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Remains of Subramanya Temple of Sangam periodexcavated at Saluvankuppam (Mamallapuram), India.The Pallava sea-port Mamallapuram is known for its cave temples, rock-cut monolithicrathas, open-air bas-relief and free standing structural temple. Archaeological excavationsat Saluvankuppam village (also known as Thiruvizhchil) near to UNESCO monument TigerCave, just six km north of Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, India, havethrown light on the ruins of the brick temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya dating back tosecond century A.D. Archaeologists of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) teamexcavated this site in 2005.

1. Subramanya Temple viewed from North

2. Subramanya Temple showing Balipeetam and Granite Spear (Vel) on a brick platform atthe entrance to the shrine

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3. Subramanya Temple viewed South West corner. Laterite bricks used as foundationmaterial for the temple. Note the subsequent layers of thin, tabular bricks of a younger

period.

4. Subramanya Temple showing circumambulation corridor (cloister mandapam), the portionof the brick layers.

Architecture

The foundation for the excavated temple site was built on alluvium soil. The rectangularplinth construction uses two kinds bricks i.e., large size laterite stones (Sangam age) andtubular thin bricks (post Sangam period). There is a brick layer at the bottom and on top ofwhich there are four more laterite layers separated by four more additional brick layers.

5. Subramanya Temple using Laterite bricks as foundation material for the temple. Note thesubsequent layers of thin, tabular bricks of a younger period.

6. Subramanya Temple showing a portion of the brick layers

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7. Litho section facing East, exposed during the excavation. Note the layer of shell andshell fragments at the surface as resource material for the preparation of lime plaster.

The brick and laterite stones were plastered with lime. At later stage ten more layers ofbrick and rock boulders were added. The site shows outer and inner coveredcircumambulation corridor (cloister mandapam), frontal pavilion (mukha mandapam),sanctum sanctorum walls built of bricks, with standing pillars on all four sides of the temple.The sanctum sanctorum measures 2 meters in length and 2.2 meters in width built with '27courses of bricks.' The big size bricks found at the sanctum sanctorum are unique andresembles with the bricks earthed out in other Sangam period sites i.e., Puhar, Urayur,Mangudi an d Arikamedu. The temples don’t have direct entrance and only got sideentrances and this feature found in pre-Pallava Buddhist monuments.

8. The sanctum sanctorum of the Subrahmanya Temple

9. Ardha Mandapam at Subrahmanya Temple

10. A portion of the brick prakara or compound wall of the Subrahmanya Temple

The site also exhibits a six-foot spear or 'Vel' carved out of granite stone (weapon held byLord Subramanya) positioned on two rows of chiseled lotus ('padma') pedestal beforesanctum.It is learned from former ASI director that the temple underwent construction in threestages. The original construction made during Sangam period (pre-Pallava period) waswashed away by tidal waves. At second stage Pallavas (8th or 9th century A.D.) re-established the plinth of the temple with the addition of stone slabs. Following yet anothertidal wave which collapsed the structure, the Cholas rebuilt the temple by adding very largesize dressed stone blocks at stage three. This structure was also ruined by another stormsurge.

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11. Subramanya Temple viewed from South East

Inscriptions

Number of rock inscriptions is found near the shrine. The specific three granite pillars,which lead for the discovery of the shrine, bears inscriptions of grants offered to thisshrine (Ref. 1-3). Later five more inscriptions discovered (Ref. 4-8). Now three moreinscriptions identified Ref. (9-11).

1. Kirarpiriyan of Mamallapuram made grants of ten 'kazhanjus' (small sized gold balls) Firstpillar inscription 2. Vasanthanar, a Brahmin woman offered a grant of 16 kazhanjus Second pillar inscriptionwhich can be dated back to 813 A.D. 3. Raja Raja Chola I (985–1014 A.D.) Third pillar inscription is about the grant 4. Pallava king Dantivarman (795 to 846 A.D.) Fourth pillar inscriptions which can be datedback to 813 A.D. 5. Pallava kings Nandivarman III (846 to 869 A.D.) Fifth pillar inscriptions which can be datedback to 858 A.D.6. Pallava kings Kambavarman (9th century A.D) Sixth pillar inscriptions 7. Krishna III (939-68 A.D) Rashtrakuta king Seventh pillar inscriptions which can be datedback to 976 AD, 8. Pallava king Kambavarman (9th century A.D) Eighth pillar inscriptions 10. Krishna III (939-68 A.D) Rashtrakuta king Ninth pillar which can be dated back to 971A.D. in his 21st reignal year 10. Rajendra III Chola (1216–1256 A.D) Tenth pillar inscriptions 11. Kulothunga Chola III (1178–1218 A.D.) which can be dated back to 1215 A.D.

All the inscriptions in ancient Tamil script record about the donations of land and gold forthe maintenance of the Subramanya temple at Thiruvizhchil and it continuously receivedgrants. All these inscriptions mention the village as Thiruvizhchil.

Archaeological Artifacts

The following archaeological artifacts were collected from the excavated site:

1. Terracotta plaque The terracotta plaque - a bas-relief panel measuring about 13 cm by 12cm depicts five women dancers performing 'Kuravai Koothu.' This rich archaeologicalartifact presents the dancers (with headgear and conspicuous eyes) seen singing. Theexpert dating it back to second or third century A.D.2. Granite carved spear or 'Vel' measuring six feet is seen standing erect at its lotuspedestal before sanctum.3. Terracotta Ganesha icon.4. Terracotta bull or Nandhi measuring 4 cm in height.5. Shiva Lingam sculpted from polished green-stone.6. Terracotta head of a woman7. Copper bell - miniature size. Copper coin belonging to Chola period. 8. Amphorae or glazed jars, lids of pot, potsherds etc.9. Terracotta lamps.

Conclusion

Archaeologists' conclusions are:

1. From the evidences like temple orientation, brick size and artifacts collected from thissite, the ASI team concluded that this structure immediately antedates the Pallavas. Theyare also of the opinion that this one is the earliest brick temple in Tamil Nadu identified asof now. Further to this they also infer that no other temple of such nature is reported fromsouth India.

2. Presence two evidences granite spear and the plaque depicting women dancing 'KuravaiKoothu' allow the ASI experts to conclude this one as Lord Subramanya temple.

3.The Reach foundation, Chennai conducted carbon - 14 dating on the paleo-tsunami

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Posted by R Muthusamy at 8:37 AM

Labels: Brick Structure, Cholas, Pallavas, Saluvankuppam, Sangam Period, Subramanya

Temple, Temple, The Cholas, The Pallavas

Location: Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India

evidences (sea shells and other debris) proved that they got deposited in different periodsbetween 405 A.D. and 564 A.D. and between 1019 A.D. and 1161 A.D.

4. According to T.Sathyamurthy, Superintendent, ASI Chennai Circle, (now Reachfoundation trustee) conclude that the shrine belongs to Sangam period since it facesnorthwards. The modern temples built according to Shilpa Shastras (written between 6th or7th century A.D.) are facing either east or west. This fact encouraged him to conclude thatthe temple was constructed before the 6th or 7th century A.D. He also estimated the ageof the brick shrine ranging between 1700 and 2200 years.However, noted Indian archaeologist R. Nagaswamy is critical of this claim due to lack ofreferences to the shrine in the popular literature of the period.

Reference

1. Archaeologists stumble on ancient temples: New finds of old temples enthusearchaeologists. Ramya,M. Times of India.

2. Maguire, Paddy. Tsunami reveals ancient temple sites. BBC. October 27, 2005

3. Muthiah.S, Editor. 400-year Record of the First City of Modern India, Volume 1.Madras.

4. Sathyabhama Badhreenath, Hema Achyuthan, Smriti Haricharan and Mohandas, KP.Saluvankuppam coastal temple – excavation and application of soil micromorphology.Current Science 100 (7), April 10, 2011. Retrieved on 23 August 2012.

5. Sivakumar, S. Much more than stone. The Hindu. August 13, 2010.

6. Subrahmanya Temple, Saluvankuppam. Wikipedia.

7. Subramanian, N. Remains of ancient temple found. The Hindu. September 21, 2005

8. Subramanian, T S. Another surprise in Mamallapuram. Frontline 22 (22), November 4,2005.

9. Subramanian, T S. Pillars with inscriptions of Pallava, Chola kings found. The Hindu.March 17, 2007.

10. Subramanian, TS. Rare artifacts found. . The Hindu March 28, 2006.

11. Subramanian, T S. Remains of Subrahmanya temple found near Mahabalipuram. TheHindu. July 27, 2005

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Dr.Thanumoorthy Venkatasubramani 4 days ago - Shared publicly

Have you come across any references about the Kulasekara Nathar temple atPathai Tirunelveli dist in ancient books? I am interested since I am frm thisPathai villageIf you get pl pass on to me at radha52@hotmail.comDr V Thanumoorthy

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sreegururaj jayachander 1 week ago - Shared publicly

Very interesting and thought provoking!!! Nice compilation. Any idea on thathuge rock within the "temple complex"?? Does it have any significance??Doesn't it seem odd??

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The rock mound is part of the temple structure. Thank you for your viewsand comments

R Muthusamy 1 week ago

Gopalakrishnan Ramamurti 1 week ago - Shared publicly

Very Interesting. Similarly there is Srindhiswarar temple in Annamputhur afterDindivanam, in Pondy Dindivanam bypass Road, Built by Rajaraja Chozan inAD1008. The temple is being rebuilt now.

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