VAIKUNDA PERUMAL TEMPLE,
KANCHEEPURAM, TAMIL NADU.
(aka PARAMESWARA VINNAGARAM TEMPLE)
Parameswara Vinnagaram or
Vaikunta Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, located
in Kancheepuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple is believed
to have been built by the Pallava King Nandivarman II (720-96 CE), with later
contributions from Medieval Cholas and Vijayanagar Kings.
The great Vaishnava saint
Thirumangai Alvar was his contemporary. This temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th
century Vaishnava canon by Thirumangai Alvar in 10 hymns. The temple is
classified as a Divyadesam, one of
the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the Vaishnava canon. The temple is
one of the fourteen Divyadesams located
in Kanchipuram and is part of Vishnu Kanchi, the place where most of the Vishnu
temples in Kancheepuram are located.
Like other Vishnu temples of
Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community. The Vaikasi Brahmotsavam, celebrated during
the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May-June), and Vaikunta Ekadashi celebrated during
the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January) are the two major festivals
celebrated in the temple.
Vaikuntha Perumal temple was
first built with a distinctive style in South India. The walls of this temple are adorned with religious sculptures. Further, the inner
wall of the verandah running around the four sides of this temple, has a series
of Pallava Dynasty history sculptured on it, up to the reign of Nandivarman II
Pallavamalla (builder of the temple).
Nandivarman II came to the throne
at the age of twelve in c. AD 731-32. He ruled for nearly 65 years and it was
an important era in Pallava history. His relations with the Chalukyas, the
Rashtrakutas and the Pandyas were varied, and at times hostile, at times
peaceful. Nandivarman's reign is notable for the development of two conflicts
one in the north with the Chalukyas, which is traditional, and the other in the
south with the Pandyas which was later to have such fateful consequence in the
battle of Tiruppurambiam.
One particular sculpture that
stood out was of I Ching, the famous Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk, who traveled
by sea to India and studied at Nalanda University for eleven years before
returning with a collection of as many as 500,000 Sanskrit stanzas. He
translated more than 60 sutras into Chinese, including Saravanabhava Vinaya ,
Avadana, and Suvarnaprabhascottamaraja-sutra. He is also responsible for the
translation of eleven Buddhist tantras and eighteen works on monastic
discipline, as well as exegetic works. I Ching travelled in India during the
reign of King Narashimhavarmman II (aka Rajashimha) who is the father of King
Parameswaravarmman II, whom Nandivarmman II inherited the Kingdom from.
One of the main attractions of
Vaikuntha Perumal temples is the exceptional 1000 paired hall. The extra characteristic about it is that
each pillar has a statue carved on it.
Inside the temple, lion pillars support the enclosed passages and the
architecture of the temple has played a vital role in the architectural
evolution of the grand thousand pillared mandaps (halls) built-in the later
South Indian temples. On the wall of the
temple there are several inscriptions related to the wars between the Pallavas
and Chalukyas.
One interesting phenomena here is
the Nawab Sathathullah Khan Mosque which was built by the Nawab of Arcot who
ruled the Carnatic territory under the patronage of the Mughals located next
door to this temple. Interestingly the
temple shares its water source from a tank for more than 300 years with the
mosque. The beauty is that Moslems participate in the Brahmatvasam festivals of
the temple every year.
The Nawabdom of the Carnatic was
established by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1692 AD. With the Vijayanagara
Empire in serious decline, the Nawabdom of the Carnatic controlled a vast
territory south of the Krishna river. The Nawab Saadatullah Khan (1710-1732 AD)
moved his court from Gingee to Arcot. Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah (1749 - 1795)
was freed from his suzerainty and made the independent ruler of the Carnatic by
the Mughal emperor in 1765. His rule was long and mostly peaceful. He donated
generously to Churches, Temples and Mosques. The temple at Sri Rangam was one
which benefited from his generosity.
The thirteenth Nawab, Ghulam
Muhammad Ghouse Khan (1825–1855), died without issue and the British annexed
the Carnatic Nawabdom applying the doctrine of lapse. Ghouse Khan's uncle Azim
Jah was created the first Prince of Arcot (Amir-E-Arcot) in 1867 by Queen
Victoria, and was given a tax free pension in perpetuity. This privilege
continues to be honoured by the Government of India. This status is protected
by the Indian Constitution and the family continues to retain its privileges
and titles. The current Prince of Arcot Abdul Ali came to the title in July
1994.
Religious harmony was and still
exists, in Kancheepuram.
Next time in Kancheepuram, TN,
make sure you don’t miss this temple. The grandiose of its architecture and
sculpture depicting the history of the Pallava Kingdom is truly mesmerizing and
a feast to the eyes.
Source:various
photo@ravienavarmman&ravivarmman072014
No comments:
Post a Comment