South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c12.s2.1

c12.s2.1

The worship of the Sun in India has been as old as the Vēdas. Dr. Bhandarkar refers to a special class of sun-worshippers in the North called Magas whom he identifies with the Magi of ancient Persia.¹ In the South, there does not appear to be any such class exclusively devoted to the Sun. The worship is common to all. Āditya-grihas (Sun-shrines) are mentioned in inscriptions of the eighth and ninth centuries of the Christian era, in the northern districts of the Presidency; in later times temples of Traipurushadēva are found dedicated to Sun, Siva and Vishnu, with much prominence given to the first as indicated by the sculptures. Evidence of the building of separate Sun-temples in Southern India, earlier than the twelfth century A.D., has not yet been found. The only temple thus far known to be dedicated to the Sun and his attendant Planets exclusively, is the one at Sūriyanārkōyil in the Tanjore district.²