CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

The Ramanathan kovil at Pattisvaram was built possibly by Rajendra Chola I in or slightly before his seventh year (1019 CE) to commemorate the death of his pious step-mother Panchavan Mahadevi. The single storeyed tower (ektala) and the half-hall (ardhmandapa) belong to this date. The linga inside the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha) is prismatic perhaps following the Pallava vogue. Reference: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p.230

The earliest inscription on the Ramanathasvami temple at Tirurameswaram is of the seventeenth year of Sundara Chola - 974 CE. A similar date for the temple is supported by fabric, style and by the typology of the image. Reference: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p.181.

Ramanathesvara temple, Esalam, Tamil NaduThe Ramanathesvara temple at Esalam is a fine one storeyed superstructure (ektala vimana) with a square body, bhadra projections and with circular neck (griva), crowning cupola (sikhara) and metal finial (stupi). Stylistically this temple belongs to the period of Rajaraja I (985 – 1014 CE) though there aren't any contemporary inscriptions. References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p. 228.

The sacred precincts of Tirumiyachchur contain two stone temples, one main shrine and other adjoining smaller temple or b?l?laya; both replace earlier structures. The main shrine is called Mayarcindesvara and the adjoining b?l?laya shrine is called Sakalabhuvanesvara. No inscriptions have so far been published. The date of the temple must therefore be determined on the basis of style. The main temple was probably erected in the last quarter of the tenth century during Sembiyan Mahadevi’s time. This suggestion is based on the general style of sculptures and the iconographic scheme. Reference: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p. 192.

The fabric of the Saksisvara temple at Tiruppurambiyam and the style of the sculptures suggest a date in Uttama Chola's (971 – 988 CE) reign or at least during the life of Sembiyan Mahadevi. The temple was probably rebuilt in stone before 995 CE. The superstructure (vimana) of this temple is more ornate than other temples at this time and the pillars in the half-hall (ardhamandapa) have a rather unusual composite structure – they are square at the base, octagonal and then 16-sided at the top. Reference: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, pp. 187-188.

The Samavedisvara temple is dedicated to Parsuram who according to local tradition worshipped the lord of Tirumnagalam and obtained his axe (parasu). One of the sixty-three saints, Aanaaya Nayanar of the Aayar kulam lived here and he was a great devotee of the Lord of this place. This temple is in a good state of preservation with the inscriptions and sculptures intact. In the rear or the west facing divinity niche (devakoshta) there is an image of Hariharar (Sankaranarayanar) that was unusual for Chola temples of this period. Even in the niches of the half hall (ardhamandapa), there is a Bhikshatanar figure in the south niche where usually the image of Ganpati is found. These features were peculiar to the temples of Aditya I. So perhaps this temple was built in the days of Aditya I though epigraphs are found from the fifth regnal year of Rajaraja I (990 CE) onwards. Another interesting feature of this temple is the presence of a series of three groups of sculpture panels in miniature corresponding to each pilaster - one series is below the basement (adhistanam) and the second series is found between the varimanam and the vari and third is over the vari (parts of the pillar). References: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1975, pp. 128-132 and M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, pp. 189-190.