The Colas c35.5

c35.5

The South Indian temple came up in one of several ways. Some shrines were erected in places where trees had been regarded perhaps from pre-Aryan days as the abode of the deity and had been worshipped as such; these trees came to be regarded as *sthala-vṛkṣas* even after the rich hues of Indo-Aryan myths had gathered round these places; examples are found in the mango (*ēkāmra*) tree of Kāñcīpuram, the *Jambu* tree of Jambukēśvaram on the island of Śrīraṅgam, and the *tillai*-forest of Cidambaram. Other shrines arose on the spots where *purāṇic* stories and incidents were localised by popular belief. These two classes find a prominent place in the hymns of the Dēvāram and the Divyaprabandam; after being celebrated in song by the *nāyanārs* and *āḻvārs* they gained in importance and naturally attracted the attention of generous temple-builders. Then there were sepulchral shrines, *paḷḷipaḍais* as they were known, built on the relics of saints, heroes and kings. Temples of this class appear to have been more numerous than we are apt to imagine, though only some attained any great size or celebrity. Some examples of such shrines have been noticed here in the chapters on political history. Lastly, there were temples which rose at the bidding of powerful monarchs on sites of their choice—the most conspicuous instances of this class being the two Bṛhadīśvara temples of Tanjore and Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-cōḻapuram erected by Rājarāja I and his son Rājēndra I. Perhaps the Kailāsanātha of Kāñcī, and the Kailāsanātha of Ellora, must be included in the same category.