The VimAnams for Dhivya Dampathis at the 108 Dhivya dEsams : Part I

[Guest guest]

Sri :

 

Dear Sriman Narayana BhakthAs :

 

A respected member of the group had asked about

AshtAnga VimAnams at ThirukkOshtiyUr , ThirukkUdal ,

UtthiramErUr and also about its Aagamic significance and

whether AshtAnga VimAnams are unique to PerumAL Koils .

 

I thought that the subject of the VimAnams is a good

one to share some thoughts with you all and invite any

comments .

 

General Comments about the VimAnams of Dhivya dEsams

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1. There was a time , when the VimAnams were taller than the Gopurams .

These were mostly at Shiva Temples built during the height of ChOLaa

Kingdom . One Example is that of Bruhadheeswarar temple at ThanjAvUr

built by Raaja Raaja ChOzhan , who ruled between 985-1014 C.E. The kings

wanted to celebrate their victories and for the land to know of them .

 

The 216 feet ThanjAvur VimAnam with 13 stories is Pyramidal in shape

with a sikhara (cap stone) sitting on top of the pyramid ; this cap stone

is a single piece of granite weighing 81 tons . A cupolic Octagonal dome

( AshtAnga ) has been placed over it . One can speculate that AshtAnga

aspects are linked to Ashta dhig Gajams defending the 8 directions or

ashta Iswaryams or ashta siddhis .

 

The Gangai Konda ChOzhan(1014-1044 C.E) built a 9 story vimAnam

for Siva at GangaikoNDa ChOzhapuram , which is 185 feet tall ; Raja Raja

ChOzhan II (1046-1073 C.E) built the IrAvatheeswarar temple at

DhArAsuram with a 85 feet tall VimAnam ; KulOtthunga ChOzhan III

( 1178-1218 C.E) built the SivA Temple at Thirubhuvanam , which had

a 130 feet tall VimAnam . These were engineering marvels of their times .

 

AchArya RaamAnuja ( 1017-1137 C.E ) lived during these ChOLa times .

 

VaishNavite Temples had taller Gopurams than their VimAnams .

The later day ChOLA kings went back to smaller sized VimAnams

and the PallavAs , PaandyAs , ChALukyAs and VijayaNagara kings

kept their VimAnams shorter than the Gopurams .

 

The tall SrivilliputthUr Temple Gopuram and the South Gopuram of

Lord RanganAtha at Srirangam built by the 44th Pattam Srimath

Azhagiya Singar are examples , where the main Gopuram is taller

than the VimAnam inside .

 

2. AshtAnga VimAnams are rather unique to VaishNavaa Temples

perhaps because of the sacred AshtAkshara Manthram of Sriman

NaarAyaNaa .

 

3. The Famous AshtAnga VimAnams are at ThirukkOttiyUr ,

ThirukkUdal ( Mathurai Koodal Azhagar) , ParamEswara

ViNNagaram(Vaikunta PerumAL Koil , ThiruvAttAru and

ThiruppARkkadal ( celestial ) dhivya dEsams .

 

3.1: The garbha graham at ThirukkOttiyUr has 4 storeys

( Ground Floor : Sayana PerumAL ) ; First floor ( NinRa

ThirukkOlam ); Second Floor ( Seated ThirukkOlam )

and below ground floor.basement ( Natana KrishNan ).

 

3.2: Mathurai Koodal Azhagar has AshtAnga VimAnam and

multiple Sannidhis at different storis like at ThirukkOttiyUr .

 

3.3 : Vaikunta PerumAL KOil ( ParamEswara ViNNagaram) near Kaanchi

has multiple stories has Sayana ThirukkOla PerumAL in the first floor

of the VimAnam and NinRa ThirukkOla PerumAL on the second floor .

It is a Pallava period koil . Althought he VimAnam is called Mukundha

VimAnam , it is included among the temples with AshtAnga VimAnam .

 

4. Thiru Parama Padham (Sri Vaikuntam) has AanathAnga VimAnam .

 

5. Chathuranga Kola VimAnam is at ThiruvallavAzh KolappirAn

sannidhi .

 

6. Outside the 108 Dhivya dEsams , the UtthiramErUr temple has

AshtAnga VimAnam .

 

(To Be Continued)

 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan