Of Nayak vintage
PRADEEP CHAKRAVARTHY
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Tucked away in a village near Tirunelveli is the temple, a replica of Pandaripur.
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Photo: A. Shaikmohideen.
AESTHETIC DELIGHT: Vittaleswara temple.
Camping at Tirunelveli, the idea was to do a sort of pilgrimage but not the big temples that would be crowded. Enquiries revealed the presence of a rather obscure temple a la the Pandaripur Vittala temple.
Soon a small group of us set out for the destination. Proceeding on the Tirunelveli-Tuticorin highway, an innocuous right turn split through emerald green rice fields and after less than three kilometres we had reached the quiet village of Seithunganallur that has a few agraharam houses. The temple, unusually, has no gopuram but an elegant mandapam that encloses the grove of neem trees surrounding the temple.
The huge flag-staff seemed a little incongruous but then it indicated that the builder had grand ideas of construction but for some reason they did not materialise.
The main deity, like in Pandaripur, is a small stone image with hands on his waist, one holding a conch. The idol is on a plinth of bricks again echoing Pandaripur. Significantly, unlike in the north, Vittala has his consorts for company. The consorts have separate shrines too. In fact, the one on the left is heavily ornamented in the latter Nayak style unlike the main and the other shrine. Again an evidence of the original sponsors' grandiose plans being shelved for quick fix work.
Although defaced with white paint the dancers in a myriad poses compete with the swaying branches of the trees planted around the main shrine. The colossal stone vessel spoke of a more prosperous past, the container having been used for serving food for the many who feasted in the temple. There were decrepit wooden vahanas (made in 1925) and more interesting was the presence of two ancient storerooms cleverly concealed from temple robbers.
Ramakrishnan of the local school is a fund of information and even had a small book of the temple released. The book steers clear of the usual sthalapurana and focuses on the archaeological and even financial information about the temple. Surely, the contents and style are worthy of emulation.
Inscriptions speak of the temple built in 1547 though there are stories of an earlier place of worship. Stylistically the temple is indeed of Nayak vintage and was probably built during the reign of Vittala Raja (1532-57).
Period of wars
It was a time of great strife with the region witnessing wars between the local rulers and Travancore. It also marked the beginning of Portuguese and Dutch presence in the area. It is likely that the wars of the period caused the temple plan to be simplified. While the subsidiary shrine on the side is well constructed and carved with bas reliefs, other parts of the temple are strikingly plain. It is likely that after the first shrine, funds became an issue and the temple was hurriedly completed during the reign of the first Madurai Nayak who overthrew Vittala Raja.
The processional deity is probably a treasure trove find and is much older than the other bronzes which are fine examples of Nayak workmanship of the 16-17th centuries. We wound our way back marvelling at the many surprises that our villages hold in terms of heritage and culture.
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