Famous Temples in India

Architecture

This is the East facing temple with two storied Vimana of about 50 feet high. Antarala is inserted between Mandapa and Ardhamandapam. The beautiful sculptures on the walls reflect architectural brilliance. The images of animals on the walls contain only heads carved on a single row. Vimana contains Karnakuta and Sala. Karnakuta is placed at the angle of the building and have a square roof. Sala is placed in middle topped with leaf shape roof. One can notice images of Lord Brahma and Lord Dakshina Murthy on the walls of the temple. This temple is an example of dvitala vimana structure as seen in Muvar Koil at Kodumbalur and Sundareswarar Temple at Thirukkattalai. There are many advanced architectural features seen in this temple in comparison of simpler shrines at Panangudi, Kaliyapatti and Visalur. First difference to notice is antarala (vestibule) inserted between the sanctum and Ardha mandapa. Total length from mandapa to vimana is about 50 feet where mandapa is a rectangle of 25 feet by 20 feet and the vimana is a square of 25 feet side.

Sanctum inside vimana is a square chamber of 12 feet side. A very visible and striking difference which is observed from the Pallava Temples is absence of rampant lion base pillars. However instead of using these animal motifs as base of pillar, the architects innovated a new scheme where these animal heads were put into a single course of, a characteristic Chola feature which was continued throughout the subsequent periods. This is the second advanced feature noticed at Koranganatha Temple. This single course row consisting of animal heads, vyala (yali) row, is placed above Adhisthana (platform). There is a very low rising upapitam which is probably constructed to level the ground for construction of the temple. Above this upapitam rises upanam of quite significant height. Above this is kambudam which is rounded at its edges. Above this kambudam is kabodam which is surmounted with yalam (vyala row). The vyala row has magnificent and exquisite figures of vyalas (mythological animals) with heads of lions or elephants. Makara figures are protruding out on the corners in level with vyalas. There are niches, gosta-panjaram, carved between pilasters on the external walls of the sanctum. Niches are topped with a makara-torana on top. Two small niches are put on either side of the middle main niche. These side niches were provided for attendants or Dvarapalas.

The images placed inside the niches are carved very bold and carved so exquisitely these look to be carved in round and few seems to come out of the niche. There was a niche sculpture of Kali in attendance of Saraswathi on left and Lakshmi on right on Southern wall of the temple. There are two female images on two side niches on west wall. It may be that some goddess was adorning the middle niche of this side. One of the female images is holding achanvar (fly-whisk) suggesting that she could an attendant of the missing goddess. Usually an image of Vishnu is placed on west however in this case it may be that an image of Lakshmi was carved. Niche on north has an image of Brahma as usual. He is shown standing in Sambhaga posture carrying an Akshamala and a kamandalu in his upper arms. One arm is resting on his waist. One attendant is standing in right side niche holding flowers in between his two palms which are joined in Anjali mudra. There is another attendant on left side niche. There are many inscriptions on all the walls of this temple.