Famous Temples in India

Architecture

The temple faces East direction and built in Dravidian style of architecture. It has 5-tiered Raja gopuram, which is 160 Feet high tower (Gopuram) of the sanctum sanctorum boasts several exquisitely carved sculptures. There are two gopurams and two praharas. The Dhwaja stambham is placed infront of the temple named as Kodimaram. Dakshinamoorthy, Lingothbhavar and Brahmma reside on the wall of Sri Vimana. The Vimana has six bases and sculptures of the scenes of Puranas on its wall. There are six base of Srivimana. One can see sculptures of the scenes of Puranas on the wall of Srivimana. Artha mandapam, Maha mandapam and Muha mandapam and Somaskandar mandapam. Sarabeswarar shrine is very special here unlike in other temples where he will be seen only on pillars.

As per inscriptions found in the South wall of the temple, the shrine was constructed by the Chola king Kulothunga Chola-III as a memorial of his successful North Indian campaign. The inscriptions in the shrine of the presiding deity is similar to the one in the outer gopuram (gateway tower), which indicates the building of the temple by Kulottunga-Choladeva. While it is unclear which Kulottunga it is, scholars have placed it at 1176 C.E. which is closer to the reign of Kulothunga Chola-III, who is believed to have been the last powerful Chola king. There are four inscriptions from Kulothunga Chola in Grantha script. The inscription 189 of 1907, the one on the Southern wall of the central shrine, is damaged and mentions Arya Sri Somanatha. Inscription 190 on the same wall indicates the building operations of Kulothunga Chola. 191, at the entrance of outer gopura, is a duplicate of the 190. On the same gopura, inscription 192 indicates record of King Kulothunga Chola. There are two inscriptions in Tamil from the period of Jatavarman Tribhuvanachakravartin Parakrama Pandya Deva registered by Epigraphy Department in 1911. One of them, 159, registers a contract between the residents of Tribhuvanavirapuram and Kulamangalanadu, who were urkaval (watchmen) of the village. On the same wall, the inscription numbered 160, records a similar contract in the presence of Chief Udaiyar Kulasekharadeva. There is a koneru named as Saraba theertham, Deva theertham, Gnana theertham, Vyasa theertham, Brigu theertham, Sidha theertham.