Relationship Between Temple Architecture and Cosmology

[N. Ganesan]

Dr. M. Rabe writes:
> The "Kailasanath" in Kanchi is never called that in its own, extensive
> inscriptions--it was actually, and obsessively, named with the
> titles/birudas of its royal patron, Rajasimha Narasimhavarman II (c.
> 690-728) .


  Even though Rajasimha called it only as Rajasimhesvaram putting
  his stamp on his creation, the temple was called Kailasanatha temple
  from early on and not only in modern times.

  The PeriyapuraaNam hagiography of Puusalaar Naayanaar. This poor
devotee
  builds a temple inside his heart. Siva descends from Kailasa to
  adorn Puusalaar's temple rather than the mighty king's creation.
  This King is Rajasimha, acc. to many scholars.

  The Rashtrakuuta monument, Kailasanatha at Ellora is inspired
  by Kailasanatha at Kanchi, acc. to C. Sivaramamuti.

> From  C. Sivarammurti, Royal conquests and cultural migrations in
South India and the Deccan, Indian museum, Calcutta, 1964
p.9
" ... This military expedition resulted in the marriage of Nandivarman
(Pallava) with the Rashtrakuta princess Reva whose son Dantivarman
is named after his maternal grandfather. The matrimonial alliance
however did not avert another invasion by the Rashtrakutas under Govinda
III.
The inscription of Dantidurga in the Dasavatara cave in Ellora shows
that Dantidurga was excavating cave temples here at Ellora and a little
north of this is excavated the great monolithic temple of Kailasa
which is one of the great wonders of architecture in the world
conceived and executed by Krishna I the successor to Dantidurga.
It is here to be noted that the Kailasa temple at Ellora closely
follows the Lokesvara Vitrupakasha temple at Pattadakal in plan and
details though one is excavated and monolithic and the other
 a structural one. Even the details of sculptured panels are repeated.
The verse of the Bagumra plates which shows the manner in which
Dantidurga
appraoched Kanchi, his attitude towards Nandivarman on whom he bestowed
his daughter together with the expression in the Talegaon plates
'kaaJchiigunaalaMkRita vizvambharaa nijavaniteva saa tena bhuktaa'
describing how Krishna I enjoyed the earth damsel adorned by the
beautiful
excellences of Kanchi (strings of girdle) as if she were his own
lady, makes it clear that the Rashtrakutas like the Chalukyas
were deeply impressed by the superior art and architecture of the
Pallavas as they saw at Kanchi specially in the Kailasanatha
temple (Rajasimhesvara temple) and as this had already inspired
the Virupaksha and Trailokysvara temples at Pattadakal of the
time of Vikramaditya II, the same inspired the great Ellora temple ..."

Regards,
N. Ganesan




______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com