ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF KORANGANATHA TEMPLE IN SRINIVASANALLUR (Pages 21- 30) by Dr. P. Ganesan in THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST / ISSN: 2350-1499 (Online); 2350-0751 (Print)

The omnipresent God, the protector of all, therefore, was housed in Koil abode of God. As a place of worship, the Temple (koil) attracts in thousands of people. It serves as a centre where the religious implies and sentiments of the people find a nature outlet. Worshipping Gods in Temple infuse divinity and purity in the heart of devotee. The Temple provides a link between man and God and the earthly life and divine life. The idea of God and the very purpose of veneration aroused a real zeal for worship. Since Plants, Trees and Groves were of great use, the ancient Tamils preferred them as suitable objects of worship. Tamils believed that gods used to raised in the hallows of Trees. Alamar Kadavul, Alamar Celvar and Kadampar Celvan clearly indicate the association of gods with Trees.Besides, many other Trees like “Arasu” (pepal) Pala (jack) Vanni, etc, were worshipped as the abodes of spirits and gods. These help up suggest that the practice of worshipping Trees as abodes or resting places of gods was in vogue among the early Tamils. In this evolution, the Agamas included many other deities of the Hindu pantheon into the Saiva fold and accorded each one of deities a specific place and orientation in the Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur Temple complex.The Imperial Cholas constructed the Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur. Thus, since the beginning of the Iperial Cholas, when the Temple building activities reached their apex, the lay-out of the Hindu Temple seems to have attained stagnancy. Perhaps by the end of the Sangam age Chola King, is said to have constructed Seventy Temples (Madakkoils) for Siva. The shape of these Temples could not be traced for their material remains are not available. In the Tamil country during the period of the Kalabrah there was no significant growth in Saivism. For the first time we hear of the term “Saiva Siddhanta” inscriptions during Rajasimha’s period. This being the earlist inscriptional evidence on Saiva Siddhanda which shows his interest in the sacred doctrines of Saivism. During the reign of Cholas Saivism earned the patronage of the rulers. They constructed many Temples and spacious Mandapas. By way of recognizing the contribution of Saiva saints, their images were made in Bronze and Stone. The Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur belonged to the early Chola period. Srinivasanallur is about Thirty miles west of Tiruchirapalli on the north bank of the river Cauvery. The layout of the Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur is so impressive when compared with other Temples of the early and middle Chola periods. The Temple is surrounded by a Tirumadil (wall) of moderate size. This Chola Temple stands in the centre of the complex. The Temple consists of the Vimana, Ardhamandapa and Mahamandapa. The Temple faces east.“Arasu” (pepal) Pala (jack) Vanni, etc, were worshipped as the abodes of spirits and gods. These help up suggest that the practice of worshipping Trees as abodes or resting places of gods was in vogue among the early Tamils. In this evolution, the Agamas included many other deities of the Hindu pantheon into the Saiva fold and accorded each one of deities a specific place and orientation in the Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur Temple complex.The Imperial Cholas constructed the Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur. Thus, since the beginning of the Iperial Cholas, when the Temple building activities reached their apex, the lay-out of the Hindu Temple seems to have attained stagnancy. Perhaps by the end of the Sangam age Chola King, is said to have constructed Seventy Temples (Madakkoils) for Siva. The shape of these Temples could not be traced for their material remains are not available. In the Tamil country during the period of the Kalabrah there was no significant growth in Saivism. For the first time we hear of the term “Saiva Siddhanta” inscriptions during Rajasimha’s period. This being the earlist inscriptional evidence on Saiva Siddhanda which shows his interest in the sacred doctrines of Saivism. During the reign of Cholas Saivism earned the patronage of the rulers. They constructed many Temples and spacious Mandapas. By way of recognizing the contribution of Saiva saints, their images were made in Bronze and Stone. The Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur belonged to the early Chola period. Srinivasanallur is about Thirty miles west of Tiruchirapalli on the north bank of the river Cauvery. The layout of the Koranganatha Temple at Srinivasanallur is so impressive when compared with other Temples of the early and middle Chola periods. The Temple is surrounded by a Tirumadil (wall) of moderate size. This Chola Temple stands in the centre of the complex. The Temple consists of the Vimana, Ardhamandapa and Mahamandapa. The Temple faces east.Keywords: religious implies, divine life, zeal for worship, ancient Tamils, doctrines of Saivism etc.