Published: August 27, 2013 02:18 IST | Updated: August 27, 2013 02:18 IST
Rare Chola paintings found in Tiruvottiyur temple
Discovery made by research scholar of State archaeology dept.; faded image of Lord Shiva found on wall; excavation to begin soon
A photograph taken by a research scholar of the State archaeology department on her mobile phone has helped unearth rare Chola-era paintings at an Adipuriswarar (Lord Shiva) temple in Tiruvottiyur on Monday.
The findings, archaeologists said, were rare as this is the first time paintings of the Chola era have been discovered in Chennai, which experts believe was only a peripheral part of the ancient dynasty.
The research scholar, 28-year-old Deepika Shankaralingam, is working on a study of pillars in temples that belong to various eras, including those of the Pallavas, Cholas, Vijayanagara and the Nayaks. As part of her research, she, along with her co-researcher Vijay Sundaraman, had gone to a ninth-century A.D. temple in Tiruvottiyur. There, they found an algae-like substance on the wall near the main deity, Lord Shiva.
“When we first saw it, we thought it was some kind of dirt on the wall, but when we looked closely we were stunned to see a faded painting of Lord Shiva in the standing position,” said Ms. Shankaralingam, who has completed a master’s degree in archaeology from Pune-based Deccan College.
Immediately, a team of archaeologists and epigraphists led by S. Vasanthi, commissioner-in-charge of the archaeology department arrived at the temple, and having inspected the wall, found that the painting, and others around it, were genuine. They were confirmed as belonging to the Chola era, due to their colour and unique style. The colours yellow and red, a senior archaeologist said, were predominant in Chola paintings, while in those of the Vijayanagara era, blue — especially peacock blue — was the primary colour.
While the panel or framework of the paintings is about 8.5 feet high and 1.5 feet wide, the visible portion of the paintings only stretch to 3.5 feet on the wall. An archaeologist said the painting was possibly the work of Chola King Parantaka – I (907– 951 A.D) and depicts Lord Shiva adorned with gold ornaments on his chest and waist.
A unique feature of the painting, he said, was the style of the head-gear in it – a knot with flowers atop it.
There are two other persons (gender not determined) on either side of Lord Shiva in the painting, but above him. They appear to be placing flowers on Lord Shiva. “The painting may depict a wedding scene as Lord Shiva is wearing gold and being showered with flowers,” said senior epigraphist, P.G. Loganathan.
The archaeology department will now excavate the entire wall from the temple in order to determine if there are more faded paintings on it, an official said.
The significance of the paintings, according to archaeologists, lies in the fact that during the Chola era, Tiruvottiyur and its adjoining area Thondai Mandalam, were considered a buffer area on the northern portion of the kingdom, between the warring dynasties – the Chalukyas and the Cholas, in ninth century A.D.
As a result, these areas were very well maintained by the Cholas to ensure that they did not fall into the hands of their rivals, the Chalukyas. And so, the localities were well kept and beautified and temples here were elaborately painted.
Devotees protest renovation of ancient temple in Tiruvottiyur
Inscriptions slabs dismantled and broken
Historians, archaeologists and devotees are up in arms against the renovation of Tyagarajaswamy temple, popularly known as Sri Vadivudai Amman temple, in Tiruvottiyur.
Temple authorities have removed granite slabs with inscriptions from the temple floor and are replacing them with rough granite. This ancient temple, classified as a ‘paadal petra sthalam’, contains the most number of inscriptions in this part of the country.
“Tamil saint and poet Vallalar had sung at the very spot where the idols of Arunagirinathar and Murugan were — both have been removed now. The temple is being renovated but its identity is being destroyed. The officials are rude whenever we question them,” said a devotee.
R. Nagaswamy, former director of the Tamil Nadu archaeology department, said, the temple could have originally been a brick structure that existed around the 7th century AD.
“Around 1020 AD, Rajendra Chola rebuilt it. The stones have been there for over 1,000 years. The expert appointed by the government for restoring the temples has not been consulted for the renovation,” he said.
The Tirupati temple had planned to cover Vijayanagara inscriptions with gold sheets but the courts dismissed the idea. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department had replaced the flooring in the Parthasarathy temple with granite but devotees objected to it, Dr. Nagaswamy said.
According to S. Swaminathan, author of several books on temples, the inscriptions serve as proof of our history.
“There are methods for the preservation of 1,000-year-old inscriptions. The stones have remained there for centuries. What is the need to move them now? Can an executive engineer replace a stone in the Taj Mahal?” he said.
T.R. Ramesh, president, Temple Worshipers Society, said a few slabs of inscriptions were broken when they were moved without adequate care.
“Damage has been done to not just the inscriptions but also to some Shiva lingams. The temple had 11 ‘ekadasa rudra’ Shiva lingams that are now in a shambles,” he said.
An official in the HR&CE department, which manages the affairs of the temple, said the stone inscriptions on the floor near the Durgai Amman Sannidhi in the Aadhipureeswarar shrine were removed so they could be reinstalled in a suitable spot. Similarly, lingams behind the Aadhipureeswarar Sannidhi were removed to be placed on a dais.
“The flooring in the temple is being redone,” the official said, adding “the inscriptions were placed wrongly on the floor, in the past. Usually, they are found on the walls of old temples. In order to safeguard the inscriptions, they are being re-installed suitably so the public can view them.”
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