The Pandyan empire is believed to have first emerged circa 600 BC and was one of the leading Tamil dynasties of Southern India. [1] There were various forms of art and many architectural communities within the empire, and their work was sold to overseas markets. [2] Rock cutting and structural temples are examples of these, playing a significant role in Pandyan culture. [3] The rock carvings typically depicted religious figures, floral motifs and animals and were made to surround temples and shrines. [4]
The vimana, gopuram and mandapa are some of the predominant features of the early Pandyan temples. [5] Groups of small temples are seen at the Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu. [1] In the later stages of Pandyan rule, finely sculptured idols, gopurams and vimanas were developed. Gopurams are the rectangular entrance and portals of the temples. [6] [7]
Years active | 3rd century BCE - 14th century CE |
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Location | India |
Influences | Deities of Hinduism: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. |
Other integral art forms of these Pandyan communities were the paintings, poetry, music and punch-marked coins, each with symbols and transcriptions holding meaning to society. [8] [9] [10]
The Pandyan kingdom was one of the three major empires of the Tamil dynasty in Tamil Nadu, India. [3] Pandya, meaning 'big' or 'strong', is the oldest of these empires, prevailing for what is estimated to be four to five centuries. [2] Despite some uncertainty around the structure of these Tamil empires, the history becomes clearer after the beginning of the common era. [11] This became a period of extensive travel and trade between these Tamil speaking kingdoms and between Tamil Nadu and other countries. [2] There is mention of the Pandyan kings in both Greek and Roman history which reflects this ancient international trade relationship. [5] Madurai was the capital city of early the Pandyan kingdom and was the heart of notable temple architecture during this period. [12]
The Pandya's were known for their unique art forms that differed from the other kingdoms of Tamil Nadu. [13] There were various communities each providing different crafts fundamental to Pandyan culture. [14] It is evident that the empire held a significant influence over art across all of Southern India. [15]
The primary artisan groups formed an association referred to as the Kammalar, composed of a goldsmith, brass smith, blacksmith, carpenter and mason. Their work in Pandya was culturally important across all of Tamil Nadu as well as being important to trade in the overseas market. [4]
Another notable example of key artisanal communities in Pandya were the sculptors and stonemasons. The stonemasons carved cave temples made of granite rock, influenced by the head of gods central to their religion. [16] The rock sculptures had a distinctive style that included wide chests and shoulders, and long faces that contrasted the petite hips and soft features. [17] An example of these key stone carvings is seen at the entrance of a cave temple at Pillaiyarpatti. The inscription under the sculpture refers to the carving as ‘Deśivināyagar’, a figure still worshiped in the area today. [15]
Jewellery was another art form practiced by the craftsmen of Pandya. They used gold, stones and pearls to create various ornaments sold to overseas buyers. [18] The jewellery had images of their gods and symbols that represented their gods engraved into the gold. Pieces from the Pandyan period have been found with floral engravings and inscriptions dedicated to the God Tirumalai Suvadigal on the surface. [4]
The art of coin making in the Pandyan dynasty used punch-marking methods, which was a type of early Indian coinage known for its unique symbols and irregular shapes. They ranged in colours from gold, silver and copper, depending on the political influence of the time. [19] Some of the earliest coins were square shaped and were marked with elephant symbols on one side. In later periods the coins were marked with fish, heraldic symbols, and various emblems. [8] The fish that are seen on Pandyan coins are the same as those notable on the national Pandyan flag, which includes a double fish emblem. [20] Other coin styles depict a Chola influence as they contain a tiger motif, and human figures. [8] The kammatasor were the workers responsible for minting these various coins in the Tamil country. [14]
The rule of both the Pandya's and the Cholas is referred to as the ‘golden period’ of art and culture in the ancient cities of Tamil Nadu. [13] The paintings of the Pandyan dynasty share similarities to that of Buddhist and Hindu art found in the Brihadeesvara temple. [15] Common motifs seen in Pandyan paintings include animals, royal figures, floral patterns and lotus leaves. [21] Sittannavasal is a Jain temple originating under Pandyan ruling which is home to some of the only Pandyan paintings left in the world. [22] It is famous for its mural paintings covering the walls and roof of the cave. The Sittannavasal paintings contain varied colour schemes, using black pigments from soot, green from Terre verre, red and yellow from ochre and blue from ultramarine. [23] These elaborate colour schemes contrast the typically monochrome, red ochre paintings of other southern Indian dynasties. [23] However, many of these Pandyan paintings in the Sittannavasal temple have been vandalised and are poorly visible in the modern day. [24] Other cave paintings dating to the 9th century include motives of fish, ducks and people dancing. [25]
There is evidence of both occupational poets, that recounted on the affairs of the king as a profession as well as those who pursued poetry as a hobby . Sangam poetry, which derived from Pandya, Chola and Chera influence narrated the distinction between love and war and the power of the human experience. [10] Other poetry of the empire reflect a sarcastic and sophisticated take on everyday life in the Pandyan village. [26]
Attruppadai is a genre of ancient Indian poetry whereby one minstrel addresses another. Madurai-Kanchi is a poem written in the Attruppadai genre, admiring Nedunchezian, the Pandyan King. [10]
Many of the kings themselves, were poets and literacy experts that wrote extensively. [27]
Music attributed to the Pandyan period was derived from the poetry and was created by bands of both male and female singers and dancers. Traditionally these long poems were publicly played to music by thirteen musicians, with a variety of instruments. [9] Professional musicians would also chant the melodic poetry outside temples. [28]
The Pandya's, along with other dynasties of the Tamil Nadu district also participated in various traditional dances. The Deverattam, translating to the god or king dance in Tamil language, was one particularly performed by the Pandyan dynasty. [29] It was generally danced by the kings and fighters after a successful battle against other Indian dynasties. It was a dance of joy and a symbol of hope for the following battles. [1]
The Pandyan dynasty had their own unique temple style that followed on from the chola style temples between 1000 and 1250 AD. [12] The architectural features of Pandyan temples reflected the kingdoms wealth and social position in respect to other dynasties of southern India at the time. [30] They were mostly stone buildings with distinctive qualities such as rectangular ground floors leading into pyramidal floors higher up with gilded roofs above. Surrounding the temples there were various important Hindu mythological figures sculpted into the rock and various animals carved into the pillars. [30]
Key features of Pandyan architecture include the vimanas, mandapas, and the gopuras. [3] The vimana is the structure above and around the main shrine and is the area where the deities are present. [1] The vimana can be single or multi storied, depending on how many deities the temple contains. [31] The mandapa is a pillared hallway or room that ancient Indian dynasties used for religious dancing, music and ceremonies. [32] Larger temples can have more than one mandapa placed to the sides of the main structures. [14] The gopura is another predominant feature of Pandyan architecture and it is the entranceway into the temple. [33] It is a storied structure commonly made of stone, and there can be multiple built around the sides of the temple. [34]
Dravidian style architecture is commonly seen throughout Pandyan temples and it is a southern Indian architectural style. [35] The predominant features of Dravidian architecture are the main tower, referred to as the vimana, and the entrance gateway referred to as the gopuram. The vimana is notable in Dravidian architecture as it is structured as a tiered pyramid that rises up to the sky. This is different to the main tower structures in northern India, which curve up to a point. [35]
There are few standing architectural monuments left from Pandyan ruling and no temples surviving in Madurai, Pandya's capital, preceding the sixteenth century. [12] The temples that do remain, depict the notable features attributed to the rule of the Pandyan kings. [31]
Kalugumalai is a region of the Pandyan dynasty, home to the Kalugumalai Murugan temple. [36] The Kalugumalai temple complex is designed in Dravidian style and comprises a Gopuram and a Vimana. [30] The entranceway into the Kalugumalai depicts stone cut elephants, creditable to early Pandya's and the exterior of the temple is lined with inscriptions narrating stories of the Lord of the Pandyan empire. [31]
Kunnakudi Shanmughanathar temple(also called Kundrakudi Temple or Kunnakudi Murugan Temple) in Kundrakudi, a village in the outskirts of Karaikudi in Sivaganga district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Shaivate god Murugan. Constructed in the Pandyan art and architecture, the temple is located in the Tirupattur – Karaikudi Road, around 14 km (14,000 m) from Karaikudi. There are three caves located on the western side of the lower rock, that has rock-cut shrines from the Pandyan Empire from the 8th century. The caves have the earliest sculptural representation of Dvarapalas, the guardian deities, for any South Indian temple.The temple has a five-tiered gateway tower, the gopuram in the hill, leading to a pillared hall and the sanctum.
Vettuvan koil is a temple structure carved into the side of a rocky cliff that can be attributed to the Pandyas circa 8th century ACE. [37] Although unfinished, the temple displays a rectangular front area with a square vimana bordered by realistic rock-cut sculptures of flowers and Jain figures. The carvings are separated into various levels that reflect the bas-relief art form significant to Pandyan communities. [38] Vettuvan koil is Tamil for 'heaven of sculptures' and it was carved under rule of Pandyan King, Parantakan Nedunjadaiyan. [39] It is bordered by pavement and has the shikhara (rising peak of the temple) coming out directly from the canopy. [40] It is architecturally notable for its intricate shrine carved in the middle that has sculptures seated around the border. These sculptures are unique as they do not reflect the typical position of ancient south Indian and Pandyan figures. Usually, figures are sculpted in a front-on position, however the sculptures of Vettuvan koil are seated, unlike others throughout India. [41]
Āņaimalai is a district of south India that is home to key landmarks of Pandyan architecture. [42] A rock cut temple cave, referred to in modern times as the Narasinga-perumal temple is located here. It is a stone temple with two pillars cut out and a shrine in the centre. [43] Just near to this is another rock cut temple with architectural features similar to that of the Pallava kingdom. It has a lotus engraving on the front pillars and four rock sculptures dedicated to Hindu deity, Vishnu. [42]
Nellaiappar temple is a large rock-cut style temple with five gopurams, notable for the aesthetic features carved into the roof and pillars. [44] [45] The foundations of the temple were built by Pandyan society, and the temple was continually added to by following dynasties. [46] A key feature of the Nellaiappar temple are the 161 musical pillars, which when struck make a different musical note. [3] The Nellaiappar temple was also home to Pandyan paintings of the time, including paintings of lotuses and other floral motifs. [44]
The Great Living Chola Temples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for a group of Chola dynasty era Hindu temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple at Thanjavur was added in the list in 1987, while the other two temples were added in 2004.
Sittanavasal Cave is a 2nd-century Tamil Śramaṇa complex of caves in Sittanavasal village in Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name is a distorted form of Sit-tan-na-va-yil, a Tamil word which means "the abode of great saints".
Koil or Koyil or Kovil is the Tamil term for a distinct style of Hindu temple with Dravidian architecture. Both the terms koyil and kovil are used interchangeably. In Tamil, kōvil is the word derived, according to the rules of Tamil grammar.
Kalugumalai is a panchayat town in Kovilpatti Taluk of Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kalugumalai is 21 km and 22 km from Kovilpatti and Sankarankovil respectively. The place houses the rockcut Kalugasalamoorthy Temple, monolithic Vettuvan Koil and Kalugumalai Jain Beds.
The Nellaiappar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Tirunelveli, a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped as Nellaiappar represented by the lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Kanthimathi Amman. The deity Vishnu is also worshipped here, having witnessed their wedding according to legend. Hence, this temple is regarded as an abhimana kshetram of Vaishnavism. The temple is located on the northern banks of Thamirabarani River in Tirunelveli district. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Karpaka Vinayaka Temple or Pillaiyarpatti Pillaiyar Temple is a 7th-century-CE rock-cut cave shrine, significantly expanded over the later centuries. It is located in Pillayarpatti village in Tiruppathur Taluk, Sivaganga district in Tamil Nadu, India.
Dravidian architecture, or the Southern Indian temple style, is an architectural idiom in Hindu temple architecture that emerged from Southern India, reaching its final form by the sixteenth century.
Brihadishvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram by its builder, and known locally as Thanjai Periya Kovil and Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style located on the south bank of the Cauvery river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the largest Hindu temples and an exemplar of Tamil architecture. It is also called Dakshina Meru. Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples", along with the Chola-era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple, which are about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast respectively.
Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India located on south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula. The state is straddled by Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats to the west and north and the waters of Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea on the other two sides. It is the home of the Tamil people, who speak Tamil language, one of the oldest surviving languages. The capital and largest city is Chennai which is known as the "Gateway to South India". As of 2021, the state is the most visited and has received the most number of tourists amongst all states of India.
The antiquity of architecture of Karnataka can be traced to its southern Neolithic and early Iron Age, Having witnessed the architectural ideological and utilitarian transformation from shelter- ritual- religion. Here the nomenclature 'Architecture' is as old as c.2000 B.C.E. The upper or late Neolithic people in order to make their shelters by their own they constructed huts made of wattle and doab, that were buttressed by stone boulders, presumably having conical roof resting on the bamboo or wooden posts into red murram or paved granite chips as revealed in archaeological excavations in sites like Brhamagiri, Sanganakallu, Tekkalakota, Piklihal. Megaliths are the dominant archaeological evidence of the early Iron Age. There are more than 2000 early Iron Age burial sites on record, who laid the foundation for a high non-perishable architecture in the form of various distinct architectural styles of stone-built burials, which are ritualistic in its character. The active religious architecture is evident 345 with that of the Kadamba Dynasty. Karnataka is a state in the southern part of India originally known as the State of Mysore. Over the centuries, architectural monuments within the region displayed a diversity of influences, often relaying much about the artistic trends of the rulers of twelve different dynasties. Its architecture ranges dramatically from majestic monolith, such as the Gomateshwara, to Hindu and Jain places of worship, ruins of ancient cities, mausoleums and palaces of different architectural hue. Mysore Kingdom (Wodeyar) rule has also given an architectural master structure in the St. Philomena's Church at Mysore which was completed in 1956, in addition to many Dravidian style architectural temples. Two of the monuments are listed under the UNESCO World Heritage List of 22 cultural monuments in India. Styles of Indo-Saracenic, Renaissance, Corinthian, Hindu, Indo-Greek and Indo-British style palaces were built in Mysore, the city of palaces. Sikh architecture at Bidar (1512) and also in Bangalore in 1956 can also be cited as having an impact on the architectural composition of the state.
The Kampaheswarar Temple or kampa-hara-ishvarar is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. It is situated in Thirubuvanam, a village in Thanjavur district in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu, on the Mayiladuthurai-Kumbakonam road. Shiva is worshiped as "Kampahareswarar" as he removed the quaking of a king who was being haunted by a Brahmarakshasa. It was built by Kulothunga Chola III and is considered the last of the four masterpieces built during the Medieval Chola era.
Jainism has an extensive history in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, although practiced by a minority of Tamils in contemporary times. According to the 2011 India Census, Jains represent 0.12% of the total population of Tamil Nadu, and are of the Digambara sect. Tamil Jains are primarily concentrated in northern Tamil Nadu, in the districts of Madurai, Viluppuram, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore and Thanjavur.
Tamil Nadu is known for its ancient temple architecture. Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 2000 years old, are found scattered all over Tamil Nadu. As per Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 38,615 temples. Most of the largest Hindu Temples are located in Tamil Nadu. Studded with complex architecture, a variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.
Vettuvan Koil in Kalugumalai, a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Pandyan Architecture and rock cut architecture, the unfinished temple was built during the 8th century CE by the early Pandyas. The other portions of Kalugumalai hillock houses the 8th century Kalugumalai Jain Beds and Kalugasalamoorthy Temple, a Murugan temple.
Kalugumalai Jain beds in Kalugumalai, a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, are dedicated to the Jain religious figures. Constructed in rock cut architecture, the unfinished temple is believed to have been built during the reign of Pandyan king Parantaka Nedunjadaiya. The rock-cut architecture at Kalugumalai is an exemplary specimen of Pandyan art. The other portions of Kalugumalai houses the 8th century unfinished Shiva temple, Vettuvan Koil and Kalugasalamoorthy Temple, a Murugan temple at the foothills.
Vijayalaya Choleeswaram in Narthamalai, a panchayat town in Pudukottai district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, India, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, Vishnu and houses the 8th century Jaina Abode. The temple is considered one of the oldest stone temples in South India. The other portions of Narthamalai houses the 8th century Jaina Abode, the Aluruttimalai Jain Caves. The Temple is Constructed in the Dravida style and rock cut architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the 9th century by Mutharaiyar dynasty kings, the cardinals of Pallavas, with later expansion from the Cholas. The rock-cut architecture is an early example of Cholan Art, continuing the tradition of the Pallavas.
Kunnandarkoil Cave Temple in Kunnandarkoil, a village in Pudukottai district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in Rock-cut architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the 8th century by Muttaraiyar kings, the cardinals of Pallavas, with later expansion from the Vijayanagar Empire. The rock-cut architecture in the temple is a specimen of the late Pallava Art and an early example of Chola Art. The temple has various inscriptions from Cholas, Chalukyas, Pandyas and Vijayanagar Empire. The temple is considered one of the oldest stone temples in South India. The temple is maintained and administered by Department of Archaeological Survey of India as a protected monument.
Kunnakudi Shanmughanathar temple in Kundrakudi, a village in the outskirts of Karaikudi in Sivaganga district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Murugan. Constructed in the Hindu style of architecture, the temple is located in the Tirupattur - Karaikudi Road, around 14 km (14,000 m) from Karaikudi. There are three caves located on the western side of the lower rock, that has rock-cut shrines from the Pandyan Empire from the 8th century. The caves have the earliest sculptural representation of Dvarapalas, the guardian deities, for any South Indian temple.
Religion in Tamil Nadu consists of various religions practiced by the populace of the state. Hinduism is the predominant religion in the state with significant Christian and Muslim minorities. As a home to a multitude of religions, the Tamil culture reflects the influence of the same. Various places of worship are spread across the state.