Work on Vasantha Mandapam to resume

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will quickly resume the conservation work on the Vasantha Mandapam of the later Chola-period Abathsahayeswarar temple-cum-fort in Senthamangalam in Villupuram district.

“The work for restoration and conservation of the temple are over. We had dismantled the Vasantha Mandapam for reconstruction. The work could not be continued earlier because of the pandemic. We will start the work shortly,” mentioned Mr P.S. Sriraman, superintending archaeologist of the ASI.

Villupuram Lok Sabha member Ravikumar, who visited the temple a couple of days in the past, additionally promised to elevate the problem in Parliament and communicate to the related Ministry to get funds for the work.

Senthamangalam fort is a vital historic website — it was right here that Chola King Rajaraja III was imprisoned by one in every of his chieftains Kopperunjinga. Inscriptions present in Tiruvendipuram verify the incident.

“Senthamangalam was the capital of Kadavarayas, who served as the chieftains of Cholas. The temple and fort was constructed by Kadavaraya Kopperunjinga, the prominent [one] among the Kadava chieftains,” defined Mr. Ravikumar. The Kadavas started as small chieftains below the Cholas, however rapidly established their supremacy.

“Mohan Alkkoli alias Kulottunga-sola-kadavarayan was the chieftain of the Pallava extraction, who was in charge of policing in a small area near Tirumanikuli in South Arcot district, at around 1136 AD. But in the course of the next few years, the Kadava chieftain attained a more important position…” writes historian K.A. Nilakanta Sastri in his ebook The Cholas.

Citing numerous inscriptions, Sastry says, “These records reveal to us the beginnings of the feudatory family from which sprang the celebrated Kopperunjinga whose boisterous career shook the Chola empire to its foundations and hastened its downfall.”

Mr. Ravikumar mentioned the Dakshinamurthy statue within the temple was distinctive because it was seated on the Rishabha Vahana and the idol of Muruga had six heads and 6 palms as an alternative of twelve palms. There can also be a huge stone musical horse able to producing music.

A tough activity

Mr. Sriraman mentioned the reconstruction of the outer praharam was not a simple activity as it could contain an enormous amount of cash.

“Before the ASI started restoration works, one could not enter the temple. It was covered with thorny bushes. We worked for ten years and restored it,” Mr Sriraman mentioned.

He mentioned whereas the internal models had been introduced to form, the unfinished parts, together with the gopuram, couldn’t be restored since there was no proof for his or her form.