Narthamalai – An Enigma of Art
Located in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu, approximately 17 km from the district headquarters, Narthamalai is a region of profound historical and religious significance, distinguished by its cluster of nine hills: Melamalai, Kottaimalai, Kadambarmalai, Paraiyanmalai, Uvaccanmalai, Aluruttimalai, Bommamalai, Manmalai, and Ponmalai. Mythologically, these hills are believed to be fragments of the Dronagiri or Gandhamardana peak, which the epic hero Hanuman transported to Sri Lanka to find the life-restoring sanjeevani herb for Lakshmana. Upon his return journey, the fragments purportedly fell to earth, forming the present landscape. While the Perungalur sthalapurana offers a fabricated etymology linking the name to the sage Narada, calling it Naradamalai, a more plausible explanation suggests it is a corruption of Nagarattamalai, a name derived from the residence of the nagarattars, a prominent mercantile community. This theory aligns with the historical evidence of Narthamalai as a once-sprawling and prosperous commercial town.
Narthamalai's historical importance is further underscored by its role as a significant Jain center, evidenced by the presence of rock-cut beds on the Melamalai and Aluruttimalai hills. Inscriptions from the reign of the Chola king Rajaraja I (985-1014 CE) refer to the area as Annavayil-kurram, a sub-division within Keralantaka-valanadu, also known as Konadu. Under the rule of Kulothunga I (1070-1120 CE), the region was renamed Irattappadi-kondachola-valanadu, and during the subsequent Pandya rule, it was known as Telingakulakalapuram or Kulottungacholapattinam. The region was initially under the control of the Mutharaiyars during the Pallava period, until Vijayalaya Chola conquered the area in the mid-ninth century CE, after which the Mutharaiyars served as Chola vassals. Following the reign of Kulothunga III (1178-1218 CE), the territory passed into the hands of the Pandyas, a transition supported by inscriptional evidence found at the site.
Among the most notable architectural marvels of Narthamalai is the Paliyili-Ishvaram rock-cut shrine, a cave temple excavated on a large hill to the southwest of the village. Originally a modest cell, the shrine was later enhanced with the addition of a structural mandapa. The sanctum houses a black stone linga with a circular, molded avudaiyar. Although the mandapa is now largely in ruins, its adhishthana (base) remains, showcasing intricate components such as an upa-pitha, upana, jagati, vrtta-kumuda, and kantha. A bhuta-vali frieze adorns the kantha, with vyalas (mythical leonine creatures) and riders at its corners. The presence of two dvarapalas (guardian figures), each with one arm resting on a club and the other in a distinct mudra, further attests to the temple's sophisticated design. Inscriptions attribute the original excavation to Chattan Paliyili, son of Videlvidugu Mutharaiyar, around 850 CE, with his daughter, Paliyili Siriyanangai, later expanding the complex with a mukha-mandapa, a Nandi-mandapa, and a balipitha in 875-76 CE.
Adjacent to the Shiva shrine is the Vishnu cave temple, an east-facing excavation of considerable scale, likely the largest in the Pudukkottai region. Inscriptions refer to it as Thirumerkoil and Patinenpumi-vinnagar, with the presiding deity known as Karumanikkattalvar. The temple's facade is supported by two pillars and two pilasters, creating three aisles, with the central one being the widest. Behind this facade lies a spacious rectangular mandapa, with a cell carved into its rear wall. The cell's floor features a rock-cut padmapitha with a circular groove, intended for the placement of an image. The most striking feature of the mandapa is the array of twelve identical, standing Vishnu images carved on its lateral and rear walls. These figures, each standing on a lotus pedestal and holding a sankha (conch) and chakra (discus), are interpreted by some scholars as representations of the twelve forms of Vishnu, while others suggest they symbolize the dvadasha adityas (twelve solar deities).
The Vishnu cave temple complex also includes a later structural mandapa, notable for its exquisitely carved vyala-vari on the adhishthana, featuring vyalas with a variety of animal and human heads, sometimes compared to the sphinx of Egypt. This intricate frieze has led to scholarly debate regarding the temple's chronology and origins. While an inscription of Kulothunga I is present on the mandapa's base, some scholars argue this does not date its foundation. Comparisons with the Koranganatha temple at Srinivasanallur suggest a late ninth-century CE construction for the mandapa. Furthermore, some historians propose that the cave was originally a Jain shrine, known as Samana-Kugadu, and was later converted to a Vishnu temple. This theory is supported by the placement of the inscription at the base of the adhishthana, which suggests it could not have been added after the structure was completed, thus pointing to a pre-existing edifice that was repurposed for Vaishnavite worship.
WORDS TO BE NOTED-
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Sthalapurana: A type of traditional text that contains the history, myths, and legends associated with a particular sacred place or temple.
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Nagarattars: A prominent mercantile (trading) community from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, known for their commercial and financial activities.
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Vassals: Rulers or states that hold their territory under the authority and protection of a more powerful sovereign, to whom they owe allegiance and service.
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Mandapa: In Indian temple architecture, a pillared outdoor hall or pavilion used for public rituals, ceremonies, and gatherings.
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Linga: An aniconic (non-representational) and symbolic form of the Hindu deity Shiva, typically a cylindrical stone set in a circular base.
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Avudaiyar: The circular base or pedestal into which a Shiva linga is installed, symbolizing the divine feminine principle, or Shakti.
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Adhishthana: The foundational platform or molded base upon which a temple's walls and superstructure are built.
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Vyalas: Mythical creatures in Hindu temple art, often depicted as lion-like figures with the features of other animals, symbolizing ferocity and power.
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Dvarapalas: "Door guardians"; statues of formidable figures, often armed, that are placed at the entrances to Hindu or Buddhist shrines to protect the sacred space.
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Mudra: A symbolic and ritualistic hand gesture or body posture used in Hindu and Buddhist art and practice to convey specific meanings or energies.
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Sankha: A conch shell, which is a sacred emblem and ritual object in Hinduism, particularly associated with the god Vishnu as one of his primary attributes.
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Chakra: A circular, discus-like weapon, most famously associated with the god Vishnu, symbolizing the mind, the wheel of time, and cosmic order.
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Vaishnavite: Pertaining to Vaishnavism, a major tradition within Hinduism that is distinguished by the worship of Vishnu or his associated avatars, such as Krishna and Rama, as the supreme being.
Narthamalai, a historically significant site in Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai district, is defined by its nine hills, which mythology links to fragments of the Sanjeevani mountain carried by Hanuman. While once a prosperous commercial and Jain center, its name likely originates from the nagarattar merchant community rather than from fabled associations with the sage Narada. Having been ruled sequentially by the Mutharaiyars, Cholas, and Pandyas, Narthamalai is home to remarkable 9th-century rock-cut temples. The Paliyili-Ishvaram shrine, a Shiva temple, was patronized by the Mutharaiyar dynasty around 850 CE. Adjacent to it is the larger Vishnu cave temple, distinguished by twelve identical Vishnu carvings on its inner walls. This Vishnu temple is a subject of scholarly debate, particularly concerning its later structural mandapa with an exquisite vyala frieze, its precise dating, and the prominent theory that it was originally a Jain shrine before being converted for Vaishnavite worship.
SOURCE- PURATATTVA MAGAZINE
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