As I said in the last post, till 3 compound walls the town settlement continues. Beyond the 4th compound wall is purely temple. On the eastern side in the Vellai Gopuram and Seshagiri Rayar Mandapam.
Vellai in Tamil means white and its a white gopuram. But then there are a legends behind it too. A devadasi name Vellai Ammal, seduced a Islamic chief-ton who was looting this temple, and took him to the top of this Gopuram and pushed him off and killed him. In her remembrance the Gopuram was named after her. Another interesting story behind the temple is that during the Nayak Era, 2 jeeyars (ardent devotees of Lord Vishnu) jumped off the cliff and gave up their lives, as a revolt against the unjust king Koneri Raja. The relief sculpture of these jeeyars are seen just below the Gopuram. Today the Vellai Gopuram stands tall and white!!!
Just as you come into the temple through the Vellai Gopuram to the left is Sesha Rayar Mandapam. Every relief sculpture in this so exquisite! Here are some...
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| Fight Scene. Notice the knife going in and coming out? Notice the Islamic depiction with outfit & styling? |
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| Manmadhan / Kamdev with wife Rathi |
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| Churning of the sea with mountain using a snake! |
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| Acrobatics!!! |
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| Kalinga Narthanam / Kaiya Marthan - Krishna dancing on a snake's head, holding its tail! |
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| Gopika Vasthropakaranam - Stealing of Gopika's clothes by naughtl little Krishna! |
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| Hanuman sending Rama's ring first to Sita, tying it onto a branch, before jumping in front of her!!! Very clever know? Unlike the regular version, where first Sita might have got scared looking at the monkey, first!!! |
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| Hanuman's high chair made of his own tail! |
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| Hanuman carrying Sanjeevi hill and also someone tied up onto his tail. Who is that??? |
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| Hanuman killing a croc and coming out of its stomach... |
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| Vishnu |
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| Cow licking Krishna (Venugopala)'s foot. Notice its tongue??!!! |
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| The perfect slipper for guys! |
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| Ornamentation on a horse - with a Simha (Lion) face detail!!! |
Not just Gods and royals, at times commoners are also depicted in temples.
Not just commoners, rarely, discreetly placed erotic concepts also find its place in temples! Even erotica in animals!!! I've said about that already in Chennaraya Temple Post. Here's it is in Srirangam.
Coming back with more on Srirangam... Stay tuned...
Wonderful details.... dont even remember any of this from my last visit... now I HAVE to go visit!!
ReplyDeleteDo visit again Anu! :)
DeleteExcellent article with nice photographs and write write up.
ReplyDeletehttp://rajniranjandas.blogspot.in/2013/04/ruralscapes-of-india.html
Thank you so much Niranjan! :)
DeleteWow Awesome pics Bhusha... miss you Srirangam dear :(
ReplyDeleteBut will going soon in summer vacation :)
Looking for your Srirangam pics Radha! :)
DeleteNice piece... Somehow, I have missed to sight the scene where Sita is getting the ring through the branch :( Should observe more carefully!
ReplyDeleteWe spent almost an hour in the seshagiri rayar mandapam itself, looking at each and every sculpture!
DeleteNice Details. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Venkat!
DeleteI have read your blog,it's very interested....about
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thanks
Thank you Bijendra!
DeleteNice shots...
ReplyDeleteThank Ajeet! :)
DeleteThe sculptures are so artistic and each one is a masterpiece itself.
ReplyDeleteSo true! I was just in that mandap for almost an hour and couldn't see all the sculptures!
DeleteA wonderful post with beautiful photographs! Thank you so much for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you might permit me to use your beautiful pictures in an essay U am writing on the development of the Katar dagger at university. With appropriate image credits of course?
A wonderful post with gorgeous pictures! Thank you so much for sharing, I have learned a lot from this.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you might permit me to use some of your beautiful photographs in an essay I am writing at university on the development of the Katar? It won't be published and would give you full image credit?
They are some of the best photographs I have found!
With pleasure Francesca. Do add credits to the info & pics to my blog.
DeleteI'd love to have a look at your final essay!!!