Glittering, Thanjavur style
PRADEEP CHAKRAVARTHY
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A peep into the past glory of art and architecture.
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Photos: Vikram Sathyanathan and M. Srinath
Where time stands still: (Clockwise from top) A view of the Kalyana Venkatesa Perumal Temple, a mural and a sculpture.
Thanjavur has been the cultural hub of the Tamil-speaking land since the 15th century. The court of the Nayaks and Marathas encouraged all forms of culture both in the palace and in the temples.
Tucked away in a quiet street near the Rajagopalaswami temple, Kalyana Venkatesa Perumal temple is not unlike the many other temples that dot the fort area of Thanjavur. The temple is at the end of a street that is obstructed by a Maratha period mandapam popularly known as the “Naalu Kaal Mandapam.” A closer inspection reveals the design of Pratapasimha Maharaja to recreate a sense of Tirupati.
Agraharam houses
At the beginning of the street is the Govindarajaswamy temple. The street has lovely old agraharam houses, typical of the area. On the way is the four-pillared simple stuccoed mandapam in the Maratha style and the road shrine for Hanuman. The small shrine is famous for its connection to music and most famous musicians are said to have given a concert here.
The temple, reached after climbing a flight of steps, is of a simple plan. The pillared porch is of the Maratha style, squat cylindrical pillars that support decoratively arched porticos.
A grand Garuda vahanam, embedded with mirrors, a Thanjavur speciality, greets visitors.
Large beautiful murals, Maratha style, adorn the walls. Particularly noteworthy was that of Venugopala, the lapiz lazuli blue shining in the darkness.
A shrine with wooden doors has a stuccoed Vishnu image. Both the image and the doors are in a poor condition now. The small room nearby is where the deity is shifted in the night and put to sleep in a beautifully canopied divan, glittering with mirrors.
The priest, a kindly old man, explains how the icon is brought from the main shrine and laid to rest for the night amidst the chanting of hymns. Aromatic camphor is sprinkled on the floor and the Lord is offered sweet pongal for dinner.
The gopuram is dotted with unusual stucco images of female deities mounted on different creatures such as the fish and bull.
Time stands still as the quiet surroundings speak of a different era, with only the new concrete houses and cars parked in a haphazard manner giving a touch of reality.
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