imported>Gowhk8: Removed Tamil text from lead and infobox as per WP:INDICSCRIPTS.

2021-08-19T10:30:33Z

Removed Tamil text from lead and infobox as per WP:INDICSCRIPTS.

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Narthamalai
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = village
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Tamil Nadu#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu, India
| coordinates = {{coord|10.51|N|78.76|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Pudukottai]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 91-4322
| registration_plate = TN55
| website =
| footnotes =
}}

[[File:Nathamalai siva temple.jpg|thumbnail|right|Vijayalaya Choleswaran Temple at Narthamalai]]
[[File:Sculpture at narthamalai,india.jpg|thumb|Sculpture at narthamalai, India]]
[[File:Shiva Lingam At Narthamalai.jpg|thumb|Shiva Lingam At Narthamalai]]

'''Narthamalai''', a cluster of small hills, is 25 km from [[Trichy]] on the [[Trichy]]-[[Pudukottai]] highway in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. Here can be seen some of the oldest rock cut cave temples, as well as the longest rock-cut edicts, similar to [[Asoka]]n edicts and extremely rare in the south of India.<ref name="hindu">{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/11/05/stories/2004110503191000.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050126150324/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/11/05/stories/2004110503191000.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=2005-01-26
|title= Classic example of Chola architecture
|accessdate=2007-01-26
|location=Chennai, India
|work=[[The Hindu]]
|date=2004-11-05
}}</ref>
The town houses [[Vijayalaya Choleeswaram]] built during the 9th century. The two rock-cut temples are classic examples of how temple architecture styles were fusing in different parts of the country.<ref name="hindu"/>

==History==
[[File:Naarthaamalai-9.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Image of pilasters on the lower part of the vimana]]
Narthamalai was ruled from the 7th to 9th centuries by the [[Mutharaiyars]], who were feudatories of the [[Pallavas]]. The region was later captured by [[Medieval Cholas]].<ref name=hindu/> Though the temple is called Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, the temple was originally built by [[Muthuraja|Muttaraiyar]] lieutenant, Sattan Paliyili, during the seventh regnal year of [[Pallava]] king Nripatungavarman during 862 CE.<ref>{{cite book|title=Pallava Antiquities - 2 Vols.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=itsryymCeLgC&pg=PA16&dq=narthamalai&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=narthamalai&f=false|first=Jouveau-Dubreuil|last=G.|page=16|year=1994|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=9788120605718}}</ref> As per some accounts, the temple is believed to have been built by the first king of [[Medieval Cholas]], [[Vijayalaya Chola]] (848- 891 CE), but the view is highly debated.<ref>{{cite book|title=God and King, the Devarāja Cult in South Asian Art and Architecture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z6jgHpB1448C&pg=PA133&dq=narthamalai&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CC8Q6AEwBDgKahUKEwjS1saMx4_JAhWJkI4KHe2lAtc#v=onepage&q=narthamalai&f=false|page=1448|publisher=Daya Books|year=2005|isbn=9788189233266|last1=Morley|first1=Grace|last2=Sengupta|first2=Arputha Rani}}</ref> As per the inscriptions, immediately after the construction, the temple was damaged by rains and lightning. The restoration work was carried out by Tennavan Tamiladirayan.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Concept of Jirnnoddhara|jstor=42936603|journal=Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute|publisher= Vice Chancellor, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute (Deemed University), Pune|last=Rao|first=M.S. Nagaraja|volume=60/61|year=2001|pages=15–20}}</ref>

In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by archaeological department of India as a protected monument.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alphabetical List of Monuments - Tamil Nadu|url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_tamilnadu.asp|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|year=2011|accessdate=14 November 2015}}</ref>

The place was called Telinga-kula-kala-puram in the 11th century during the times of [[Rajaraja Chola I]] and his son [[Rajendra Chola I]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Later Chola Temples: Kulottunga I to Rajendra III (A.D. 1070-1280), Parts 1070-1280|author=S. R. Balasubrahmanyam, B. Natarajan, Balasubrahmanyan Ramachandran|publisher=Mudgala Trust, 1979 - Architecture - 470 pages|page=388}}</ref>

==Tourism==
Narthamalai is located 11 miles Northeast West of Pudukottai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The cave temples of Narthamalai have stood the test of time. Its beautifully carved pillars and statues will never give away that these temples date all the way back to the early medieval era. Narthamalai has six large, skillfully carved of Lord Vishnu in the central hall. A life size portrait of Lord Vishnu will leave the visitors speechless with the levels of skill, effort and the time taken to create it.

The [[Vijayalaya_Choleeswaram|Vijayalaya Choleswara temple]] at Narthamalai is the most beautiful structure in Narthamalai hills. Vijayalaya Choleeswaram is dedicated to the Hindu god [[Shiva]]. Constructed in the [[dravida style|Nagara style of architecture]] and rock cut architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the 9th century by [[Muthuraja|Muttaraiyar]] kings, the cardinals of [[Pallavas]], with later expansion from the [[Cholas]]. The rock-cut architecture is an early example of [[Chola]] Art, continuing the tradition of the Pallavas. The other portions of Narthamalai houses the 8th century Jaina Abode, the Aluruttimalai Jain Caves. There are also two rock-cut caves, one of which houses twelve life size sculptures of [[Vishnu]]. The temple is considered one of the oldest stone temples in South India.

A manifestation of ancient Tamil culture, the Narthamalai temples is just one of your tutors if you want learn more about one of the oldest living civilization.

There is another Historical event occurred here, the Thanjai Perya kovil was built with the stones taken from this mountain only, during Chola's Empire.{{cn|date=July 2018}}

==See also==
*[[Indian rock-cut architecture]]
*[http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/rajv/2/tpod.html]
*[http://www.idntourism.com/narthamalai-temple/]

==Notes==
<references/>

[[Category:Caves of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu]]

{{TamilNadu-geo-stub}}

Narthamalai - Revision history

imported>Gowhk8: Removed Tamil text from lead and infobox as per WP:INDICSCRIPTS.