Vettuvan Koil
Vettuvan Koil | |
---|---|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Hinduism |
District | Thoothukudi |
Deity | Vettuvan Koil(Shiva) |
Location | |
Location | Kalugumalai |
State | Tamil Nadu |
Country | India |
Location in Tamil Nadu | |
Geographic coordinates | 9°09′11″N 77°42′16″E / 9.1529512°N 77.7043968°E |
Architecture | |
Type | Dravidian architecture, Rock cut |
Creator | Early Pandya dynasty |
Completed | 8th century CE |
Website | |
kalugumalaitemple |
Vettuvan Koil in
This rock-cut temple is notable for its architecture and construction method. While the early Pandya rulers helped build numerous cave and stone temples, it is the only known example of a Pandya era monolithic temple that was carved out in three dimensions, in-situ from the top of the hillock.[2]
The temple is maintained and administered by Department of Archaeology of the Government of Tamil Nadu as a protected monument.
Location and date
The Vettuvan Koil is in Kalugumalai, about 60 kilometers north of Tirunelveli and 20 kilometers west of Kovilpatti. It is located in Thoothukudi district in southern Tamil Nadu. The temple sits on the top of a stone hillock on the eastern side. It opens and overlooks to the east, but shares the entrance and a walk path from the west side of the hillock with the Kalugumalai Jain Beds (Highway 187). The temple was built in the 8th century along with the Kalugumalai Jain Beds under the patronage of Parandhagan Netunjadaiyan of the early Pandyan era.[2][3]
Architecture
The temple is carved out from a single rock in a rectangular portion measuring 7.5 m (25 ft) in depth. The carvings in the temple show the top portion of the temple, with an unfinished bottom. The sculptures and the carvings are indicative of Pandyan art during the period.
The other portions of Kalugumalai hillock houses the 8th-century-CE Jaina Abode (southwest of Vettuvan Koil) and
Historians have equated the temple with similar temples across
Preservation
Vettuvan Koil is maintained and administered by Department of Archaeology of the Government of Tamil Nadu as a protected monument.[9] Kalugumalai was chosen in the plan to be included as a rural tourism site in Incredible India campaign by the Tourism Ministry of the Government of India.[10] As a part of the campaign the ministry allocated ₹10 million to develop the infrastructure around the region in 2008. The tourist inflow to the town increased to 3,000 persons per month during 2009 from 400 per month during the previous years.[11]
Gallery
References
- ^ "Kazhugumalai –Jain Temple". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ^ JSTOR 26552626
- ^ a b "Sthala Varalaru". Hindu Religious and Endowment Board, Government of Tamil Nadu. 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Opulent sculptures". 22 (25). Tuticorin: Frontline. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
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(help) - ^ "Kazhugumalai deserves universal recognition". The Hindu. Tuticorin. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ Virupa, Kumaresan, ed. (2014). பல்நோக்குப் பார்வையில் முருகத் தத்துவம் II: Proceedings of the International Conference on Murugabhakthi 2014. Thirumurugan Thiruvakku Thirupeedam. p. 1047.
- ^ "Southern connection". Frontline. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- JSTOR 2790466.
- ^ "Protected Monuments under the control of the Department". Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu. 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "14 more rural tourism sites to be ready". Hindustan Times. New Delhi, India. 29 May 2008. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Tourism shoots up in picturesque Tamil temple town". Hindustan Times. New Delhi, India. 1 January 2009. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.