History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v1.c19.s10.2

v1.c19.s10.2

It is old, but, probably, not older than the Tanjor and Gangaikondapuram temples. The Kongadesa Râjakal relates a legend of Vîra Chôla Rayar who "one day saw on the sea-shore the Sabhâpati of Chidambara (Siva), attended by Pârvatî, dancing and beating the damaraka (a kind of drum); he there-fore expended great sums of money in building the Kanaka, or Golden Sabhâ."¹ A little further on, it is said, "Arivari-deva (A.D. 985) observing that his grandfather had built only a Kanaka-Sabhâ to the Chidambara deity, he built gopurams, maddals (enclosures), madapanas (image-houses), sabhâs (holy places or apartments), and granted many jewels to the deity." Though this work is not at all trustworthy, yet from an inscrip-tion we learn that Vîranârâyana or Parântaka I., early in the 10th century, covered the hall with gold, or erected the Kanaka-sabhâ. There is also in the temple an inscription of Râjadhirâja I. (1018 to 1052) which may be regarded as evidence that the two inner enclosures, BB, at the west end of the tank (Woodcut No. 220) were in existence in the 10th century.² They, indeed, measuring about 320 ft. square, appear to have been the whole of the original temple, at least in the 10th and 11th centuries. On the whole, I am inclined to believe that this inner temple is really the one referred to in the above extract as far as supported by the inscription. The temple of Pârvatî, C, on the north of the tank, was added afterwards, most probably in the 14th or 15th century, and to that age the great gopurams and the second enclosure also belong. The north gopuram, 140 feet high, is ascribed to Krishnadeva, about 1520, whilst that on the east has inscriptions of Sundara Pândya about 1250. The hall of 1000 columns, E, was almost certainly erected between 1595 and 1685, at which time, we learn from the Mackenzie MSS., the kings of the locality made many donations to the fane.³ It was then, also, in all probability, the outer enclosure was commenced; but it never was carried out, being in most places only a few feet above the foundation.