Kailaya Eswaramudaiya Mahadevar Temple, Kesavaram –
The Temple
The site
where the temple is located was once called as Kailaya Eswaram. Hence,
Lord Shiva in this temple is named as Kailaya Eswaramudaiya Mahadevar,
which means Mahadeva (Shiva's another name) who owns Kailaya Eswaram. The
temple has the sanctum, ardha-mandapam and mukha-mandapam. The stone
temple has the Gaja Brustha Vimana resembling the back side of the sleeping
elephant.
The
Gajabrushta vimana is entirely built with granite boulders. It has an ekatala
vimana and it has an apsidal (Gajabrushta) plan from adhishtana to shikara,
recalling the earlier Buddhist chaitya. The beautiful stone vimana that can be
seen in other Coovum sites like Sivapuran, is being held together with metal
reinforcements. The east facing temple does not have gopuram or flag staff. The
front mandapa is crumbling and a beheaded Nandi.
The
sanctum enshrines Lord Shiva called as Kailaya Eswaramudaiya Mahadevar in the
form of Lingam. There is no idol found in the Ardhamandapam or Mahamandapam. The
beautiful sculptures of Ganesha, Dakshina Murti, Lingodhbava, Brahma and Vishnu
Durga are found as the niche images. They are A beautiful Ganesha, a heavily
damaged Dakshina Murthi with an oversized Muyalagan at his feet, and a stylish
Durga.
The
Gajabrushta vimana has Narasimha over Lingothbavar which is a unique feature
here. A new Nandi idol and a new sub-shrine for Chandikeswara have been
sculpted recently. Beheaded idols of a Dwara Ganapathy, and Uma Sahitha Murthi
lay dumped in a corner.
The
temple has Chola period inscriptions. Kulothunga Chola I of 11th
century CE gave Uraiyur village as grants for this temple. This temple appears
to have been built from the grants given by his wife Ezhulagam Udaiyal. The
east facing temple is in a dilapidated condition and some volunteers have
conserved the temple from further damage.
