A Splendid Shrine to Nothingness
Eastern philosophies generally spiral down to the principle of Nothingness. Matter does not matter. It is all about the Inner Space, Chit-Akasha, Nirvana, Shunya , Formlessness , in whatever way it is understood . Yet , Faith has inspired humans to create wonderous monumental art forms dedicated to that Formless, which is yet given a Form as a crutch to meditate upon till the mind finally evolves to attain the desired No-Form state of Bliss.
During Medieval times, remarkable stone temples were built right , left and center in South India for grand Icons that have continued to hold undiminished sway over the populace to this day .
In the midst of all that , someone came up with the idea of enshrining the Formless , as formless. A superb and lavish monument was built, a pedestal ( avudai)was consecrated in the Sanctum, above which was ....nothing. Fittingly, the Lord is called Atma-natha-swami .
Avudayarkoil , also known as Thiru Perunthurai and Kokazhi , is unique in many ways. One can stand outside the entrance and look in to see the Deepam being waved around in the Sanctum which is nearly 500 feet away, through three prakarams. Nothing impedes vision - No Dwajasthambham, no Nandi, no Balipeedam , no minor sannadhis as for Chandikesha or Navagrahas . A Formless God doesn't need these accessories !
It is a very huge complex with a 7 tiered Gopuram and many pavilions ( Mantapams) attached to the prakarams (with names like Panchakshara Mantapam, Sabhapati Mantapam , Thillai Mantapam etc.) Strewn with larger than lifesize, highly ornate portraitures carved in stone , typical of Vijayanagara Nayakas style, and resplendent with colourful murals on walls and ceilings, the place overwhelms from the very first step.
The Eaves :
The Eaves ( kodungai in Tamil) , which are so famous as to be proverbial, are marvelous achievements. Mimicking wooden rafters, struts , beams and metal nuts and bolts , all carved in stone, this extraordinary artistic feat seems to have intimidated all other artisans so much so that whenever they accepted work, they signed the contract agreeing to produce any design except replicating the Eaves of Avudayarkoil ! When we are entering the first pavilion, after having a fill of the eaves, an old, vibhuti smeared gentleman stops us and points to some damage in one part of the eaves overhead. He tells us it was caused by an unbelieving British officer of Colonial times who had fired a shot at it to satisfy himself that the eaves were really of stone and not wood !
The Ceilings:
There are many ceiling bays with grids crafted in a great variety of motifs . There are grids showing celestials around Shiva, the zodiac symbols, flower arrangements, geometric designs, esoteric letters, ganas and many more. The outer pavilion has stone chains hanging from the ceiling .
The Pillars:
Two colossal Veerabhadras in flamboyant headgear and outfits, worked into pillars, stand at the entrance of this South facing temple . Keeping them company are two giant 10-tiered composite pillars , composed of smaller pillars , said to total 500 in each . The pair may have been put up to earn the name 1000-pillared Hall, though that name is not used now.
The pillars of the central hall are all set with large sculptures of charging horsemen , devotees in prayerful poses , yaalis , deities , personified Grahas etc. One pillar shows Shiva as a horseman . He is supposed to be riding towards Madurai to deliver Horses to the king Arimardana Pandyan . This forms an important episode in the story of the Shiva leela whereby, to save Manikkavacagar, Shiva shapeshifts foxes to horses and back again.
In the inner prakaram are pillars with huge sculptures , most notable of these being Shiva as Urdhvatandavamurthi and Bhikshatana, Manikkavacagar as the Grand Minister and as the ascetic, multi armed Ganesha and peacock riding Subrahmanya.
Still on Pillars, in the last mantapa are found pillars said to be Musical in nature , but did not quite prove to be so.
The best pillars are those with the giant Yaalis and the wonderful horsemen. The attire of these latter are skillfully carved, the designs standing out as intricate embroidery.
The Murals:
There are more murals in the next prakaras but in a bad state of preservation. Some murals done by the Maratha rulers, are brighter and clean.
The murals are in narrative, picture book style with text too inscribed below the panels. Other than well known Purana tales , the stories are of the 63 Nayanars taken from Tiruvilayadal Puranam and the important Shiva Sthalas are also seen.
Unique features:
TiruPerunthurai temple is intrinsically enmeshed with the legend of Manikkavacagar and it is this supreme devotee of Shiva who is given all honours in this unique temple. Shiva and Parvathi do not figure in the Chariot festivals as they have no processional images made of Bronze ( which is a norm in other temples). Only Manikkavacagar has a beautiful bronze image which is decorated as all forms of Shiva and taken around town during festival time. The great savant has his own sanctum and is also seen as stone carvings in many places in the prakarams.
The Devi here is Yogambal and , in keeping with the Formless theme, she has no form either. A pair of feet sculpted on a padmapeetam is all there is and this too can be viewed only from a side window and not directly.
A special platform with a tree carved in stone is also focus of worship , close to Devi's shrine. This is the Kuruntha Tree under which Shiva appeared to Manikkavacagar and gave him Deekshai ( Initiation).
The worship is carried out by a clan of Malayali Nambiyar Brahmins and the temple does not hold special pujas on Pradosham . Also, unusually, it remains open on Grahanam ( Eclipse) times too. The Deepa Arati , though done, is never brought out of the Sanctum doorway. Devotees only get the Sacred Ash as blessing. Since there is no form, the offering too has to match. Steaming hot rice (parboiled variety) with greens is placed on a platform and the Formless Shiva is said to partake of the formless steam at midday and rice with a bittergourd preparation at night. On Pongal day , offerings are grand : 16 varieties of vegetables and sweet and spicy pongals.There is a small room with many palm leaf manuscripts stacked in disarray . It is claimed that Manikkavacagar wrote the very moving ThiruVasagam in this temple and that his own stylus and palm leaves are safeguarded here. If true, they'd do well to take better care of this library.
This temple has no foundation inscription and to this day it is not decided who actually built it, though the date 15th-16th century CE is generally agreed upon by scholars. Theories are legion. The latest thought is that a smaller , simpler and older shrine in the same town , whose architecture is closer to the time of Manikkavacagar could have been the one actually originated by him. However that may be, the Atmanathaswami temple is a grand , fitting tribute to Manikkavacagar.
After a very leisurely round up of this very lovely , cool temple, we come out into the blinding sun to find that the car was ordered to be parked a street away, as some digging work had started in front of the entrance. While we wait for the driver to fetch it, we seek the shade by a row of little shops nearby . One shopkeeper calls us to come in and sit on a bench in his tiny narrow shop. We are grateful. He sells stationery, books, some odds and ends. Everything looks old : the counter, the bench, the antique clock on the yellow wall, the man himself. Can't help noticing that he has a very dignified look. He does not speak , continues reading , oblivious of our presence on the bench in front of him. A photograph hanging high above him catches the eye. A sepia print of a trim, mustachioed young gentleman in riding breeches , a sola topee in hand , standing by a black horse. There is something of old world elegance about the picture.
"Who is that ?"
The shopkeeper looks up , "My father " he says, "When in Burma". Then he returns to his book .
There's obviously a story here . Perhaps a tragic story , shared by many people of that vintage. Going overseas ( Burma or Malaya) , seizing opportunities offered by the British or Chinese, making good....then The War , end of dream , trudge back home, barely making it to native soil, broken, impoverished , just alive.......The shopkeeper never says a word more for the entire 15 minutes we sit in his narrow shop, not even a nod to our Thanks as our car arrives and we leave the dusty road.
Avudayarkoil Atmanathaswami Temple is unforgettable.
That sepia print in that narrow shop is also unforgettable.
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