Sthalam: Tharamangalam
Swamy: Shri Kailasanadhar
Ambal: Shri Sivagamasundari
Constructed by: Ketti mudaliyar (a local king) in 13th century.
Hi,
This Tharamangalam temple is unique.. The temple is right opposite the bus station. An impressive 5-tiered gopuram greets you. In this temple from the main gopuram you have to get down steps to reach the temple praharam. Such type of entrance is available only in two temples in TN. When you see the Gopuram from inside it looks like two elephants hauling the gopuram. Stalapuranam says that the two elepants are the one, which helped during the construction of this temple, so in the memory of these elephants the king ordered to provide these stone elephants. The inner courtyard is spacious. A pillared corridor surrounds the courtyard. A nandi shirne stands before the main temple.
Entering the temple you will notice the following features:
· two subsidiary shrines face the main shrine. It is the latter that create a central passage towards the main shrine. I found this scheme to be unique, not seen by me in any temple in Karnataka. Incidentally, this is the first temple I am studying closely as I begin my tour of Tamil Nadu.
· on the left corner of the inner prahara has a small underground cave or an underground chamber and antechamber with a stone door, which can be accessed by a few steps, which leads us to a spacious shrine of paadhaala lingam (UNDERGROUND LINGA). It is a small stone linga, Just bigger than one’s thumb. We can be sure it’s a linga because it stands on a substantial peeta.
· Here the specialty is Swamy shrine is facing towards west and the Ambal shrine is facing towards east just like a Bride and Broom exchanging their wedding garland.
· just above the Swamy shrine a fantastic sculpture, which depicts the reason for the name Tharamangalam (Tharai + Mangalam), its narrates the marriage of shiva and parvathi, as Mahavishnu handing over Parvathi to Shiva (Tharam varthal). The other main shrine is of Shri Subramanyar.
· the space between these three shrines has a fascinating ceiling. A stone wheel ringed with pecking stone parrots is the highlight. It is claimed that the wheel can be freely rotated. Chains, probably of stone too, hang from the same ceiling.
· the main shrine stands at a level slightly below the level of the pradakshina patha. A well stands next to the main shrine at the same level.
· the ambulatory is full of interesting sculptures of gods, goddesses and saints. I admired greatly the figures of Rathi and Manmatha. There is an 18-armed sculpture of Nataraja, excellent by its own merit but not surpassing that of Badami Caves. Included among the saints are the 63 Nayanmars and 4 Nalvars. These are not sculptures for the sake of art alone. The temple is in active use. The sculptures glisten at times in oil. They are often decorated with vermilion and lamps burn in offering before them.
It is the pillars that deserve separate praise. Looking at the details, they are exquisitely carved. Looking at the overall arrangment, they are harmonious. They are formal but not rigid. Each pillar is essentially of a square base with octogonal or 16-sided sections or bands. In every section are carvings in bas-relief. This basic pillar is joined to a much slender pillar by latticed stonework. These two form a composite pillar. At the corners, three such slender pillars together with the primary pillar form the composite pillar. The slender secondary pillars are not just ornamental. They support the overhanging stonework that rises gracefully towards the capital. On some pillars, elephants, horses and lions are beautifully carved. Yalis, or mythical lions, are carved on some pillars. It is said that stone balls in their mouths can be freely rolled.
Tamil Nadu is full of magnificent temples. In the grand scheme of things, no one even notices this temple at Tharamangalam. Most people would not even have heard of this temple unless he/she has passed by this region.
Swamy: Shri Kailasanadhar
Ambal: Shri Sivagamasundari
Constructed by: Ketti mudaliyar (a local king) in 13th century.
Hi,
This Tharamangalam temple is unique.. The temple is right opposite the bus station. An impressive 5-tiered gopuram greets you. In this temple from the main gopuram you have to get down steps to reach the temple praharam. Such type of entrance is available only in two temples in TN. When you see the Gopuram from inside it looks like two elephants hauling the gopuram. Stalapuranam says that the two elepants are the one, which helped during the construction of this temple, so in the memory of these elephants the king ordered to provide these stone elephants. The inner courtyard is spacious. A pillared corridor surrounds the courtyard. A nandi shirne stands before the main temple.
Entering the temple you will notice the following features:
· two subsidiary shrines face the main shrine. It is the latter that create a central passage towards the main shrine. I found this scheme to be unique, not seen by me in any temple in Karnataka. Incidentally, this is the first temple I am studying closely as I begin my tour of Tamil Nadu.
· on the left corner of the inner prahara has a small underground cave or an underground chamber and antechamber with a stone door, which can be accessed by a few steps, which leads us to a spacious shrine of paadhaala lingam (UNDERGROUND LINGA). It is a small stone linga, Just bigger than one’s thumb. We can be sure it’s a linga because it stands on a substantial peeta.
· Here the specialty is Swamy shrine is facing towards west and the Ambal shrine is facing towards east just like a Bride and Broom exchanging their wedding garland.
· just above the Swamy shrine a fantastic sculpture, which depicts the reason for the name Tharamangalam (Tharai + Mangalam), its narrates the marriage of shiva and parvathi, as Mahavishnu handing over Parvathi to Shiva (Tharam varthal). The other main shrine is of Shri Subramanyar.
· the space between these three shrines has a fascinating ceiling. A stone wheel ringed with pecking stone parrots is the highlight. It is claimed that the wheel can be freely rotated. Chains, probably of stone too, hang from the same ceiling.
· the main shrine stands at a level slightly below the level of the pradakshina patha. A well stands next to the main shrine at the same level.
· the ambulatory is full of interesting sculptures of gods, goddesses and saints. I admired greatly the figures of Rathi and Manmatha. There is an 18-armed sculpture of Nataraja, excellent by its own merit but not surpassing that of Badami Caves. Included among the saints are the 63 Nayanmars and 4 Nalvars. These are not sculptures for the sake of art alone. The temple is in active use. The sculptures glisten at times in oil. They are often decorated with vermilion and lamps burn in offering before them.
It is the pillars that deserve separate praise. Looking at the details, they are exquisitely carved. Looking at the overall arrangment, they are harmonious. They are formal but not rigid. Each pillar is essentially of a square base with octogonal or 16-sided sections or bands. In every section are carvings in bas-relief. This basic pillar is joined to a much slender pillar by latticed stonework. These two form a composite pillar. At the corners, three such slender pillars together with the primary pillar form the composite pillar. The slender secondary pillars are not just ornamental. They support the overhanging stonework that rises gracefully towards the capital. On some pillars, elephants, horses and lions are beautifully carved. Yalis, or mythical lions, are carved on some pillars. It is said that stone balls in their mouths can be freely rolled.
Tamil Nadu is full of magnificent temples. In the grand scheme of things, no one even notices this temple at Tharamangalam. Most people would not even have heard of this temple unless he/she has passed by this region.
