LESSON - 4

        D0 6114 கோயிற்கட்டடக்கலை - II     (சோழர், பாண்டியர், நாயக்கர்)

    THE TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE - II         (Under the cholas, Pandias, Nayakkar kings)

    The evolution of temple architecture during the periods of Cholas, Pandyas and Naickers is described in this lesson. Besides Chola temples, there are world famous temples of ராமேசுவரம், பழநி, ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்தூர் and ஸ்ரீரங்கம். You will have a lot of information about all these temples.

    There are separate units in this lesson describing the Chola contribution to temple construction, Chidambaram temple structure, Chola and pandya car temple structures, Rameswaram, Palani, Srivilliputhur and Srirangam temples.

    Ancient cholas and later cholas by starting from Vijayalaya constructed new temples, expanded the small temples existed then and renovated bigger temples. Saiva temples sung by religious saints like நாயன்மார் and சைவக் குரவர்கள் and Vaishnava temples sung by ஆழ்வார்கள் attracted the Chola kings and they undertook the task of developing them. விசயாலய சோளீச்சுரம், நார்த்தா மலை, கொடும்பாளூர், திருவீழிமிழலை, திருமுல்லைவாயில், the big temple of தஞ்சாவூர் and திருவையாறு temples are all described clearly in one unit.

    The greatness of சிதம்பரம் Nataraja temple on a 51-acre vast expanse with four இராச கோபுரங்கள் and ஒற்றைக்கால் as well as நூற்றுக்கால் மண்டபங்கள் is presented in another unit.

    The car-shaped construction of temples of the Chola and Pandya periods are described in third unit. நடராசர் கோயில் at Chidambaram, அமிர்த கடேசுவரர் கோயில் at west கடம்பூர், நாச்சியார் கோயில், தாராசுரம்கோயில் and all temples in கும்பகோணம், திருவாரூர் கோவில் and Meenakshi temple at Madurai have car-shaped constructions.

    Rameswaram is one of the twelve jyoti - lingas spread all over India. As Sri rama worshipped in this temple the place is named after him. Technical details of this XV-XVI century construction are given in another unit.

    One unit is devoted to the description of the temple at Palani, known as one of the six famous places called ஆறு படை வீடுகள். The structure by king சேரமான் பெருமாள், the maintenance by other dynasties including கிருஷ்ணதேவராயர், the hill-top temple for Muruga in penance, the foot-hill temple called திருவாவினன்குடி and the neighburring இடும்பன்மலை provide a feast for art lovers as well as religious people.

    Srivilliputhur is one of the holy places for Vaishnavites called திவ்ய தேசங்கள். Sri Andal was born in this place and devoted her life as a staunch disciple of Vishnu to the extent of even marrying him. வடபத்ர சயனர் கோயில் and நாச்சியார் ஆலயம் are described in another unit.

திருவரங்கம் கோயில் situated in the natural ground on the banks of River காவேரி near Trichy is another mounmental evidence of Temple architecture.

    On learning this lesson you will feel like being led through a number of anicent popular temples like a pilgrimage as well as like a conniossieur of the art of temple architecture.