MONUMENTS OF SOUTH INDIA
MONUMENTS :-Showcase of wealth and prosperity of ancient kingdom-love and affection of people- without words narrates the whole history of ancestors- magnificent engineering skill and craftsmanship not taught by any big university. - P.Deepalakshmi
Definition of Monuments
Due to its aesthetic, historical, political, technical, or architectural significance, a monument is a form of structure that was specifically built to remember a person or event, or that has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic periods or cultural heritage. Dolmens or menhir, megalithic structures created for religious or burial purposes, were among the first monuments. Statues, (war) memorials, historical buildings, archaeological sites, and cultural assets are examples of monuments. A monument can be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site if there is public interest in its preservation.
Monuments of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has a rich historical and cultural heritage. Several dynasties ruled over Tamil country during the ancient, early mediaeval, and mediaeval periods. Many of those emperors were passionate about art and architecture, and they lavished support on writers, sculptors, architects, and artists. This resulted in Tamil land becoming a centre of many magnificent and spectacular sites that continue to attract travelers from all around the world. These monuments tell us a lot about the sculptors' and architects' artistic abilities and excellence at the time. Connoisseurs are left awestruck by the temples with their majestic gopurams and rock cut temples.
The state of Tamil Nadu is known as the cradle of Dravidian culture, an ancient culture marked by unique languages and customs, as a result of such major cultural achievements. Beautiful monuments can be found in several of Tamilnadu's towns and cities. Mahabalipuram is one of those destinations with a plethora of architectural marvels. One such monument in Mahabalipuram is the well-known Arjuna's Penance. while Thirumalai Nayak Mahal, a perfect illustration of Indo-Saracenic style, can be seen in Madurai. Tiruchirappalli's Rock Fort temple is a renowned monument.
Tamilnadu is a magnificent blend of modern and ancient, making it a wonderful place to explore and appreciate our historical cultural heritage while enjoying all of the current conveniences. This blog will inform you about the four UNESCO monuments in Tamilnadu as well as additional UNESCO world heritage sites in the state.
Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple
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| Meenakshi amman Temple |
- Pandayan Emperor Sadayavarman Kulasekaran I (1190 CE–1205 CE) erected Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. Some of the earliest surviving components of the temple are the main portions of the three-storeyed gopura at the entrance of Sundareswarar Shrine and the central portion of the Goddess Meenakshi Shrine.
- Traditional traditions refer to him as a poet-saint king, and attribute to him a poem called Ambikai Malai, as well as shrines (koil) for Natarajar and Surya near the main temple, Ayyanar in the east, Vinayagar in the south, Kariamalperumal in the west, and Kali in the north. In addition, he constructed a Mahamandapam. Kulasekara Pandya was also a poet, and he wrote a poem called Ambikai Malai on Meenakshi.
- In 1231, Maravarman Sundara Pandyan I constructed a gopura known as Avanivendaraman, which was later restored, extended, and renamed Sundara Pandya Thirukkopuram.
- Maravarman Sundara Pandyan II constructed Chitra gopuram (W), popularly known as Muttalakkum Vayil (1238-1251). This gopuram is named from the frescoes and reliefs depicting Hindu culture's secular and religious elements.
- The Sundareswara shrine and the Sundara Pandyan Mandapam were also given a pillared corridor by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan II.
- It was reconstructed following 14th-century damage, and Kumara Krishnappar refurbished the granite construction in 1595.
- Within the Shaivism tradition, the temple is an important pilgrimage destination dedicated to Meenakshi Devi and Shiva. However, because Vishnu is Meenakshi's brother, the temple features him in many narratives, sculptures, and ceremonies. This has earned this temple and Madurai the moniker of "southern Mathura" in Vaishnava scriptures.
- Other deities at the Meenakshi temple include Lakshmi, Krishna playing the flute, Rukmini, Brahma, Saraswati, and other Vedic and Puranic deities, as well as artwork depicting significant Hindu texts.
- The huge temple complex is Madurai's most visible feature, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each day. During the annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, which is marked by several events and a ratha (chariot) procession, the temple attracts over a million pilgrims and visitors.
Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal
Thirumalai Nayak Palace is a 17th-century palace in Madurai, India, built in 1636 by King Tirumala Nayaka of Madurai's Nayaka dynasty, which ruled Madurai from 1623 to 1659. This palace is a perfect blend of Italian and Rajput architecture. The great Palace, which may still be seen today, was where the monarch lived. The old Palace Complex was four times the size of the current building. The palace was once regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the South. The Meenakshi Amman Temple is two kilometres south of this palace.The Madurai Nayaks controlled this kingdom from 1545 until the 1740s, and Thirumalai Nayak (1623-1659) was one of their most famous kings, responsible for a number of important structures in and around Madurai. Traders, missionaries, and visitors to the Madurai Kingdom in the 17th century included Portuguese, Dutch, and other Europeans. Many elements of the buildings have been damaged by time, and not insignificantly... by the destructive impacts of battle; yet, a few have been sufficiently repaired to be transformed into use by the garrison, as granaries, store-houses, and powder magazines during the East India Company's period.
To establish his own palace in Tiruchirapalli, King Thirumalai Nayak's grandson demolished much of the exquisite edifice and removed most of the gems and woodcarvings. However, from 1866 to 1872, Lord Napier, the Governor of Madras, had largely renovated the palace, and today we can see the Entrance Gate, the Main Hall, and the Dance Hall thanks to later restoration works carried out few years ago.
Samanar Malai ( hill)
Samanar Hills, also known as Samanar Malai, Amanarmalai, or Melmalai, is a rocky tract of hills in Keelakuyilkudi hamlet, Tamil Nadu, India, 10 kilometres west of Madurai city. They span for 3 kilometres east–west towards Muthupatti village. Many Jain and Hindu structures can be found on these granite outcroppings. The Archaeological Survey of India has designated the hill as a protected monument.The Samanar Hills, west of Madurai, are near the intersection of Indian roads NH44 and NH85. The rocky hills begin around Kilkuyilkudi and extend eastward till Madurai. These rocky hills go by a variety of names and are home to a variety of monuments spanning from the 2nd century BCE to the 12th century CE. The Samanar hills, located on the south side of the rocky hillocks' extreme western edge, are home to several Jain and Hindu monuments.
After defeating Buddhist scholars at Kanchipuram, Mahajan claims that the 8th-century Jain scholar Akalanka created Samanar Hills and neighbouring Madurai Jain basadis (settlements). Jains flourished here during the 9th and 12th centuries, and a monastery was founded as a result.
Two important Jain monuments can be found on the Samanar hills. The Settipodavu, with a 10th-century Jain cave, is located on the southwestern slope tip.
Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort
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| Trichy Rock fort |
The Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort is an ancient fortification and temple structure in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India, erected on an ancient rock. This structure is built on an 83-meter-high rock that was formed almost a billion years ago and serves as the city's landmark. There are three temples in the complex. At the foot of the hill, there is a Manikka Vinayakar temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha, another at the summit of the hill, Ucchi Pillayar Temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha, and a rock cut temple dedicated to a Nayaka era saint, Taayumaanavar Koyil Shivastalam. The famed Pallava-era Ganesha temple and the Madurai Nayak-era fort are also popular tourist destinations.
The temple was originally erected by the Pallavas, but the Nayaks redesigned it to take advantage of its naturally protected location. The 344 stone steps that lead to the summit of the temple are a difficult climb. The Madurai Nayakas and the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, the Carnatic area, and Maratha Imperial forces have all fought in the fort complex. During the Carnatic Wars, the fort was crucial in laying the groundwork for the British Empire in India.
Padmanabhapuram palace
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| padmanabhapuram palace |
Padmanabhapuram was the historical capital of Travancore, a Hindu state in southern India. Nagercoil is 20 kilometres away, Kanyakumari is 39 kilometres away, and Thiruvananthapuram is 52 kilometres away in Kerala. The palace is large on the inside, with a four-kilometer-long historic granite stronghold. The palace is situated at the foot of the Veli Hills, which are part of the Western Ghats
Valli River flows nearby. Another palace, Kuttalam Palace, is located in Kuttalam, Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi district, and is likewise owned by the Kerala government. It is located in Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi District (before state reorganisation, Kanyakumari District, Chenkottah Taluk, Tenkasi Taluk including the areas of Kuttalam are in the control of Travancore Kingdom in Kerala). The Kerala government owns, controls, and maintains it.
Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal, who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609, built the palace in 1601. The palace was rebuilt approximately 1750 by the founder of modern Travancore, King Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1706–1758), who ruled Travancore from 1729 to 1758. King Marthaanda Varma devoted the kingdom to Sree Padmanabha, a form of Lord Vishnu, and ruled it as Padmanabha dasa, or Lord Padmanabha's servant. As a result, the city is known as Padmanabhapuram, or Lord Padmanabha's City.
The capital of Travancore was moved from here to Thiruvananthapuram in the late 18th century, and the town lost its former splendour. The palace complex, on the other hand, remains one of the outstanding examples of traditional Kerala architecture, with some sections of the huge complex bearing the hallmarks of the style. Even though the Palace is completely surrounded by Tamil Nadu, it is still part of Kerala, and the land and palace belong to the Kerala government. The Kerala Government's Archaeology Department looks after this palace.
Vivekananda Rock memorial
In Kanyakumari, India's southernmost tip, the Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a renowned tourist site. The memorial is situated on one of two rocky outcroppings around 500 metres from Vavathurai's mainland. Swami Vivekananda is reported to have reached enlightenment atop the rock, and it was built in his honour in 1970. Goddess Kanyakumari (Parvathi) is said to have performed tapas in worship of Lord Shiva on this rock, according to tradition. Visitors can meditate at the Dhyana Mandapam, a meditation hall next to the memorial. The mandapa's design blends several temple architecture styles from across India. The Laccadive Sea surrounds the rocks, which is where the three oceans of the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Sea meet. The monument
The Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam are the two primary structures of the memorial.Swami Vivekananda swam across the shoreline in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, despite sharks, to reach a rock perched in the middle of the sea. He is reported to have concentrated on the rock for three days and nights until he reached enlightenment.
Varaha Cave Temple
Varaha Cave Temple (also known as Varaha Mandapa or Adivaraha Cave) is a rock-cut cave temple in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is located 4 kilometres north of the famous Mahabalipurm sites of rathas and the Shore Temple, in the hilltop settlement. It is an example of late-seventh-century Indian rock-cut building. Out of numerous such caves, also known as mandapas, the temple is one of the best examples of ancient Hindu rock-cut cave architecture. The temple, which is part of the Mahabalipuram Group of Monuments, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was inscribed in 1984 under criteria I ii, iii, and iv. The Hindu god Vishnu in the incarnated form of a Varaha or boar raising Bhudevi, the mother earth goddess, from the sea is the cave's most notable sculpture. Many mythological figures are also sculpted.
Kailasanath Temple
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The Kailasanathar temple, also known as the Kailasanatha temple, is a historic Hindu temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India, built during the Pallava period. It is one of Kanchipuram's oldest remaining monuments, dedicated to Shiva. It was established around 700 CE by Narasimhavarman II with expansions by Mahendra III and depicts Dravidian architecture. It has a mukha-mandapa (entry hall), a maha-mandapa (gathering hall), and a major garbha-griya (sanctum), all of which are topped by a four-story vimana. The main sanctuary is encircled by nine Shiva shrines, seven on the outside and two on the interior, flanking the temple's entrance. The prakara (courtyard) of the temple is also enclosed by cells on the outside.The Kailasanathar temple is known for its elaborately carved galaxy of Hindu art from the late seventh and early eighth centuries. These are primarily about Shaivism, although they also feature themes from Vaishnavism, Shaktism, and Vedic deities. The temple also houses one of Tamil Nadu's earliest and best examples of Hindu mural art. This can be discovered in the courtyard cells' inner walls. The murals are in the same style as those in the Ajanta Caves and the historic paintings at Kanchipuram's 8th-century Vaikunthaperumal temple. Many inscriptions in early scripts can be found on the temple walls, which are essential for epigraphical studies of regional history and Tamil temple customs.
The edifice houses 58 miniature temples dedicated to Shiva in diverse ways. These are built into recesses on the inner face of the circumambulatory passage's high compound wall. The temple is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions.
Airavatheeswara Temple at Darasuram
This Dravidian architecture temple may be found in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India. The Hindu temple Airavateswara Temple is primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is known as the Great Living Chola Temple and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.Darasuram is a small hamlet in Kumbakonam famous for the magnificent Airavatheeswarar temple. Not only is this temple a place of devotion, but it is also a UNESCO world heritage site. This temple, built by Raja Raja Cholan II in the 12th century, is yet another feather in the Chola crown. Exquisite carvings, Chariot-shaped Mandapams, a massive Vimana, and remarkable artworks make up this incredible work of art. Lord Shiva is the principal deity here.
Gangaikonda Cholapuram Brihadeeshwarar
Temple at Jayankondam
The beautiful Tanjore Big temple is also a duplicate of Gangaikonda Cholapuram Brihadeeshwarar Temple. Rajendra Chola I (1014-44 CE), the son of the great Chola king Raja Raja Chola I, who erected the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, built the temple in 1035 AD. The big enormous Nandhi is carved out and placed similarly to Brahadeeswarar temple. Rajendra Cholan erected this wonderful piece of art at his headquarters Gangaikonda Cholapuram after defeating the Ganga dynasty. The town of Gangaikonda Cholapuram is now located in Jayankondam, Tamil Nadu, India, in the district of Ariyalur.This temple contains five shrines as well as a lion well that was allegedly installed in the nineteenth century. Apart from them, the sanctum's walls are adorned with over 50 sculptures, the most noteworthy of which are Nataraja, Saraswathi, and Lord Shiva garlands a devotee.
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and the Kalka-Shimla Railway are among India's mountain railways that have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In Tamilnadu, the Nilgiri mountain railway is located. Nilgiri Mountain was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005.The Southern Railway operates the 1,000 mm metre gauge Nilgiri Mountain Railway, which was established by the British in 1908. This is one of the main attractions of Tamilnadu's famed hill region of Ooty. The breathtaking scenery that surrounds the trip is what makes it so memorable. A ride on this wonderful train will undoubtedly send shivers down your spine and will be one of your most memorable journeys.
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats of India, commonly known as the Sahyadri Mountains, have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's top ten "Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots." This mountain range, which is older than the Himalayas, has a total of 39 properties that were listed as world heritage sites in 2012, including twenty in Kerala, ten in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu, and four in Maharashtra.This mountain range is the dwelling abode to many rare species of flora and fauna. The five world heritage sites of Tamilnadu Western ghats are as follows Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Srivilliputtur Wildlife Sanctuary, Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Mukurthi National Park..
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