Exploring the Southern Outer Prakara of Kantimati Nellaiyappar Temple

By Indian Columbus - May 27, 2024

Continuing our exploration of the magnificent Kantimati Nellaiyappar Temple in Tirunelveli, after delving into the eastern outer prakara, let's now shift our focus to the southern outer prakara, which stretches 387 feet long and 42 feet wide.

In this prakara, there are fewer shrines, but many rooms house the temple's vahanas and other festival-related materials. A notable feature here is a set of ten pillars with life-size statues of ten Nayaka Kings. Each statue is adorned in ornamental dress, holding a sword, dagger, or other weapon, yet their hands are folded in the Anjali mudra. On the other sides of these pillars, smaller and less prominent sculptures depict the kings' consorts and their ministers or generals.

While there may not be a comprehensive record of the exact identities of these ten Madurai Nayaka Kings, it is likely they represent Tirumalai Nayaka and his nine predecessors. During a period of joint rule, multiple kings governed the kingdom together, and it is believed that these statues include all those rulers, resulting in the ten figures we see today.

Picture Courtesy - Suresh Priyan

At the right center of this gigantic prakara, facing the end of the Oonjal Mandapam, stands a prominent and beautiful shrine dedicated to Dakshinamurti. Majestically facing south, his shrine features remarkable wooden artwork. At the entrance, a wooden Paavai Vilakku (female holding a lamp) and a devotee with folded hands are exquisitely carved. The wooden panels covering the shrine and the mandapa, along with the pillars, boast many intricate sculptures, including Kantimati in a standing posture, a rare depiction of a Devi seated on a goat, the dancing Kali and Nataraja in Urdhava Tandava, Devi seated on Rishabha, Kantimati and Nellaiyappar seated on Rishabha, Bhikshatana, Mohini, and a dancing girl with her finger placed vertically on her lip. The superstructure includes images of two girls, and the pillars feature many tiny, intricate images, notably a beautiful Ganesha. Unfortunately, these exceptional wooden artworks, over 300 years old, often go unnoticed by typical devotees.

An important shrine in this prakara is the Arumukha Nayinar shrine, which warrants a separate, dedicated article due to its significance—it's almost like a separate temple.

Towards the southwestern end, there is a small temple with an east-facing sub-shrine housing Shankara Nayinar (Shiva Linga) and a south-facing sub-shrine containing a beautiful small image of Gomati. Additionally, a Gaja Lakshmi relief panel faces north.

Let me explore further aspects of this temple in the next episode.

Happy travelling.