The Rock-Cut Abode of Murugan

Tamil Nadu is an awesome place for those interested in history, religious architecture, ethnic diversity .....Just hit the road from anywhere to anywhere and be assured that you'll stumble upon a Temple every two kilometers - old , new, ancient, modern.....in every hamlet worth a sign board. 

There are those  New ones assaulting the eye with  psychedelic pagodas in electric  pink, fluorescent green and varnished gilt . Which , during "sacred" months, are advertised by  shrill songs, amplified to reach everyone within a 2km radius. There are the gorgeous giant Ayyanars with Horses.  There are  Ruins , massive pagodas  taken over by weeds and bats, that seem mysterious yet enticing. And there are the Living  Temples that have been thriving for a millenium, continually venerated by generations , bridging the past to the present and awaiting the future with self assured majesty and nonchalance.

 Just a short dash away from Base Camp Madurai are two enormous temple complexes - Azhagarkoil , dedicated to Vishnu and Thirupparamkundram, dedicated to Murugan.

THIRUPPARAMKUNDRAM
One of  The Six Abodes of Murugan. For a rockcut shrine, it looks massive. The principal shrine , a set of  rock cut niches for the presiding deity  and his family  carved into the rock face of a bald massif, dates to 8 CE. The rockcuts are neither on hill top nor  in the foothills, but on the  sheer face  higher  than the base and a little below  halfway to the top. The various mantapas ( pavilions) added in front by the later Pandyas and the Madurai Nayaks up till  16th -17th CE are cleverly elevated  in graded fashion with  easy steps  leading to the rockcuts. 

 

Tirupparamkundram is the First Padaiveedu of the Six ( Aru-Padai-Veedu) holy spots that mark the  most significant events in the Legend of Murugan. This grouping was done by the famous Sangam period philosopher poet Nakkeerar in his Tiru Murugatrrupadai , composed at this place, after he experienced the Bliss of Murugan. This hilly abode is the location of Murugan's wedding with Devasena, daughter of Indra, after the war with the three demons . 

There is a section of Tamil scholars who never tire of professing that Murugan is a purely Tamil deity, belonging only to the Tamil country and that the "northerners" (or "others" )appropriated Him as a Son of Shiva in their bid to subsume all native, local cultures so as to  impose their  alien "Vedic" religion all over India. Their primary theory is that Murugan  or Seyyon was the Hunter Protector of the Kurinji Landscapes (Hills) in Sangam times and his wife was a Tamil tribal girl named Valli. They dismiss all puranas about His birth , Deeds  and Devasena as impositions by  The Others. The patient explanations by another faction of historians that a Skanda ( Commander in Chief of Heavenly Armies) with the same Vel ( Spear), Peacock and Rooster was known in Upanishads, The Two Epics, the northern dynasties of Yaudheya, Kushana, Gupta, Pala, Mathura, Kalinga etc does not reach stubborn jingoistic ears ! The chatter of "Tamizh Kadavul" ( the Tamil God) is ceaseless . So be it. 

Tirupparamundram is considered the Muladhara Chakra sthana of the Six padaiveedus  that correspond to Six Chakras in the  Subtle body. 

The entrance Gopuram is fairly huge and colourful and the facade supported by a series of tall Yaali  and prancing Horse pillars, the signature of Nayaka art. The first pavilion is spacious with more pillars adorned with  sculptures illustrating Shiva Leelas.  The sidewalls are lined with little colourful brightly lit shops selling puja things and religious memorabilia to carry home. 

The Shiva , named Satyagireeshwarar,  enshrined in one of the rockcut cells  been sung by the savants Sambandar and Sundaramurthi Nayanars, so the place is also considered a Thevara Sthalam . We see the legends of Shiva providing succour to baby tigers, Shiva dancing the Urdhva Tandavam, Shiva skinning the Elephant, Shiva as Bhikshatana etc.There is Durga who could not match the Tandavam , a Ganesha doing a merry jig, portrait sculptures of Royalty and a Wedding Scene . This latter, though exactly similar in composition to the famous Meenakshi Kalyanam group , is actually the Wedding of Murugan and Devasena. 

The upper level of the same vestibule is accessed by a short flight of steps flanked by horses , giving the impression of a chariot. 

A peculiar ritual: 

The lifesized sculptures on the pillars is a Nayaka speciality and the figures are well sculpted.  On the day of our visit, some of them are wearing  strange white balls like some fancy costume. Upon investigation it is  found that the balls were bits of butter hurled by devotees as votive offerings ! If getting pelted with butter pleases the gods, who am I to decry the mess of greasy residue disfiguring the ancient works of art !

As we get closer to the rockcut Sanctums , moving space gets narrower and lines , regulated. At the base of the rockcuts are two Bhutaganas, fairly large ones , who bear the names Andaabaranar and Rudramoorthi . (Couldn't find out any info about them ).

The Vahanas , Nandi , Mooshika and Mayuram for the Father and Sons, all seated on the same platform facing their Lords , look  unique. 

 The fine, highly polished, lifesized stone figures of the worshiping king,  on pillars in front of the sanctum , though protected with ugly grills, nevertheless inspire awe when in such proximity . The slower the line of devotees moves, the better ! One can endlessly gawk and admire : the rippling muscles, the intricate jewelry, the fall of silks , the majestic moustache ! Superb !

The Innermost enclosure : 

The Sanctum is actually a series of rock cut cells, three facing North , for Durga, Murugan and Vinayaka ; one facing East for the Lingam of Satyagireeshwara and one facing  West for Vishnu named Pavazha Kanivaai Peruman. 

Since lighting is very poor in there, there is no way to make out the Somaskanda bas-relief said to be behind the Lingam . So too the figure of  the monkey faced Muchukunda, said to share space with Ganapathi . Below the Devi's cell, at a lower level is a magnificent crowded diorama like bas-relied group which is labelled "Annapurna" . Came to know later that she is actually Adi-Bhuvaneshwari being adored by hosts of Devas. The principal cell is better lit and fully decorated with brocades , jewelry and garlands. Murugan , flanked by Devasena and Rishi Narada , with Surya and Chandra floating overhead. An Elephant, a Ram and Ganas are seen on  the beaten brass Kavacha below. A very ornate, broad, metallic Prabhavali frame obscures some other  bas-relief figures on the sides. 

Ofcourse, photography is strictly prohibited in this area. 

( Bhairavar)

Way out:

Since the lines are regulated , exit is through another side . Here one can admire the processional metal images kept  behind locked grilled doors. Past this , an enclosure created in front of a sanctum for conducting weddings, annaprasanam or any such rituals. 

Outside the temple, to a side stands the huge temple car encrusted with carvings. 

The huge rock hill has other things to offer like another rock cut shrine at the back, Jain Beds, smaller shrines scattered here and there, a holy spring .......but the baking hot Sun discourages any plan to explore .