LESSON - 3

D0 6113 பல்லவர், சோழர் கோயிற்கலை

THE TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE (Under the pallavas and the Cholas)

    Temple architecture in ancient Tamil land illustrates the gradual progress of the people. Different types of temples existed in those days. The stone temples include car temples and structured temples of those days. The contributions of Pallavas in the development of temples are noteworthy. திருவதிகை வீரட்டானம், திருச்சி மலைக்கோட்டைக் கோயில். and the cavetemples reveal the greatness of Pallava temples. Later, Cholas built some palaces with aesthetic sense. All this information is conveyed in this lesson.

    Architectural development evidenced by the royal palaces and the affluent mansions can be seen in several books on sculptural arts. While the artists and labourers involved in construction work can take recourse to these books for the rules and procedures, the religious workers can be delighted in their propagation of religion through temples and mutts arising in Tamil land.

    The importance of temple worship made people to construct more temples. The Tamil words for temple lead us to the conceptions of God of the Tamil. The words கோயில் and ஆலயம் mean, God’s residence and the place for the soul to be in union with peaceful perfection. The status of a temple depends on the greatness of the idol, the speciality of the place and the holiness of the water resource. The work பராபரக் கண்ணி of தாயுமானவர் illustrates this idea. The sanctum sanctorum, the corridors around it, the tower, the altar in front, the flag mast and the walls are the components of a temple. The structure of the roof over the sanctum called விமானம் is like the face of a human body. விமானம் is shaped as a square, circle and polysided.

    Pallava period is known for its movement of devotional literature. It is also the golden period for temple architecture. Cave temples, of Pallavaram in Chennai, Trichy. சித்தன்னவாசல் and திருமெய்யம் stand testimony to this fact. Car temples at மாமல்லபுரம் belong to the VII century. Single-stone temples, three-storeyed structures, rectangular பீமசேனன் தேர், four-storeyed அருச்சுனன் தேர் and others provided patterns for later temple structures. The ancient temple at கூரம் near Kanchipuram is in the shape of தூங்கானை மாடம். All the Pallava temples are not built using black stones. Majority of them are of sand stones.

    Through literature and history temple architecture has developed. Pallava contribution is the most significant of all. Besides the cave temples, there are built-up temples like திருவதிகை வீரட்டானம் and the rock temple at Trichy. The massive halls called மண்டபங்கள் as the one constructed by Dalavay Mudaliar for the வசந்த விழா on the way to rocktemple are examples of the development of the art of building construction.

    Chola palaces built with bricks and wood were not as enduring as stone temples. விசயாலயன் and இராசேந்திரன் are important chola kings in developing this art.

    On learning this lesson you will appreciate the place of fine arts including architecture in the life of the ancient Tamils. Pallava period reigns supreme in the development of temple architecture and construction of massive halls. Chola palaces also have a part in this growth.