Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The temple was built in Dravidian style of architecture, the temple has retained the Pallava architecture in its original stylized form with influence of the later styles developed by the Chola Dynasty and Vijayanagara Emperors. The shikara of the temple, above the main shrine (sanctum sanctorum), is square in plan and rises up in a curvilinear style or pyramidal shape. The tower has many levels rising proportionately. At the top of this tower, there is a small roof in the shape of a dome. The pillar elements with mythical animal shapes (lions on the base) are extra features in Pallava style. Within the walls of the main shrine there is padabhanda adhisthana (main pedestal) with very elegantly carved images of gods with a sculpted Nandi. The temple hosts an outer wall in form of "Rathas" which results in creation of a passage for the devotees also known as "Sandharaprasada". One of the earliest instances of Calligraphy is found here. Over 240 titles of the king displayed in Nagari and Pallava Grantha scripts, meticulously engraved on the temple. It holds one of the earliest sculptures of Jyeshta Lakshmi (Moodevi) and Vaali.

The Ardha mandapam has some exquisite bronzes - Shiva Parvathi with Somaskanda with a small Nataraja idol, Standing Vinayaka, Ambal etc. The Maha mandapam has 3 shrines of 3 Vinayakas - Kubera Vinayaka, Vijaya Vinayaka & Siva Sakthi Vinayaka. The mandapam that housed Navagraha was visibly very old and almost dilapidated with roots of creepers all over them, Ardhamandapa (smaller hall). The pillars of the mandapa have the repetitive features of mythical lion mounts. The West facing hall has sculptures of Shiva in the form of Sandhya Tandavamurti and Urdhava Tandavamurti and the ensemble is completed with images of ganas in dancing poses and also with images of Brahma, Vishnu, Nandi and Parvathi. The carving of Shiva on the North facing wall is a composition of Tripurantaka flanked by three ganas, Goddess Durga with three ganas & Bhairavi, Kaushiki & Jyestha. The exterior faces of the vimana (tower) have images of Bhikshatana, Somaskanda and Shiva in Samhara-Tandava (destructive dancing) pose. The foundation of the temple is laid on granite stones while the superstructure is carved out of sandstone.