Anticcipparai Rock-cut Cave Temple

Gangaikondan, a moderately bigger but quiet village located about 20 km from Tirunelveli, has one of the largest temples of Shiva in the region. The village named after the famous Chola emperor Rajendra I has lesser travelers' footfall. In a village where we can find hardly anyone visiting such a significant historic temple, it is unfair to expect visitors to the lesser-known rock-cut cave temple located in a remote location. Locally called Anticcipparai, near the Gangaikondan Railway station, the ancient unfinished marvel lies unknowingly, having none to appreciate or even acknowledge its presence.

Scholars have named it differently as Anticcipparai, Patinalamperi, or Gangaikondan Cave in the past. Technically, it is situated at about 5 km from Gangaikondan village but lies very near Gangaikondan Railway Station. 

It is a simple rock-cut temple with a sanctum having no frontside mandapa. The east side of the vertically standing small boulder is scooped out to make the cell. 

The facade is divided into three sections by four pilasters. The central section serves as the sanctum. Two inner pilasters act as its jambs. Either side of the shrine has shallow niches devoid of any sculptures.

Over the pilasters, there are corbels or potikas. An integrated beam or uttira runs over the potikas.

The sanctum has a base (pitha) indicating that there was a Shiva Linga earlier. Two engravings, a male and a female figure of later period, are found on the wall. Although the sanctum is not a perfect square, the walls and ceiling are finished and polished.

To the south of the southern shallow niche, there is an irregular niche having the crude bas-relief sculpture of Ganesha. Seated in Ardha padmasana posture, he is four-armed. He has enormous fan-line ears. His trunk is turned towards his left side. What he holds in his upper arms are not clearly visible. I presume they must be ankusha (goad) and pasha (noose). His two lower arms rest on his laps. He wears yagnopavita (sacred thread) in upavita fashion (meaning, worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm).

Further south is the next niche where Jyestha and her children are sculpted. The two-armed Devi is seated on a pedestal with both legs hanging down. She rests her left arm on the cushion of the pedestal. Her right arm is in kataka mudra holding something. She wears a short karanda makuta with a projecting band called cenni running all around above her forehead. She has a heavy stomach, and her breasts are not covered. To her right, her son, bull-headed Vrishabhanka, is found. Her daughter Sukanya holding chamara (fly-whisk) in her left arm is seen to her left.

To the north of the sanctum, it is evident that there was an attempt to excavate another cave temple.

This cave shrine and sculptures can be considered the works done by the Early Pandya. The period might be either 7th or 8th century CE.

Happy travelling.