MontyGilyard431: basic fix article to improve readability also and added references

2026-03-06T08:52:19Z

basic fix article to improve readability also and added references

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-09-05T18:48:55Z

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{{Short description|Vehicle carrying representation of Hindu god(s)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2017}}
[[File:The Stone Chariot,Hampi.jpg|thumb|upright 1.0|Stone temple car in the Vitthala Temple at [[Hampi]], India.]]

'''Temple cars'''<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Rajarajan|first1=R. K. K.|last2=Rajukalidoss|first2=Parthiban|title=Nāyaka Chefs-d'oeuvre: Structure and Iconography of the Śrīvilliputtūr Tēr|url=https://www.academia.edu/43392779|journal=Acta Orientalia|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rajarajan|first=R. K. K.|title=Iconographic Programme in Temple Cars: A Case Study of Kūṭal Alakar tēr|url=https://www.academia.edu/3308656|journal=East and West, Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (IsIAO), Rome|language=en}}</ref> or Temple chariots are used to carry representations of [[Hindu gods]] around the streets of the temple on festival days. These chariots are generally manually pulled by the devotees of the deity.

As of 2004, Tamil Nadu had 515 wooden carts, 79 of which needed repairs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Government of Tamil Nadu Welcomes You |url=http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/archives/policy2003-04/hrce2003-04-3.htm |website=tn.gov.in |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121219065440/http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/archives/policy2003-04/hrce2003-04-3.htm |archive-date=19 December 2012}}</ref> [[Annamalaiyar Temple]], [[Tiruvannamalai]], [[Chidambaram]] Natarajar Temple are among the temples that possess these huge wooden chariots for regular processions.

The Natarajar Temple celebrates the chariot festival twice a year; once in the summer (Aani Thirumanjanam, which takes place between June and July) and another in winter (Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai, which takes place between December and January). Lord Krishna of Udupi has five temple cars, namely ''Brahma ratha'' (the largest), ''Madya ratha'' (medium), ''kinyo'' (small), and the silver and gold rathas.

The size of the largest temple cars inspired the [[List of English words of Hindi or Urdu origin|Anglo-Indian]] term [[Juggernaut]] (from [[Jagannath]]), signifying a tremendous, virtually unstoppable force or phenomenon.

==Earliest pictures of Temple chariots==
<gallery mode="packed" heights=220px style="text-align:left" caption="Vintage Temple chariot procession pictures">
File:Ratha Jatra optocht met versierde wagens ter ere van Jagannath in Madurai, RP-F-F80205.jpg|Chariot procession in Madurai in 1872.
File:15Tiruvadmarudur Processional Car.jpg|Tiruvadmarudur Temple chariot in 1913.
File:Car Procession In Bangalore.jpg|Someshwara Temple chariot in 1918.

</gallery>
<gallery mode="packed" heights=220px style="text-align:left" caption="Vintage Temple chariot pictures">
File:Banashankari Car.jpg|Banashankari Temple (Badami) chariot in 1855.
File:Kurt boeck indien nepal 076B.jpg|Srirangam Temple chariot in the 1890s.
File:Srivilliputtur andal temple car in 1940.jpg|Srivilliputtur Temple chariot in 1930.

</gallery>
==Largest temple chariot==
[[File:Thiruvarur Ther.png|thumb|Asia's Largest Temple car "Aazhi Ther (Big Chariot)" in [[Thiruvarur]], [[Tamil Nadu]].]]
The procession of the Asia's largest and greatest temple car of [[Thiruvarur]] [[Thiyagarajar Temple]] in Tamil Nadu features prominently in an ancient festival held in the town.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Official Website of Arulmigu Thiyagaraja Swamy Temple,Tiruvarur - Festival|url=http://thiyagarajaswamytemple.tnhrce.in/festival.html|access-date=2021-03-10|website=thiyagarajaswamytemple.tnhrce.in}}</ref> The annual chariot festival of the Thygarajaswamy temple is celebrated during April – May, corresponding to the Tamil month of Chitrai. The chariot is the largest of its kind in Asia and India weighing 300 tons with a height of 90 feet. The chariot comes around the four main streets surrounding the temple during the festival. The event is attended by lakhs of people from all over Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Festivals, Culture & Heritage {{!}} Tiruvarur District, Government of Tamil Nadu {{!}} India|url=https://tiruvarur.nic.in/tourism/festivals-culture-heritage/|access-date=2021-03-09|language=en-US}}</ref>

The Aazhi Ther is the biggest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu. The 30-foot tall temple car, which originally weighed 220 tons, is raised to 96 feet with bamboo sticks and decorative clothes, taking its total weight to 350 tons. Mounted on the fully decorated temple car, the presiding deity – Lord Shiva – went around the four streets with the devotees pulling it using huge ropes. Two bulldozers were engaged to provide the required thrust so that devotees could move the chariot.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 16, 2016|first=K. Sambath|last=Kumar|title=Car festival held at Tiruvarur Thyagaraja Swamy Temple after a gap of six years|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/car-festival-held-at-tiruvarur-thyagaraja-swamy-temple-after-a-gap-of-six-years/articleshow/52777136.cms|access-date=2021-03-09|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed" style="font-size:88%; line-height:130%; border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;" heights="210">
Temple Chariot in Bannur.jpg|Temple chariot in Bannur, Mysore.
House of Temple car (chariot).jpg|House of [[Jaffna]] temple car at [[Nallur Kandaswamy temple]], [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka]], where temple car preserves or rests during non-function.
Tiruvarur temple car festival 2010.jpg|[[Tiruvarur]] temple car, the largest (chariot) temple car in the world, it weighing {{convert|300|t|0}} with a height of {{convert|90|ft|m|2}}.
Theru.JPG|Type of temple car called ''Theru'' from the [[Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani]], [[Kerala]]
Kuthira.JPG|Type of temple car called ''Kuthira'' from the [[Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani]], [[Kerala]]
Decorated chariot, Udupi, India.jpg|Temple car (decorated), [[Udupi]], Karnataka, [[India]].
Srivilliputtur andal temple car in 1940.jpg|[[Srivilliputtur]] Andal Temple car which was idle 18 years up to 1974 – 2nd largest Temple Car in Tamil Nadu.
Nellaiappar Temple Golden Car Nov 2 2009.jpg|Picture of [[Tirunelveli]] Nellaiappar Temple Golden car.
தேர்.jpg|Picture of [[Alwarkurichi]] People pulling Sivasailanathaswamy Temple car.
Temple car.jpg|Temple car in [[Chennai]], [[India]].
</gallery>

== List of places with traditional Temple cars ==


===India===
====Tamil Nadu====

* [[Alwarkurichi]], Tenkasi
* [[Aragalur]]
* [[Avinashi]] (Sri Avanashiappar Temple)
* [[Bhavani Sangameswarar Temple|Bhavani Kooduthoorai]], [[Tamil Nadu]] (4 chariots)
* [[Coimbatore]], [[Tamil Nadu]] (Koniamman Temple)
* [[Chidambaram]], [[Tamil Nadu]] (Nataraja Temple)
* [[Dindigul]] (Abiramiyamman Kovil)
* [[Denkanikottai]] (Betarayaswamy Kovil)
* [[Erode]] ([[Chennimalai]], Sivagiri, Sivanmalai)
* [[Gobichettipalayam]] (Sri Kondathukalaimman Temple, Sri Balamurugan Temple and others)
* [[Kadayanallur]]
* [[Kallal Town]] (Somasundareswarer Kovil)
* [[Kanchipuram]] ([[Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram|Varadharaja Perumal Temple]], [[Ekambareswarar Temple (Kanchipuram)|Ekambareswarar Temple]] and others)
* [https://goo.gl/maps/Ccm4Ax62VSt96gfm7 Karuvalur] (Shri Mariamman Kovil)
* [[Karamadai]] ([[Ranganathaswamy temple, Karamadai|Ranganathaswamy temple]])
* [[Kumbakonam]] (Sri Saarangapani Temple and others)
* [[Lalgudi]] ([[Saptharishishwarar Temple, Lalgudi|Saptharishishwarar Temple]])
* [[Madurai]] (Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple and others)
* [[Mannargudi]] (Sri vidhya Rajagopalaswamy temple)
* [[Minjur]] (Sri Ekambaranatha temple)
* [[Mylapore]], [[Chennai]] (Kapaleeshwarar Temple)
* [[Athur, Thoothukudi|North Authoor]] (Sri Somanathar Somasundari Temple)
* [[Palani]]
* [[Perur]] (Patteewarar Temple)
* [[Sakkottai]], Karaikudi
* [[Sankarankovil]] ([[Sankara Narayanasamy Temple, Sankarankovil|Sankara Narayanasamy Temple]])
* [[Srivaikuntam]] (Sri [[Srivaikuntanathan Permual Temple]] – Fourth largest temple car in Tamil Nadu)
* [[Suchindram]] ([[Thanumalayan Temple]])
* [[Srivilliputtur]] (Sri [[Srivilliputhur Andal temple|Andal Temple]] - Second largest temple car in Tamil Nadu)
* [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] ([[Elampillai]], Aranagalur, [[Rasipuram]])
* Sholinghur Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple,Sholinghur.
* [[Srimushnam]] ([[Bhu Varaha Swamy temple|Boovaraha Swami temple]] - Second largest temple car in [[Tamilnadu]]{{citation needed|date=April 2023}})
* [[Tiruchendur]] ([[Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur|Sri Subramanya Swami temple]])
* [[Thirupathiripuliyur]], Cuddalore ([[Pataleeswarar_Temple,_Cuddalore|Padaleeswarar temple]])
* Thiruvanthipuram, Cuddalore District ([[Devanathaswamy temple]])
* [[Tirunelveli]] (Sri [[Nellaiappar Temple]] – Third largest temple car in Tamil Nadu)
* [[Tiruchengode]] (Sri Arthanareeswarar Temple - Fourth largest temple car in Tamil Nadu)
* [[Tiruvannamalai]] (Annamalaiyar, unnamulai amman temple, 5 Chariots)
* [[Tirupattur]] (Aruilmigu Muthukumara Swamy Thirukkovil, God Shiva chariot)
* [[Thirthahalli]]
* [[Tiruvallur]]
* [[Tiruvidaimarudur]] (Mahalinga Swamy) Schariots
* [[Thungapuram]] (Ariyalur-Perambalur)
* [[Thiruvarur]] (Thiyagarajar Temple - First largest temple car in Asia){{citation needed|date=April 2023}}
* [[Thiruthangal]] (Perumal Kovil)
* [[Thirukoshtiyur]] (Sri Sowmiya Narayana Perumal Kovil)
* [[Vikramasingapuram|Vickramasingapuram]] (Sivanthiappar Kovil)
* [[Virudhunagar]]
* [[Vasudevanallur]] (Sri Cinthamani Nathar temple (arthanathiswarar temple)

====Karnataka====
* [[Banavasi]]

* [[Bengaluru]] ([[Halasuru Someshwara Temple, Bangalore|Someshwara Temple]])

* [[Bantwal]]
* [[Gokarna, Karnataka|Gokarna]] (Sri Mahabaleshwara Temple)
* [[Hampi]] (Immovable stone chariot built by Vijayanagara Kings)
* [[Karinjeshwara Temple|Karinjeshwara]]
* [[Kateel]] (Shri Durga Parameshwari Temple)
* [[Kollur, Udupi district|Kollur, Udupi]] ([[Mookambika Temple, Kollur|Mookambika Temple]])
* [[Mangalore]] (Shri Venkataraman temple)
* [[Nanjangud]] ([[Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud|Srikanteshwara Temple]])
* [[Mulki, India|Mulki]] (Shree Venkataramana Temple)
* Mulki (Shree Kalikamba Temple)
* Mulki (Shri Bappanadu Temple)
* [[Mysuru]] ([[Chamundeshwari Temple]])
* [[Puttur, Karnataka|Puttur]], (Shri Maha Lingeshsara Temple)
* [[Suratkal]]
* [[Udupi]]

====Odisha====

* [[Bhubaneswar]]
* [[Puri]]

====Kerala====
* [[Chettikulangara]], ([[Chettikulangara Devi Temple]])
* [[Cherai]]
* [[Palakkad]], [[Kerala]] (Many temples in settlements of Palakkad)
====Andhra Pradesh====
* [[Kadiri]] (Sri Khadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Temple)
* [[Koduru, Krishna district|Koduru]]
====Others====

* [[Manali New Town]] (Aiyya Temple)
* [[Yanam]]

===Malaysia===

* [[George Town, Penang|George Town]] (Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple)
* [[Kuala lumpur]] (Seri Maha Mariamman Temple Devasthanam)
* [[Teluk Intan]] (Nagarathaar Sri Thendayuthapani)

===Sri Lanka===

* [[Colombo]]
* [[Trincomalee]] ([[Koneswaram temple]])

===Germany===
* [[Hamm]], [[Germany]] (Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple)

== List of places with golden Temple cars ==
=== Andhra Pradesh ===
* Lord Shiva temple
* Narasimhaswami temple and tirumala Sri vari ratham
=== Karnataka ===

* [[Gokarna, Karnataka|Gokarna]] (Shri Mahabaleshwar temple)
* [[Kateel]] (Shri Durga Parameshwari temple)
* [[Kollur, Udupi district|Kollur]] ([[Mookambika Temple, Kollur|Mookambika Temple]])
* Konchady, [[Mangalore]] (Mahalasa Narayani Temple)
* [[Udupi]] (Sri Krishna matha)

=== Puducherry ===

* Sri Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar, [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]], [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]
=== Tamil Nadu ===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Arulmigu Maruntheeswar, [[Thiruvanmiyur]], [[Chennai]]
* Arulmigu Devi Karumariamman, [[Thiruverkadu]], [[Chennai]]
* Arulmigu Vadapalani Andavar, [[Vadapalani]], [[Chennai]]
* Arulmigu Kamatchiamman, [[Mangadu]], [[Chennai]]
* Arulmigu Kanthaswamy, [[Parktown]], [[Chennai]]
* Arulmigu Mundakakanniamman, [[Mylapore]], [[Chennai]]
* Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar, [[Mylapore]], [[Chennai]]
* [[Maruthamalai]], [[Coimbatore]] ([[Maruthamalai Marudhachalamurthy Temple|Subramanya Swamy Temple]])
* [[Coimbatore]] ([[Eachanari Vinayagar Temple]])
* [[Coimbatore]] ([[Thandu Mariamman Temple]])
* Arulmigu MeenakshiSundareswarar, [[Madurai]]
* Arulmigu Solaimalai Murugan, Pazhamudircholai, Alagarkovil [[Madurai]]
* Arulmigu Jambukeswarar, Thiruvanaikkaval, [[Trichy]]
* Arulmigu [[Nellaiappar Temple]], [[Tirunelveli]]
* Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy, [[Rameswaram]]
* Arulmigu Subramaniaswamy, [[Thiruchendur]]
* Arulmigu Kamatchiamman, [[Kanchipuram]]
* Arulmigu Dandayuthapaniswamy, [[Palani]]
* Arulmigu Swaminathaswamy, [[Swamimalai]]
* Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy, [[Thiruttani]]
* Arulmigu Anjaneyaswamy, [[Namakkal]]
* Arulmigu [[Pachaimalai Subramanya Swamy Temple|Pachaimalai]] Murugan, [[Gobichettipalayam]]
* Arulmigu [[Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman]], [[Gobichettipalayam]]
* Arulmigu Mariamman, [[Bannari]], [[Erode]]
* Arulmigu Velayuthaswamy, Thindalmalai, [[Erode]]
* Arulmigu Arthanareeswarar, [[Tiruchengode]]
* Arulmigu Subramaniyaswamy, Sivanmalai, [[Tirupur]]
* Arulmigu Kottaimariamman, [[Dindigul]]
* Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar, [[Thiruvannamalai]]
* Arulmigu Vaidhyanathaswamy, [[Vaitheeswaran Kovil]]
* Arulmigu Mahalinga Swamy Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur (SILVER CHARIOT)
* Arulmigu SankaraNarayanaswamy, [[Sankarankovil]]
* [[Nanguneri]] (Arulmigu [[Vanamamalai Perumal temple|Vanamamalai Perumal]])
* Arulmigu Balamurugan, Raththinagiri
* Arulmigu Mariamman, [[Samayapuram]]
* Arulmigu Masaniamman, [[Anamalai]]
* Arulmigu Mathurakaliyamman, [[Siruvachur]], [[Perambalur District]]
* Arulmigu Angalaparameshwari Amman, [[Melmalayanur]], [[Villupuram District]]
* Arulmigu Natarajar Temple, [[Chidambaram]], [[Cuddalore District]] - the chariot for Pichandavar on the eighth day of 10-day long festival
{{div col end}}
* Arulmigu Yoga Lakshmi Narasimar temple, Sholinghur, Ranipet district.
* Arulmigu Vijayapuri Amman temple, [[Vijayamangalam]],[[Erode]]

== See also ==
* [[Ratha]]
* [[Carroccio]]
* [[Carriage#Types of horse-drawn carriages|Types of carriages]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Temple chariots}}

[[Category:Chariots]]
[[Category:Tamil culture]]

Temple car - Revision history

MontyGilyard431: basic fix article to improve readability also and added references

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article