The Kadambar-koil is another beautiful temple complex in Narttamalai, situated
at the foot of the Kadambar-malai (கடம்பர் மலை), north-east of Mela-malai (மேலமலை).
In fact the rocky hillock, Kadambar-malai, is named after this temple. The temple
has an air of simple grandeur, with its background of hills and beautiful natural
scenery.
The Kadambar-koil complex with its background of Kadambar-malai
|
There are four monuments in this complex that attract the visitors. They
are the main Siva shrine, the Amman shrine, another Siva shrine called Nagarisvaram
(நாகரீஸ்வரம்) and a large inscription on the rock surface.
The main shrine is ascribed to the reign of Raja raja I Chozha (முதலாம்
இராஜராஜ சோழன்) (985-1014). The earliest inscription in the temple belongs to
the 22nd year of Raja raja Chozha (1007 AD). The presiding deity is called Malaik-kadambur
Thevar (மலைக்கடம்பூர் தேவர்). The other two shrines belong to the reign of the
Pandya King Mara-varman Sundara-pandya I (முதலாம் மாரவர்மன் சுந்தரபாண்டியன்)
(first half of 13th century).
Here, there is a plethora of inscriptions. The inscriptions range over the
entire Chozha period starting from Raja raja I Chozha till Rajendra III (மூன்றாம்
இராஜேந்திரன்), the last of the Chozha rulers.
Approach
At about a kilometre from the highway to Narttamalai village a mud-road
branches off on the right, which leads to the Kadambar-malai and Kadambar Koil.
Kadambar-malai lies within 500 metres from the Narttamalai road and on the
western side of the village road. The Kadambar-koil complex is located on the
south-west of the hillock. One needs to get down at the foot-hills of the hill
and walk along a footpath through bushes to the temple complex. Presently one
enters the temple complex from the eastern side. There are traces of a compound
wall, surrounding the temple complex, on the southern side.
The remnants of the compound wall
|
Immediately after entering the premises one can see a Siva temple called
Nagarisvaram, an Amman shrine to its south-west and along the hill the Kadambar-koil.
Near to the Kadambar-koil, on the rock surface exists a very large area is covered
with inscriptions.
The Kadambar-koil
The Kadambar-koil
|
Assigned to the period of Raja raja Chozha I (985-1014 AD), this main shrine
in the complex is called Tirumalaik-kadambur Isvaram (திருமலைக்கடம்பூர் ஈஸ்வரம்).
It is situated at the north side of the temple complex. Apart from the name
Malaik-kadambur Thevar referred to in the Raja raja inscription, the presiding
deity is also called as Thirumalai-Kadambur-Udaya-Nayanar (திருமலைக் கடம்பூர்
உடைய நாயனார்), Sri Kailasam Udaiya Nayanar (ஸ்ரீ கைலாசம் உடைய நாயனார்), Kooththadum-thevar
(கூத்தடும் தேவர், Nataraja) and Thiru-anaikka-udyaiya-nayanar (திருவானைக்கா
உடைய நாயனார்) in various other inscriptions.
Most of the inscriptions found in Narttamalai are on the mandapam walls
of the Kadambar temple and on the rock-face adjoining to it. Eleven of these
are of the Chozha-s and ten of the Pandya-s. These relate to gifts and conveyance
of land by Nagarattar-s (நகரத்தார்), instituting of festivals and sandhi-s (சந்தி)
(worships) and rewards for services to the temple.
The Architecture
The temple faces the west. It consists of a garbha-griham (கருவறை), an ardha-mandapam
(அர்த்தமண்டபம்), a maha-mandapam (மகாமண்டபம்), and a prakaram (திருச்சுற்று
மாளிகை). A part of the hill serves as the northern wall of the temple prakaram.
In front of the temple are a fine sculpture of nandi and some broken parts
of bali-pitham and dhvaja-sthambham.
The nandi and broken parts of bali-pitham
|
Through a door, one enters to the western prakaram. Beyond this is the maha-mandapam.
It is pillared structure with flat roof supported by eight pillars.
The entrance to the temple
|
Beyond this are the ardha-mandapam and the garbha-griham. It is an imposing
structure of well-dressed stones, showing great artistic skill. It resembles
in some aspects to those of the Balasubrahmanya temple (பாலசுப்பிமணியர் கோயில்)
at Kannanur (கண்ணனூர்), in this district. It is, however, later in date.
The garbha-griham is a plain structure and has a moulded plinth. On the
outer wall of the garbha-griham there are deva-koshtam-s (தேவகோஷ்டம்) surmounted
by kudu-s (கூடு) with miniature shrines inside. The southern niche contains
a sculpture of Dakshina-moorthi (தக்ஷிணாமூர்த்தி).
The Dakshina-moorthi in the southern niche
|
The pilasters are polygonal and have idal-s (இதழ்) and palagai-s (பலகை)
at the top. Above the cornice (kodungai, கொடுங்கை) is a vyali (யாளி) frieze.
The vimanam is of single tier. The grivam has niches (griva-koshtam, கிரீவகோஷ்டம்)
on four sides and they are surmounted by simha-mukham-s (சிம்மமுகம்). The sikharam
(சிகரம்) of the vimanam (விமானம்) is bell shaped. Further up over a base of
lotus petals (பத்ம பட்டிகை, padma-pattikai), stand the stone stupi (ஸ்தூபி).
The Grivam and sikharam of the vimanam
|
In the recess between the garbha-griham and the ardha-mandapam are two pilasters
carrying a pancharam (பஞ்சரம்) surmounted by a kudu.
The pillared prakaram
|
In the pillared-prakaram of this temple are kept the idols of the attended
deities of this and idols brought from the adjoining temple. They include the
Sapta-matrika group, a Vina-dhara Dakshina-moorthi (வீணாதார தக்ஷிணாமூர்த்தி)
and Ganesa holding in his upper arms a piece of sugarcane and a sheaf of paddy.
At the north-east corner of the prakaram, on the rock surface is a relief
sculpture of Chandikesvara.
The tank in front of the temple is called Mangala-theertham.
The Siva temple called Nagarisvaram
The Nagarisvaram-koil
|
To the south of Kadambar-koil is a Siva temple, called Nagarisvaram. According
to an inscription (PSI 283) this temple was built in the 12th year of the reign
of Mara-varman Sundara-pandya I (1228 AD).
This east-facing shrine consists of a square garbha-griham and an ardha-mandapam.
It has a flat roof. The walls of the garbha-griham and the ardha-mandapam have
pilasters and deva-koshtam-s. There are no sculptures in the niches.
The shrine is rather plain, and the usual dvara-palaka-s are absent. There
is no lingam in the sanctum now.
The Amman Shrine
The Amman shrine
|
Towards south-west of the Siva shrine is a beautiful Amman shrine. The goddess
is called Mangalambikai.
Two inscriptions (PSI 279 and 325) in the reign of Mara-varman Sundara-Pandya
(1st half of 13th century) refer to the building of this shrine by one Periya-thevan
(பெரியதேவன்) (called Marududaiyan Periya-devanudaiyan (மருதுடையான் பெரியதேவனுடையான்)
in the first inscription and Paluvurudaiyan Periyan (பலுவுருடையான் பெரியன்)
in the second).
The shrine consists of a garbha-griham, an ardha-mandapam and a small mandapam
in front with two pillars. All these have a common moulded plinth. The approach
into the front mandapam is from the sides by a flight of steps having rolled-balustrades.
There is a Devi idol inside the garbha-griham.
Beautiful pilasters and kumbha-pancharam
|
The walls of the garbha-griham and the ardha-mandapam are adorned with polygonal
pilasters with idal-s and thin palagai and corbels (போதிகை, potikai). There
are deva-koshtam-s on the walls. They are flanked by circular pilasters and
surmounted by pancharam-s with wagon shaped tops (சாலை, sala). Presently there
are no sculptures inside these niches, but traces of their existence can be
seen.
On the west wall of the garbha-griham is a small relief sculpture depicting
a cow performing the abhishekam on a lingam with its milk.
The shrine has a flat roof and no superstructure remains above the sanctum.
The Inscriptions on the living rock
To the east of the main shrine and north of the Nagarisvaram temple, on
the surface of the living rock is a rectangular area which hosts inscriptions.
A rectangular area of about 6 feet by 20 feet is carved in and then inscribed
on the rock surface.
The large inscription on the hillock
|
It contains two inscriptions. The older one is an 11-line long Tamil inscription
(PSI 91) is executed in the 28th year of Raja raja I (1012-1013 AD). This incomplete
inscription records a grant of land by the people of Telungu-kulakala-puram
(தெலுங்கு குலகாலபுரம்) in Annavayil-kurram (அன்னவாயில் கூற்றம்), a sub-division
of Konadu in Keralantaka-valanadu (கேரளாந்தக வளநாடு) for uvachchu (உவச்சு) service
in the temple.
The other is a 28-line Tamil inscription (PSI 170) belongs to the 37th year
of Kulottunga Chozha III (1214-1215 AD). This registers a sale of land by the
residents of Telungu-kulakala-puram in Irattapadi-konda-chozha-valanadu (இரட்டைப்படி
கொண்ட சோழ வளநாடு), to two merchants of the same place.
|
