftsmen of yore dapams for dance and vocal perfor-
the running of the temple) showcased their artistry on the mances) Mandapam:
temple walls and structures) Columned Halls
Vahanam:
Vehicle of Main Deity
Dwajasthambam:
Main Flagstand
Dvarapala:
Guardian Figure
Vimana:
Tower over Main Sanctuary
Centres for community interaction (acted as Recording information of public or political im- Kulam:
the nucleus of the village or town, where people portance (the wall inscriptions contain a wealth Temple Pond
gathered for activities such as community meet- of information on public welfare works/schemes,
ings, marriage ceremonies, popular games like taxes, grants, local water bodies, etc.)
Aadupali, etc.)
Kalasam:
Ornamental Pot at the Top of the
Shikhara
The Great Builders
Five ancient ruling dynasties have left monumental Temples in Pondicherry:
Of these, the Chozas were the more prolific builders, perfecting the art of temple construction. Choza architecture
was grounded in the prescriptions of sacred texts and had a purity of style. Sometimes they gave a distinct form to
the older temples built by preceding dynasties and sometimes they founded new ones.
Most of the temples in the region were enhanced
and enriched by a number of dynasties as time
went by. So, it is quite possible to see Pallava, Pan-
dya, Choza, Vijaynagar and Nayak styles in one
single temple. Since, worship never ceased in
many of these living temples it is not unusual to
see the central shine or base in stone and adden-
dums in cement, brick or plaster.
Varadaraja Perumal Temple Highlights of the Temple
This Vishnu temple is located in Thirubhuvanai in an an-
cient city-complex (taniyur) of the Chozas that was once
called Tribhuvana-Mahadevi Chaturvedimangalam, named
after XXXXXX. The foundations of this temple were laid in
the time of Partanka I but further construction work was
carried out under subsequent Choza kings such as Rajra-
ja and Rajendradeva. Currently, the temple has a relative-
ly modern Vimana and according to the local know-how,
the latest structural renovation work was completed in the
1930s. The carvings on the steps leading to the Man- Frieze around around the main structure of the
dapam and Garbagriha. This is intricate work temple. The sculptures include: scenes from
The central deities - Vishnu, Bhudevi and Sridevi done with a great precision. lives of Krishna and Vishnu, and the Ramayan.
Subsidiary shrines - Varmangai Tayar, Andal and Narasimha
The inscriptions
indicate that at one
point in this village
must have been the
hub of the district.
One of the texts
states that Rajendra
I. had placed this
temple under the
protection of two
regiments, indicat-
The mythical figures such as Yaalis, Kamad-
ing that it was an
henu and Leogriffs too abound the temple
important religious
walls.
centre.
Adapuli was an ancient board game played by people especial-
ly during Vaikuntha Ekadashi (late December - January). The
game is between two people but the spectators could join in by
supporting participants. There are stone carvings right at the
entrance which show how popular this game was. One can
easily conjure up a gathering of men seated near the entrance
enthralled in the game and cheering their respective players.
Some Details around the Temple - do you find all of them?
Panchanadisvarar Temple Highlights of the Temple
The foundations of this Shiva temple were laid at the
time of Parantaka I. This temple encapsulates most el-
ements of Chozan style notably the Bhutanga and Yali
friezes below and above the cornice.
Central shrine - Tiruvaiyaru Udaiya Mahadevar
(form of Shiva)
Subsidiary shrines - Murugan, Shiva Chand-
ikeshwar, Ganesha, Surya & XXXX
Devakoshtas (Special niches of the deities) - The main structure has niches in which are enshrined the different
forms of Shiva:
South - Bhishantanar & Dakshinamurthy North - Ardhanarisvarar and Rishabharudha
West - Lingodbhava Statues of Ganesha, Durga and Bhrama are also encased
in the niches.
Carvings: On the east and west boundary Dwarapala - Magnificent carvings of the
wall we find the fish and the tortoise to in- gaurdians deities are found on the enr-
dicate the direction of the water body of the tramce of the inner sanctum .
region
Pillars of the subsidiary shrine dedicated
to Murugan - The antique pillars of this
shrine are a fine example of supreme art-
istry of the time.
Some Details around the Temple - Do you find all of them?
Tirukundagudi Mahadeva Temple in Highlights of the Temple
Madagadipattu
The earliest inscription in this Shivan temple indicate that it was venerated since the time of Rajraja 1. As it is not
a ‘living’ temple and the central shrine is not open to public, one must visit the temple to relish in its antiquity
and serene atmosphere imbued with piety. This stone temple is untouched by modern embellishments and con-
struction. The temple has mandatory Shivan temple sculptures, such as Bhutanga, on the the main structure. The
derelict ruins outside the Garb Grihya indicate the presence of a square ardhmandapa and two subsidiary shrines.
Vimana - The temple has a relatively short vimana as it has not been extended by modern construction. It’s cir-
cular, reminiscent of the Budhhist stupas, and then extends into a conical shape. It is delightfully adorned with
statues of four primary deities facing four directions.
Panels on main structure - There are tiny
panels running along the main wall of the
temple with detailed carvings depicting
stories and legends associated with devo-
tion of Shiva.
Human faces - Just below the cornice
there are semi-circular carvings with hu-
man faces. The master artisans used their
skill to create most singular expression on
these stone faces.
Some more details around the temple - do you find all of them?
Mulanathaswamy Temple in Bahour Highlights of the Temple
The antiquity of this temple can be traced to the 9th century as it is mentioned in the copper plates belonging to the
Pallava king Nripathungavarman. This was the place where an ancient Sanskrit college was supposedly situated.
The main shrine dates to the Chozan times.
Currently, the temple is an unconventional mix of French and ancient Tamizh style of construction. In the late 19th
century, the French renovated the temple and added protective elements to stall further deterioration. The front
body and Vimana of the temple are recent addendums under the French. The rear part is in stone and has all the
elements of the Chozan iconography such as the bhutamala along with traditional deities (Ganesha, Durga, etc.).
Central shrine - Sri Mulasthanam Udaiya Perumandigal (or Paramesvarar) Antralaya & pillars : The interior of the temple has the original stone work and hence has a powerful ambience
Subsidiary shrines - there are about eleven subsidiary shrines belonging to different deities like Murugan, Shiva, usually associated with hoary places of worship. The pillars just before the
Navagriha, Vinayaga, etc. Garba Griha are simply an outstanding example of the proficiency of the sculptors. The carvings depict both reli-
gious, mythical and social aspects of ancient life.
here are two ancient pillars in the shrine dedicated to the Navagrihas. These pillars were added by the Nayaks and
have an elaborate intricacy which is impressive.
Vimana: The modern Vimana of the temple is built under the
French aegis and one can actually spot a French man carved
at the rear end. In fact, the mandapam leading into the An-
tarlya and Garb Griha is noteworthy because it has French
style arches.
Upapitha:The temple stands on a well proportioned
base (upapitha) of the Pallava style. The carving on
the upapitha is of Pallava style. The sculptures depict
beings as well as humans busy with dance and music;
it is high on the cultural note rather than religious
note.
Some more Details around the temple - do you find all of them?
For guided tours, please contact:
Tourist Information Centre
(Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation)
40 Goubert Avenue, Pondicherry - 605 001
Tel.: 0413 - 235870 / 235875 / 76
E-Mail: ponditourism@gmail.com
&
INTACH Heritage Centre
(Indian National Trust for Art & Heritage)
62 Rue Aruobindo, Pondicherry - 605 001
Tel.: 0413 - 2225991 / 2227324
E-Mail: intachpondi@gmail.com
Website: www.intachpondicherry.org
Photocredits:
Ashwin Ezhumalai
ashwin@auroville.org.in
