Hello All, A few weeks back I made a trip to Kumbakonam and visited GangaiKonda Chozhapuram and Tarasuram nearby. I was stunned by both for two reasons - one, What great imagination, lofty thoughts the people of those days must have had to create such marvels of architecture. The sheer dedication that must have ben required to build these structures is something, that makes me gasp in wonder. At the same time, I cant help but be stunned into shock, realising that these are disintegrating right in front of my eyes. What use if thousands such were built, only to be destroyed in the ravages of time. I know that both these have been declared as world heritage pieces by the UN, but I am not sure what is done beyond that to preserve these. My mom and I cried looking at the magnificent Nandi in GKC, thinking that maybe this wont be there for the next generation in our family to see and appreciate. It was boiling hot, and yet my mom stood barefoot near the Nandi and hugged it. She was quite emotionally overcome by the thought of these being borne away by time.
The GKC is a mass of broken walls. Only the main Gopuram and sanctum sanctorum and the Nandi are intact. Even these are in a state of waste and may not last that long. GKC is not more of a couples park than a world heritage. There is noone to bother what the visitors do to the temple. I was outraged when noone told me to keep my camera inside my bag, when i was inside the Garbagraham. I was standing before the Lingam, with an open camera dangling by my side, and there is noone to stop me. The priest left us alone with the Lingam after completing the formalities and left. (I did not of course click any picture there, but many others would have; and I believe we are not supposed to do that generally)What is this??? I am not blaming those people who work there, at least they are doing this much, but I cant help lamenting and ranting about this.
Tarasuram is much better, with most of the carvings intact and even some paintings on the walls. It is amazing to have a glimpse of those. I was under the impression so far that South Indian Temple walls and pillars were not painted. I had so far seen only those that were carved. But now I realise that many of those might have been painted - my ignorance and lack of imagination!). But here too there are so many broken pillars and a whole corridor has mostly disintegrated rendering it unusable. In one part of the temple I saw cracks in the wall, and the adjoining areas. It looked to me like the structure had fallen down, and was raised again and stuck up. I thought that must be the case, but our driver told us one story regarding this, the validity of which I am not sure: He said that some years back a treasure was found beneath the Tarasuram temple (what treasure I know not) and some of the parts of the temple were removed, the treasure dug up, and the temple pieces were replaced/re- erected. While I dont know what to make of this, I felt that maybe these cracks were caused by this digging up.
One question I have is regarding who built the temple at Tarasuram. The temple guide we bought told that is was Kulothunga Chola (son of Rajendra Chola) built it. One of the priests told us that it was Rajendra himself who built this temple. Would be helpful if someone clarifies this. I only wish that somehow these architectural greats last forever and more.