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Epigraphical study of Vishnu temples of Kanchi

A. Srivathsan

Kanchipuram or Kaccippedu', as it is referred to in inscriptions, is one of the few ancient cities under continuoushabitation for more than 2000 years. The city, which originally had a lotus-like compact formation, spread outextensively to emerge as a metropolis whose contours resembled a peacock. Unlike in the case of other temple townssuch as Madurai and Srirangam, this expansion was sustained by the growth of not one but by many templecomplexes. Hence its poly-nucleated urban pattern.

There have been numerous studies on the individual temples of Kanchipuram and monographs have also beenpublished on them. What distinguishes well-known archaeologist Nagaswamy's work under review is that it has

looked at the temples as clusters and made a comparison.

In all, 11 prominent Vishnu temples are presented in this book. Of them, the Vaikuntha Perumal and Varadaraja

Perumal temples get the maximum attention and claim more than half the space. Of the rest, the architecture andepigraphy of three Uraham, Thiru-Vehha and Patakam have been broadly discussed. The remaining six templesfind a brief mention.

Most ancient

Based on his reading of the inscriptions and the location of temples, Nagaswamy suggests that Uraham is the mostancient of Vishnu temples and came into existence when the settlement was still a village. This temple, along with th

one dedicated to Kamakshi Amman nearby, he says, constituted the core of the city for a thousand years. This is anew perspective on the urban history of Kanchipuram. But some of the existing views, such as the one expressed byK.V. Raman, run counter to it. The alternative formulation, based on the excavations and analysis of urban

geography, holds that the core could have been a royal palace where the Kamakshi temple is situated.

An important feature of the book is the detailed analysis it provides of the epigraphs, some of which were discovered

by the author himself. For example, the Uraham temple, the book shows, may lack in architecture and sculpturalgrandeur, but the 21 inscriptions found in it are valuable sources of information on South Indian polity and templeadministration. The records of Kulothunga I found here speak of the ritual procedures associated with royal grants,the agama practices followed in the temples, and the link between Kanchipuram and Uttiramerur an importantPallava period settlement nearby. Similarly, the inscriptions of Vaikuntha Perumal temple belonging to the Cholaperiod describe how temples were extensively renovated and their Pallavas-linked names were changed tocommemorate Chola kings.

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The discussion on the historical significance of the sculptures in these temples, particularly those of VaikunthaPerumal and Varadaraja Perumal, is backed by good illustrations. Nagaswamy points out that the VaikunthaPerumal temple is not only architecturally unique it is also the only temple in this country to carry the sculpturaldepiction of an entire dynasty the Pallavas, in this case. Photographs with detailed captions help the readerappreciate the content of the panels better. However, those who may want to know more and read an elaborateinterpretation of these sculptures may have to consult the works of C. Minakshi and Dennis Hudson. While

Nagaswamy refers to these texts in the book, there is no mention of them in the bibliography.

Innovative

Some of Nagasawamy's conclusions are innovative. For example, going by the Ramayana depictions in one of thepillars close to the sanctum, he suggests that the seated figure in the ground floor sanctum of the three-storeyed

Vaikuntha Perumal temple was possibly conceived as Rama. This is at variance with what scholars such as DennisHudson have to say. Nagaswamy's postulates may need more supportive evidence before they could gain wideracceptability.

A comparison of these temples with other temple-clusters in Kanchipuram would have contributed to a betterappreciation of the religious and urban history of the city. For instance, as a 16th century inscription records, there

was an overlap of processional routes followed by deities of the Varadaraja Perumal and Ekambaranatha temples.After a mediation effort by Krishnadevaraya, this issue was settled and the routes modified to the satisfaction of bothsides. A proper grasp of this later-period intervention is necessary to comprehend the ritual geography of the city in

the present. So also, an analysis of architectural and iconographical similarities between various temple clusterswould have enhanced the value of the book.

Keywords: Kanchipuram, Temple architecture, Epigraphy, Comparitive study

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