Thursday, November 09, 2006

Thiruvudanthai Intro and the Happy Warrior

Thiruvidanthai is situated on the East Coast Road about 16 miles south of Mahabalipuram. It's a nice, small, very nicely maintained temple.

This temple dates back atleast to the Pallava times apparently (7-8th Century CE) and was mentioned by Thirumangai Alwar. There was a notice by the ASI talking about how the temple had grants by Raja Raja Chozha (10th Century) Kulothunga Chozha (1100 CE). The main deity in the temple is Adhivaraha perumal. The moolavar (main idol) is nearly 9 feet tall with Vishnu, in the form of Varaha, holding lakshmi and stepping on a naga.

No photography is allowed once you enter the temple, which sucks. I can see why flashes might be disallowed, photography forbidden in the sanctum-sanctorum etc, but the outside praharams should be free game for flash-free photography. It seems to be one of those bureaucratic things (like the no-non-hindus allowed rule, which really affects only foreigners, but that would be another discussion altogether.)

I was limited to photographing a mandapam (pillared hall) outside the temple proper, where some people and some bulls were chilling out. I am not certain when it was built.

Here's the first of the photos, which I will call the Happy Warrior.

He has a re-curved sword(which looks like the sword from the Vellore temple, a dagger which is almost exactly the same shape on his hip, what I presume to be hte scabbard for his sword on his left shoulder, and he is twirling his moustache with his left hand. In all the impression is of a guy mightily pleased with himself:-)

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