In our neighbourhood - KudumiyanMalai

 

It was a late start, midday almost, for a promised boat trip for the kids at Chitthannavasal.

@balajisrinivasan, suggested the time was just right for Kudumiyanmalai, Historically important Kudavaraikoil (rockcut temple) ASI site with Musical inscriptions attributed to Mahendra Pallavar. He told about the Rishabavahanar and Nayanmars cut in the rocks above. Intrigued!

5 minutes to noon. Had to run to see Shikanathar(moolavar); the lingam has a tuft, hence Kudumiyan. A sideways glance at the bronzes. 2 minutes  at Akhilandeswari's sannidhi and done. Archakar locked n left. There was a local elder whom he said will show us the cave temple.

We saw a hexagonal platform where kings were coronated, with 2 beautiful stone maidens standing in veneration

The beautiful stucco work atop the palliarai (god's chambers) was mesmerizing.

Then to the surprise! At the well near Devi's sannidhi, you look up and find the beautiful Rishabavahanar and Nayanmars! 

Glancing at the parijatha trees n sandal tree n plumerias you go further into the premise and find Pillayar(Ganesha), always with the company of beehives, you hear:) musical inscriptions to his left n incessant hum of bees to his right....

Glad the bees dint mind us:) but our guide said perfume disturbed them

And we walked up the unassuming square structure with steps and were awed! A beautiful Nandi and a big Shivalinga whom we circumambulated. It was a humbling experience. We were inside the garbagriha. 

Is pooja being done to Him too, we ask and they said yes. There's thiruvizha in panguni. 'Pidari Amman ku kida (goat) vettuvom' . Can we see Her? It was too hot for the kids to climb the rocks.

They showed us the larger than life dwarapalakas with elegant jatas n minimal jewelry, some more musical inscriptions n a beautiful Ganesha below, and the bhoothas that were holding the ceiling.

After seeing sculptures of Chandikeswara and a couple (Umamaheswara?) we went down.They relaxed in the cool shade of the Mandapam to the left and let us look around.

Within the locked doors was Shanthanayagi Amman, like a guhya devata, like the light at the end of a tunnel, deep within...She takes you in Her spell.

And we climb down and find a mandapa cool n inviting full of ornate pillars and traces of Nataraja on the wall. They leave you to it. The majestic yaalis and Vyagrapada n a Nayaka, the small sculptures you joyfully discover and the tiny sculptures of some narration in the panels above. It's pure joy! I loitered,  while Kids made their sand linga in the shade of this ageless huge mango tree and kept a leaf for tuft.

Exquisitely carved but dilapidated wooden peetams, on the way to the front, stop you.

There Rati and Manmatha aloft their pretty vahanas bombard you with their arrows and bows (albeit broken). Smitten!

Rama on Hanuman, Vishnu on Garuda whose pose is frozen in action, Narasimha with the garland of intestine n mouth so wide open He could devour us. Two Mohinis to enchant us all the more. Vallabha Ganapathi whose Vallabha's head's missing. But Shanmuga on His Mayura is intact thankfully with all his hands and weapons. what remains itself is so alluring and mesmerising.

Loath to leave, and lingering near each sculpture, we took pics, envying the ease with which the little son of the priest leans on Manmatha, climbs on the Nandi (dug up and lying around), how casually the local touches the pillars to point out something. It's home to them. And you feel at home too. But for them n another biker from another nearby small town, it's just you and the Gods

It was as if the Gods wanted some quiet.

We walked out unwillingly, but it's already late for lunch. Three huge Hanumans, a beautiful standing Varahamurthi, Narasimha, riders on huge parrots....I may have missed some. But we leave wishing to come again, as always:)

I'll borrow the words of the only other bhaktha "silai pesudhunga" that the sculptures talk to us. 

Yes, the stories they could tell:) Praying to come again, we left, looking for shade. And found this big arasamaram (ashwattha, peepal) beside a lotus pond. Had a picnic of packed lunch looking at the temple complex n a white structure on the rocks, maybe Pidari Amman sannidhi.

A month now n still in hangover. Din't elaborate on The yakshi outside Devi's temple, the vilva tree forming a natural thorana n the vahanas in an open mandapa.

But the ambience is best experienced.

With an annual visit to the native, it's taken 43 yrs n a lockdown to start discovering the places outside our home n Kuladeivamkoil. 

Mother's 65 and yet to see Koviloor that's literally a bus stop from her hometown (Karaikudi).

Late start indeed. Better late ....., I guess...

Thanks again to @balajisrinivasan

Now off to the boatride n revisit to Thirukkokarnam (Pudukkottai). That's another story....