Rahuljogi at 10:50, 26 October 2024

2024-10-26T10:50:07Z

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{{Short description|Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Sathya Vageeswarar Temple
| image = Kalakkad18.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|8|30|59|N|77|33|00|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =

| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Tirunelveli district|Tirunelveli]]
| location = [[Kalakkad]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Sathya Vageeswarar([[Shiva]])
Gomathi ([[Parvathi]])

| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Sathya Vageeswarar Temple''' in [[Kalakkad]], a village in [[Tirunelveli district]] in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], is dedicated to the Hindu god [[Shiva]]. This Temple is Centered on Kalakad Town, It is located 45 km from [[Tirunelveli]]. Constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]], the temple has three precincts. Shiva is worshipped as Sathya Vageeswarar and his consort [[Parvathi]] as Gomathi.

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a {{convert|135|ft|m|abbr=on}} gateway tower containing 1,500 stucco images. The temple was originally built by [[Pandyas]] during the 13th century and [[Nayak dynasty|Nayak kings]] commissioned pillared halls and major shrines of the temple during the 15-16th century. The temple has artistic sculptures representative of Nayak art. The temple has close to 200 paintings in the temple depicting Indian epic tales. The temple also has a granary made of masonry, which is believed to be commissioned during the 13th century. There is a hall of musical pillars, commissioned by the king of Travancore, Boothala Veera Udaya Marthanda Varman during the 16th century.

The temple is open from 6 am - 12 pm and 4-8 pm on all days except during festival days when it is open the full day. Four daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Vaikasi Visakam festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Vaikasi'' (May - June) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Vaippu Sthalam==
It is one of the shrines of the [[Vaippu Sthalam]]s sung by Tamil Saivite [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] [[Appar]].<ref>பு.மா.ஜெயசெந்தில்நாதன், தேவார வைப்புத்தலங்கள், வர்த்தமானன் பதிப்பகம், சென்னை, 2009</ref><ref name=shaivam>[https://shaivam.org/hindu-hub/temples/place/410/thenkalakkudi-sathiyavaageeswarar-temple மூவர் தேவார வைப்புத் தலங்கள், Muvar Thevara Vaippu Thalangal, தென்களக்குடி (களக்காடு) Thenkalakkudi (Kalakadu), 6-71-3]</ref><ref>[http://www.shivatemples.com/vt/vt_kovil2/vt89.php தேவார வைப்புத் தலங்கள், தென்களக்குடி, 6-71-3]</ref>

==History==
{{Multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
|align=left
| total_width = 350
| height1 = 1920 | width1 = 2560
| height2 = 1920 | width2 = 2560
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Kalakkad6.jpg
|image2=Kalakkad11.jpg
|footer=Sculpted pillared halls inside the temple
}}
Inscriptions from the temple from the 15th century indicate that the place was called Cholanadu Vallipuram and Vanavan Naadu. The inscriptions also indicate that the temple worship services and gifts to the temple were endowed by Marthanda Varman, while he was residing at Virapandiyan Palace.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lists of the Antiquarian Remains in the Presidency of Madras, Volume 1|url=https://archive.org/details/listsantiquaria00sewegoog|quote=kalakad temple.|page=[https://archive.org/details/listsantiquaria00sewegoog/page/n329 314]|last=Sewell|first=Robert|publisher=E. Keys|year=1882}}</ref> The temple was originally built by [[Pandyas]] during the 13th century. The [[Vijayanagar Empire]] and Nayak kings commissioned pillared halls and major shrines of the temple during the 15-16th century. The temple has artistic sculptures representative of Nayak art. There are lot of paintings in the temple depicting Indian epic tales. There is also an image of the king of Travancore, Boothala Veera Udaya Marthanda Varman from the 16th century. He is believed to have commissioned the musical pillared halls in the front portion of the temple. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name=hindu1>{{cite news|title=Ancient temple gets a facelift|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/religion/ancient-temple-gets-a-facelift/article2207631.ece|date=7 July 2011|accessdate=11 November 2015|last=T.S.|first=Subramanian}}</ref> A plaque in front the temple installed on 12 December 1911 indicates the coronation of king [[George V]], when India was ruled by the [[British Raj|British]].<ref name=hindu2>{{cite news|title=King-Emperors, now dumped in a corner|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/kingemperors-now-dumped-in-a-corner/article128595.ece|date=30 December 2009|accessdate=11 November 2015|last=T.S.|first=Subramanian}}</ref>

==Architecture==
{{Multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
|align=right
| total_width = 350
| width2 = 1920 | height2 = 2560
| width1 = 1920 | height1 = 2560
| width3 = 1920 | height3 = 2560
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Kalakkad10.jpg
|image2=Kalakkad4.jpg
|image3=Kalakkad9.jpg
|footer=Sculpted pillars
}}
A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and bodies of water. The temple has a nine-tiered {{convert|135|ft|m|abbr=on}} gateway tower containing 1,500 stucco images in the outside, while there are 200 murals from the inside. The nine tiers can be climbed through a flight of steps inside the tower. The image of Sathya Vageeswarar in the form of [[Lingam]] is housed in the sanctum. The shrine of his consort is housed in a west facing shrine. The sanctum is approached from the gateway through a flag staff hall, a Mahamandap and an Artha [[mandapam|mandap]]. There are shrines of [[Vinayaka]] and [[Murugan|Subramanya]] on the Mahamandap. The first precinct around the sanctum has images of [[Dakshinamurthy]], [[Vishnu]], [[Durga]], Chandikeswara and [[Navagrahas]]. The flagstaff hall has a flagstaff, an altar and an image of Nandi, all axial to the sanctum and the gateway tower. There are also halls in the temple having ''yali'' pillared halls, atypical of Nayak art. The temple also has a granary made of masonry, which is believed to be commissioned during the 13th century. It is unique that usually temple granaries are made of wood.<ref name=hindu1/>

The stucco images depict various mythical themes related to Shiva. The murals depict stories from epics like [[Ramayana]] and [[Mahabharata]] and also Thiruvilayadal, the divine plays, Shiva's marriage to Parvathi, stories of [[Saivite]] saints and wedding of [[Sundarar]]. The paintings and stucco images were restored during 2008 when non-governmental organizations rebuilt the plasters with vegetable colours and natural ingredients. Historians believe that the paintings have a modern look and depicts the contemporary style of dress and ornaments worn during the period.<ref name=hindu>{{cite news|title=New look for Kalakkad murals|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/new-look-for-kalakkad-murals/article1263795.ece|date=23 May 2008|accessdate=11 November 2015|last=T.S.|first=Subramanian}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=
'Expanding Form': The Architectural Sculpture of the South Indian Temple, ca. 1500-1700|jstor=3250266|journal=Artibus Asiae|volume=72|issue=2|year=2002|page=185|last=Branfoot|first=Crispin}}</ref>

==Festival==
{{Multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
|align=left
| total_width = 350
| height1 = 1920 | width1 = 2560
| height2 = 1920 | width2 = 2560
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Kalakkad17.jpg
|image2=Kalakkad14.jpg
|footer=Halls inside the temple
}}
The temple follows Saivite tradition. The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|pooja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. As at other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Saivism|Shaivite]] community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed four times a day: ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:30 a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 11:30 p.m., ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00 p.m., and ''Sayarakshai'' between 8:00  - 8:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''neivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for both Sathya Vageeswarar and Gomathi. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple. The temple is open from 6am - 12 pm and 4-8:30 pm on all days except during new moon days when it is open the full day. The Vaikasi Visakam festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Vaikasi'' (May - June) being the most prominent. During the festival, the temple chariot is drawn around the streets of Kalakkad, with the festival images of Sathya Vageeswar and Gomathi housed in it. Other festivals like [[Sivarathri]], Thirukalyanam (sacred marriage) and Kanthasasthi are also celebrated.<ref name="dinakaran">{{cite news|title=Festival at Kalakkad|url=http://m.dinakaran.com/adetail.asp?Nid=8699|date=21 May 2015|accessdate=1 November 2015|publisher=Dinakaran}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Sathyavageeswarar Temple}}
{{Famous Shiva temples|state=collapsed}}
{{Vaippu sthalam}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Tirunelveli district]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Tirunelveli district]]

Sathya Vageeswarar Temple, Kalakkad - Revision history

Rahuljogi at 10:50, 26 October 2024