Architecture and Living Traditions Reflected in Wooden Rafters of Śrīvilliputtūr Temple

Forfattere

  • Deepak John Mathew Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
  • Parthiban Rajukalidoss Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5617/ao.7271

Resumé

The present article cursorily examines the wooden images set in exterior hall of the Vaṭapatraśāyī complex. The temple priests told me these images were part of an old temple car, tēr that existed in the nineteenth century. A collection of 135 wooden sculptures is packed in this hall of which select specimens are reported. Each image is supposed to be housed in a vimāna. The unique features of the images vis-à-vis their architectural setting is investigated. It is understood the different Mūrtis appearing in the sculptural illustrations are likely to represent the presiding gods of Vaiṣṇava divyadeśas at Śrīvilliputtūr, Māliruñcōlai, Araṅkam/Śrīraṅgam, Vēṅkaṭam/Tirumala-Tirupati, Dvārakā, Śālagrāma and so on. The vimāna typologies seem to represent the models popular in South Asian art. Architectural drawing of the examined specimens is designed to facilitate better understanding of the religious traditions of the Indian subcontinent. Parthiban’s doctoral thesis on the architectural setting of the Śrīvilliputtūr includes a survey of the sculptural wealth of the Great Temple (Tamil peruṅkōyil) dedicated to Āṇṭāḷ and Vaṭapatraśāyī. A number of architectural drawings are presented to pinpoint the programme of images within the macro twin-temple and the micro maṇḍapas or other parts where icons are accommodated.

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