5/5 UDAYA KUMAR M. 2 years ago on Google
Rama
hugging
Sugreeva
Lakshmana
hugging
Hanuman
The
temple
occupies
an
area
of
5
acres
(2.0
ha)
and
is
surrounded
by
a
granite
wall
580
ft
(180
m)
long
and
396
ft
(121
m)
broad.
The
rajagopuram,
the
temple's
gateway
tower,
is
110
ft
(34
m)
tall.
The
granite
wall
surrounds
the
temple,
enclosing
all
its
shrines
and
two
of
its
three
bodies
of
water.
The
sanctum
houses
the
image
of
Srivaikunanatha
in
standing
posture
with
a
club
in
his
hand.
Adisesha,
the
serpent
of
Vaikuntanatha,
is
seen
holding
a
parasol
over
his
head.
The
image
is
made
of
Saligrama
stone
and
ablution
is
usually
done
with
milk.
The
hall
preceding
the
sanctum,
the
Artha
Mandapam
houses
the
festival
image
of
Kallapiran
made
of
panchaloha
with
the
images
of
Sridevi
and
Bhudevi
on
either
of
his
sides.
It
is
believed
that
the
sculptor
caressed
the
cheeks
of
the
image
with
his
hand
as
he
got
enchanted
by
the
image
and
it
is
seen
in
the
image.
The
Ardha
mandapa
is
guarded
by
two
dwarapalas
on
either
sides.
This
is
the
only
temple
where
Adisesha
the
serpent,
guards
Vishnu
in
standing
posture
unlike
the
other
places
where
it
covers
in
sitting
posture
There
are
two
shrines
for
the
two
consorts
of
Vishnu,
Caikunta
Nayaki
and
Chorantha
Nayaki,
both
facing
each
other.
There
are
separate
shrines
for
Senai
Mudaliyar,
Gardua,
Venugopala,
Manavalamamunigal
and
Yoga
Narasimha.
The
festival
image
of
Yoga
Narasimha,
Lakshmi
Narasimha,
is
also
housed
in
the
same
shrine.
There
is
another
shrine
that
houses
the
images
of
the
ten
avatars
of
Vishnu.
The
temple
has
five
precincts.
The
Mahamandapa
and
the
Swarga
Madapa
are
believed
to
be
later
additions.
The
Vijayanagar
and
Nayak
kings
commissioned
paintings
on
the
walls
of
the
shrine
of
temple,
some
of
which
are
still
present.
Thiruvengadamudayan
hall,
located
to
the
right
of
the
gopuram,
houses
rare
life
size
sculptures
commissioned
during
the
16th
century.
It
was
built
by
Vadamalayappa
Pillai,
an
official
in
the
Madurai
Nayak
kingdom.
There
are
numerous
images
of
yalis,
elephants
and
Devas
in
the
hall,
some
of
which
are
even
5
ft
(1.5
m)
wide.
The
major
images
seen
in
the
temple
are
that
of
Bhikshadana,
Venugopala,
Madanagopala,
Govardhanagiri,
Nammazhwar,
Manmatha
and
Rathi.
Depiction
of
Hanuman
in
various
poses
can
be
seen
in
the
temple.
There
are
life
size
images
of
Agora
Veerabhadra
and
warriors.
Rama
is
seen
hugging
the
monkey
king
Sugreeva
with
his
right
hand
and
holding
his
bow
in
the
left
and
on
his
left
stands
Sita,
while
in
another
pillar
he
is
seen
hugging
Hanuman
with
his
right
hand
and
Angada
seen
standing
in
anjali.
A
host
of
monkey
warriors
standing
at
the
bottom
of
both
the
sculptures.[2]
The
composite
columns
of
Virabhadra
holding
sword
and
horn
are
found
be
additions
of
the
Vijayanayagara
kings
during
the
early
1500s.
Similar
columns
of
Virabhadra
are
found
in
Adikesava
Perumal
Temple
at
Thiruvattaru,
Meenakshi
Temple
at
Madurai,
Nellaiappar
Temple
at
Tirunelveli,
Kasi
Viswanathar
temple
at
Tenkasi,
Krishnapuram
Venkatachalapathy
temple,
Ramanathaswamy
Temple
at
Rameswaram,
Soundararajaperumal
temple
at
Thadikombu,
Srivilliputhur
Andal
temple,
Avudayarkovil,
Vaishnava
Nambi
and
Thirukurungudivalli
Nachiar
temple
at
Thirukkurungudi
The
Dwajastamba
mandap
has
pillars
with
refined
architectural
features.
Tirumozhi
mandap
has
sculptures
of
monkeys,
squirrels
and
parrots.
It
also
houses
images
of
monkeys
performing
various
activities.
The
corridor
inside
the
temple
has
paintings
having
the
details
about
the
108
shrines
of
Vishnu.
There
are
also
paintings
detailing
the
coronation
of
Rama.
There
are
two
temple
tanks
namely
Brighu
Theertha
and
Kalasa
theertha
near
the
temple.
A
huge
temple
tank
near
the
Tamiraparani
river
is
also
associated
with
the
temple.
It
is
in
this
tank
that
the
float
festival
is
celebrated
yearly
The
idol
is
most
exquisitely
carved
with
club
in
hand.
Lions,
Yalis
and
elephants
are
carved
in
the
pillars
of
the
mandapam.
The
temple
served
as
a
fort
during
the
patriotic
war
of
Kattabomman
with
the
British.[5]
The
temple
has
a
nine-tier
rajagopuram
amidst
lush
vegetation
around
the
temple.
