Kadambavaneswarar Temple,
Erumbur – The Temple
Kadambavaneswarar Temple is a small east facing temple
under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India. The Temple is similar
in architectural style to Kanchipuram Chokeesar Temple. As in the case of most
Early Chola temples, the central shrine of the original temple belonged to
Parantaka Chola I period was made up of only two parts, the sanctum and
the Ardhamandapam in
front.
The garbhagriha measures 15
ft. 2 in. square in the exterior and 8 ft. 4 in. square in the interior
(respectively 4.62 m. and 2.54 m.), and the Ardha Mandapam measures 11 ft. by 7 ft. (3.35 m. by 2.13 m.)
outside. The basement has plain mouldings. The present dome-shaped sikhara over the sanctum
is a later structure of brick.
Perhaps the old sikhara had
collapsed and a new partial brick structure was built in its place.
Presiding Deity is called as Kadambavaneswarar and is
facing east. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Shiva Lingam. The walls
of the garbhagriha have
niches on the three sides of the exterior, and there are stone images of
exquisite beauty in them: Dakshinamurti in the south, Yoga Arunachaleswarar in
the west and Brahma in the north.
These are good specimens of Early Chola sculptures of the days of Parantaka I
(10th Century A.D).
The sculptures of Dakshinamurthy in the form of Arthanareeswarar
seated on a Trisula without the usual tree above. He is sitting in a different
posture called as Veera Asana, with many jewels carved on him. The
Dakshinamurthy is a unique form here with dogs, deer and snakes carved in the
base. Yoga Arunachaleswarar on Lotus Peedam can be found in the place of
Lingothbhava. He is also carved with many jewels on him.
Usually, Brahma will be found in a standing posture in
all temples but in this Temple, he is sitting in Lotus Peedam with Akkamalai
and Kundhigai. Brahma and Arunachaleswarar in yogic posture are exquisite. It had
eight subsidiary shrines round the main shrine in earlier days but there are
now no traces of the eight subsidiary shrines.
As per early Chola Temple architecture, eight subsidiary
shrines are dedicated to Surya, Saptamatrikas, Ganesha,
Subrahmanya, Jyeshta Devi, Chandra, Bhairavar and Chandikeswarar.
This practice of having eight subsidiary shrines around the main shrine was
abandoned due to the adverse preachings of the Tamil saints, the Alvars and
the Nayanmars, led to the
neglect of the worship of the Saptamatrikas and of Jyeshta Devi.
This feature of subsidiary shrines can be found in the
Vijayalaya Cholisvaram at Narthamalai and in many other Early Chola temples,
but only here is the inscriptional evidence
to prove conclusively that the building of eight shrines round the main Siva shrine to house the subsidiary
deities was an important feature of the Early Chola temples. The practice of
building eight sub-shrines for the Ashta Parivara Devatas continued even
into the days of Rajaraja I.
The icons of Nandi and Bhairavar can
be found in the mukha mandapa. This is a
later structure, 29 ft. by 24½ ft. (8.84 m. by 7.47 m.), with an arch roof in
brick and mortar. In the northern projection of this there is a shrine of the
Goddess (Amman); the only inscription which refers to this Goddess is that of a
Pandyan ruler Maravarman Yira Pandya (1267 A.D), by whose time the Chola power
had eclipsed and their country had passed under Pandyan hegemony.
It is very probable that the Amman shrine and the mukha mandapa of
brick belong to the 13th Century A.D. Pandyas named the Mother as Kadambavanaeswara
Nayaki but Mother is called as Kalyana Sundari and is facing south. She is in
standing posture. There are traces of a brick wall of enclosure with a gate-way
in the east, enclosing the main shrine and the subsidiary shrines; and in the
foundation, large-sized bricks (measuring 1 ft. 2 in. by 7½ in. by 2¾ in. =35.6
cm. by 19.1 cm. by 7 cm.), can be found belonging to Parantaka Chola I days.
Lord Muruga is seen seated on his peacock mount in his
shrine in the prakaram. Navagraha Shrine can be found in the western corner of
the prakaram. All Navagrahas are gracing the devotees with their consorts and
Vahanas (Mounts). There is idol of Veera Narayana Perumal in the Temple
premises. Sthala Vriksham is Kadamba Tree. Theertham associated with this
Temple is Easwaran Kulam. It is situated to the south east of the temple.
