Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Domlur Chokkanatha Temple ‘Chokka’ in Telugu means ‘beautiful’ and the temple is constructed in such a way at a high place facing East. The temple has a tall stone flagstaff in front, the customary Garuda idol facing the main deity has a little mantap of its own. The carvings on the pillars portray the Kolata scene, fight of Vaali and Sugreev and a lion figure at the base and scenes from the Dasavataram. In sanctum Lord Vishnu or Chokka Perumal and his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi in the garbha graham (sanctum). These images have been carved from the saligrama (black) stone. Two ardhamandapas in front of it are the original structures and one of these mandapas (halls) has an underground cell. One can see the images of Lord Vishnu, the front portion or navaranga mantapa seems to be typical of the later Vijayanagar style.

Tamil Inscriptions - The Chokkanatha swamy Temple is a 10th-century Chola temple, located in Domlur. There are a number of Tamil inscriptions in the temple. Domlur is called as Tombalur or Desimanikkapattanam in these inscriptions. Chakravarthi Posalaviraramanatha Deva has left inscriptions with directions to temple authorities of his kingdom. Further some inscriptions record the tributes, taxes and tolls made to the temple by Devaraya II of Vijayanagar Empire, which state the houses, wells, land around Tombalur were offered to the deity Sokkapperumal. Another Tamil inscription dated 1270 talks about 2 door posts being donated by Alagiyar. Yet another inscription in Tamil details Talaikkattu and his wife donating lands from Jalapalli village and Vinnamangalam tank to the deity. A 1290 A.D. inscription talks about donation of ten pens from the revenue of Tommalur by Poysala vira Ramananda.