Sri Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, who visited this Siva temple, was fascinated by the magnificent Nandi, observes T. S. SUBRAMANIAN.
The beautiful Nandi at Ezhchur temple
SRI VIJAYENDRA Saraswati Swami of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam recently visited the Nal-Inakeeswarar (Lord of Harmony) temple situated at Ezhchur village, near Padappai, in Kanchipuram district. He was fascinated by an exquisitely carved Nandi at the temple.
The temple is situated about 56 km from Chennai. He saw the 1,100- year-old stone inscription of the Parantaka Chola period that had been discovered at this Siva temple.
The Nal-Inakeeswarar temple has totally collapsed and K. Krishnakumar of Ezhuchur is taking efforts to rebuild it. Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swami of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, who visited the temple in June last year and inaugurated the efforts to rebuild it, was so fascinated by the beautiful Nandi that he embraced it! Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swami is reported to have said that he had not seen such a beautifully sculpted Nandi anywhere else.
Elaborate decoration
According to Krishnakumar, it is a "rajoguna" Nandi. The Nandi wears elaborate ornamentation. It has a garland of rudraksha beads around its neck; it has garlands of salangai and also bells around its neck; it has a "chutti" on its forehead; its teeth are slightly protruding ; and it has its tongue curled out, upwards. Of the two forelegs, one leg is folded backwards, and another is stretched; of the hind legs, one is folded, and goes beneath its stomach, and this leg is seen jutting out on the other side. The tail goes beneath the stomach and stretches out on the other side. The Nandi wears a shawl too, andis thus a marvellous piece of sculpture.
About one kilometre away from the temple is a big lake, and on the bund of the lake is a shrine dedicated to the "Sapthakannigas." Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi visited this shrine too. He pointed out that the main deity of the temple at Ezhuchur was "Nal-Inakeeswarar" (Lord of Harmony) and His Consort was Deivanayagi. He appealed to the people to be united, and cultivate a peaceful way of living. This could happen only when people fostered harmony, Sri Vijayendra Saraswati said. He wanted them to enthusiastically take part in the efforts to rebuild the temple.
The "adhishtana" of the 54th Peetathipathi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Vyasasala Mahadeva Saraswati Swami, was located at Ezhuchur, says Krishnakumar.
Two stone slabs with inscriptions of the early Chola period were found when efforts to rebuild the collapsed temple began. These stone slabs with inscriptions were used as door jambs in the temple. While one inscription has totally faded, the other inscription records the gift of gold by Nochchi Kilan Kaliya Peruman. According to Dr. T. Satyamurthy, Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Chennai Circle, the inscription that records the gift of gold dates back to the reign of Koparakesari Panmar, identified on palaeographical grounds with Parantaka Chola -1. It dates back to his 13th regnal year, corresponding to 920 A.D.
Temple construction
S. Rajavelu, Epigraphist, ASI, said the Nattar looked after the local administration of the villages in the Chola period. They were entrusted with the job of constructing the temple in Velima Nallur village and if they failed to do so, they agreed to pay a fine to the king, the inscription says. The present-day Ezhuchur lies in the Padappai region of Kanchipuram district which was was studded with temples and agraharams in the days of Cholas.
According to Satyamurthy, many early temples belonging either to the Pallavas or to the early Chola period are found at Manimangalam, Mattur, Eraiyur, Attanancheri, Sarappanancheri and Vallam. The Vallam village near Padappai has a Siva temple that originally belonged to the Pallava period, which is evidenced on the basis of the presence of a sculptural representation of Somaskanda, the favourite deity of the Pallavas.
Ezhuchur is a beautiful village with a lot of shade-giving trees. There is a pond belonging to the temple. On the steps of the pond built of stone, hollows have been scooped out where oil can be poured and lamps lit. A Trust has been formed called Namasivaya Trust, under Krishnakumar's leadership, to rebuild the temple.