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| KailashaNathar Temple, Tharamangalam, near salem twitter.com |
Above image: Masterfully crafted monolithic stone bracket, stone rings and fearsome Yali. KailashaNathar Temple, Tharamangalam, near salem city, (Tamil Nadu).......
Kailasanathar temple in Thirumangalam near Salem city Tamil Nadu is a treasure trove of Architectural grandeur. An awe-inspiring imasterpiece of rare kind that lies hidden in a remote place due to lack of publicity. It is world of architectural wonder.
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| Kailasanathar temple, Salem dt rotating ball inside Yali's mouth facebook.com |
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| Kailasanathar temple, Salem dt rotating ball inside Yali's mouth twitter.com |
Above image: Astone carved Yali (a mystic animal) with a stone ball inside its wide open mouth which can also be rotated. That how this rotating monolithic stone ball inside the grotesque figure was sculpted is a riddle. This fine craftmanship showcases the technical knowledge and sculptural finesse of richly talented stone workers of the past era...............
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| entrance Kailasanathar temple, Thirumangalam Salem dt. twitter.com |
With a view to creating awareness among people on the importance of monuments and historical places and their protection for the posterity, way back in 2016 members of Tamil Nadu Heritage Volunteers of the district and Salem Historical Society conducted a heritage walk in Tharamangalam town near Salem city covering important sites including the 10th century CE Kailasanathar temple that has lots of exquisite stone sculptures, impressive mantaps (halls) with ornate pillars.
The temple that was renovated by Hoysala ruler King Veera Ramanathan in the 13 century and later in the 17th CE by Ketti Mudali King Mummudi and Vanangamudi. The heritage walk also covered places where gigantic monolithic pink granite pillars are found scattered outside the temple. It is said they have been there since 1667. Believe it or not among 500 such ornate pillars - a whooping number that lie buried in the ground only 20 pillars lie exposed. It is further mentioned way back in 1975 the district administration was keen to have a hall - mandapam built using all the stone pillars following old technique but their efforts ended abruptly as PM Mrs. Indira Gandhi had just introduced Emergency in the last week of June in the same year. The ruler during the reign of the Gatti Mudhali dynasty in the 17th century CE was keen to build a 1000 pillar. As he was killed in the war in Omalur in 1667 A.D, the work on the pillars stopped midway and the mantap project remained unfinished.
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| Entrance wooden door with iron knobs.nandinisquare.blogspot.com/ |
Above image: Kailasanathar temple Thirumangalam, Salem district. Tall wooden door with sharp iron knob. Could it be for protection against war elephants in case of war?
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| ornate pillar top. Kailasanathar temple, Salem dt.commons.wikimedia.org |
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| Kailasanathar temple Thirumangalam, Salem d justdial.com |
Above image: Richly ornate monolithic pillars in the hall at Kailasanathar temple Thirumangalam, Salem district.
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| Kailasanathar temple Thirumangalam, Salem dt.thehindu.com/ |
Above image: One of the ancient stone pillars that remains neglected at Kailasanathar Temple. Lying outside the temple are gigantic monolithic pink granite pillars (orthopyroxene-bearing quartz-feldspar rock rich in Hypersthene called Charnockite). The famous site is St. Thomas Mount, Chennai. Apparently, mined near-by the iodine rich pink granite was chosen by the builders to give better look to the pillars. They appear to be fully cut, carved and polished. Though ready for installation to build a mantap, they lie scattered outside the temple for many decades........
Dedicated to God Shiva, this temple is not popular across Tamil Nadu because of lack of publicity on the part of the Tamil Nadu Tourism department, This temple, an architectural wonder remains unnoticed by people visiting Salem and its vicinity This 10th century temple is endowed with amazing stone sculptures, attractive mantaps (halls) with ornate pillars
http://nandinisquare.blogspot.com/2013/11/kailasanathar-temple-tharamangalam.html
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