Brammapureeswarar Temple

Historical: According to Hindu Mythology, Bramma became very proud as He was the creator of the universe. He thought He was more powerful than Shiva as He had the power to . This made shiva angry, and He cut off Brammas fifth head and cursed Him that He would also lose his powers of creation. Bramma realized His mistake, and He sought forgiveness from shiva. Brammapureeswarar Temple In the entrance hall, the statue of Sarabeswarar quelling the fury of Narasimha is splendidly sculpted.

In front Mandapam, the entire Narasimha Avatara episodes are beautifully sculpted, The musical pillars in the temple represent the story of Ravana attempting to lift Mount Kailash and begging Lord Shiva’s pardon iwth his Sama Gana singing skill. While analzing and comparing the architectural sytles of the presently available structures inside the temple complex, though the Kailasanatha shrine is the oldest among all other shrines, this place is very popular and well known for the only available Bramma shrine in South India. The main shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Brammapureeswarar and Goddess Prarvathi is called as Bramma Sampath Gowri. The architectural significances and features noticed in the walls of the main shrine, Amman shrine, adhisthanam, pilasters, niches, its thoranas, prastara, massive pillars of the mandapas, the bas relief carvings on the pillars, huge entrance structure and compound wall reveal that these structures are more influenced with Vijayanagara style of architecture though the temple even existed in the Chola reigon. Lord Bramma Shrine Lord Bramma in this temple is a six feet tall deity.

Lord Bramma is in meditative pose seated in Padmasana posture on a lotus. He has four heads. Each of the four heads has a crown. He has four hands. He has kept His lower two hands in His lap. He has japa mala in His right hand and kamandalam in His left hand.

Kailasanatha Temple This east facing temple dedicated to Kailasanatha is situated separately in the north west corner of the complex and to the north side of the famous Bhramapuriswarar temple amidst the different shrines for Lord Siva and the temple garden. The temple originally consists of the square shaped sanctum with several subtleties and nuances of features imitating the Kailasanatha temple sanctum in Kanchipuram and also the tallest shrine in the Shore temple, Mamallapuram which were constructed by Rajasimha Pallava alias Narasimhavarman II (700 728 A.D.). With the resemblance, by comparing the structures and with the similar variety of stone used for construction, it is assumed that this Kailasanatha shrine is the ancient structure in the whole temple premises. The square plan and well harmonized ratio of base to height lends grace and stature to the vimana. The composition of this vimana is free of the elaborated characteristic features while compared with the other temples of the similar era. The stylistic Kailasanatha shrine called as sāndhara vimāna’. It is also called as ‘Miśraka-Visnucchanda’ shrine because it is constructed with sand stone which is supposed to be an inferior variety of stone.

This sand stone was mostly used foe temple construction during the Pallava regime because it is easy to work for the sculptors. More over the Pallava reign is called as the experimental period for South Indian or Dravidian style of architecture especially in Tamilnadu. The historians claim with evidence to the records, that Rajasimha Pallava was the first person to introduce structural construction of temples in Tamilnadu. Until then the Pallavas has introduced the Cut-in or cave temples, Cut-out monolithic structures and Bas- relief architectures and most of them were monoliths. The sanctum houses a prismatic linga (sixteen stripes) (பதினாறுபட்டை) linga without the pīthikā pedestal (avudaiyar) which is called as dhārālinga dated back and resembles to the period of the Pallava king Rajasimha according to archaeological scholars.

A similar linga is found many places especially in the Shore temple, Mamallapuram maintained by ASI and in Thiruvakkarai Chandramouleeswarar temple maintained by HR&CE. The entrance of the sanctum is very broad while comparing with the other temples. A Circumambulatory passage which helps to walk around is noticed in between the first wall and the second wall of the sanctum. Tall and broad ventilator gaps are provided in the corners of the eastern and western walls during the original construction for natural light and air to pass in the circumambulatory passage which surprises the foresight of our ancestors.