Matavarvalakam (Srivilliputtur), Vaidyanatha Temple
Historical background
This temple dedicated to Shiva as Vaidyanatha, ‘God of Healing’, is sited in Matavarvalakam, now a suburb of Srivilliputtur, some 2 km away from the great Vaishnava temple dedicated to Andal and Vatapatrashayi. The temple was allegedly built by the Pandyas, and the legendary Varagunavarman Pandya II, who reigned in the second half of the ninth century, was responsible for several renovations. Further extensive renovations and additions were sponsored in the seventeenth century by the Madurai Nayakas.
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Enshrined in the sanctuary is a svayambhu linga, a ‘self-manifested’ linga, which, according to the legend was discovered under a vanni (rusty acacia) tree, hence its name Vanninatha.
Among the many legends woven around this temple, one of the most famous narrated how the mighty ruler of Madurai, Tirumala Nayaka (r. 1623-1659), who suffered from severe stomach pains, visited this place. It is said that he worshipped Vaidyanatha for forty-eight days and was miraculously cured. As a token of gratitude to the deity, he ordered the spacious front mandapa to be built. His portrait along with that of his consorts and other members of his family grace the outer festival mandapa by the main gopura.
An interesting, albeit damaged, set of 17th century murals, bearing the names of the sponsors, adorns the ceiling of the entrance mandapa. The paintings, bearing Tamil captions, illustrate narratives from the sthalapurana, the legends connected with the site, extolling the sanctity of the svayambhu linga enshrined in the temple and the deities and sages who came here to worship it.
Date: 16th-17th centuries
Description: View of the entrance and of the gopura.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Entrance gopura
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top row: Shiva enthroned on Mt Kailasa whose slopes are populated by yogis and celestials. On right, at the foot of the mountain is Narada. Bottom row: Shiva creates the Ganga water tank, Surya bathes in it and worships Shiva – the rays of light fall over the god’s image.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top row: Shiva enthroned on Mt Kailasa whose slopes are populated by yogis and celestials. On right, at the foot of the mountain is Narada. Second row: Shiva creates the Ganga water tank, Surya bathes in it and worships Shiva – the rays of light fall over the god’s image. Bottom row: The Shiva linga among five trees created by the rays of the sun. Surya is depicted paying homage to the linga; Devi worships the linga; the Ganga temple tank.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Rows: 1) and 2) Surya worships Shiva at Matavarvalakam. Row 3): The story of Durvasa. The ascetic Durvasa requests the boon of peace, Shiva tells him to descend to earth and to worship him. From right to left: Durvasa worships Shiva and Shivakami. He then performs penance for a very long time. The sage prostrated before the Shiva-linga and Shivakami (left); Row 4) Durvasa bathes in the temple tank; the next scene is damaged; Durvasa bathes in the temple tank and worships the Shiva linga.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Rows 1) and 2): Durvasas worships Shiva at Matavarvalakam; Row 3): At Chidambaram, Shiva speaks to Vyaghrapada and Patanjali, telling them to woship him at Matavarvalakam.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top row (right): Vyaghrapada and Patanjali worshipping the linga; (left) Plan of the Chidambaram temple (?) Bottom row (left): Vyaghrapada and Patanjali worship Shiva at Matavarvalakam; (right): Shiva, dancing, standing on his left leg, appears before Vyaghrapada, Patanjali, Karaikkal
Ammaiyar and three other ascetics.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Top: plan of the Chidambaram (?) temple. Bottom: Ascetics worship the linga and bathe in the temple tank.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, west end
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Ascetics worship the linga and bathe in the temple tank.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, panel flanking the flag staff
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Shiva dancing, standing on his left leg, appears before Vyaghrapada, Patanjali, Karaikkal Ammeiyar and three other ascetics.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, panel flanking the flag staff
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Plan of the Vaidyanatha temple: at the centre Shiva and two consorts, on the left the Shivalinga; on the right a standing image of the Devi. On the extreme right is the Vinayaka shrine, immediately beneath it, the Nalvar shrine.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, immediately to the east of the flag staff
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Plan of the Vaidyanatha temple. On the top left, temple dedicated to Subrahmanya and consorts; immediately beneath it, Nataraja shrine.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, immediately to the east of the flag staff
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Plan of the Vaidyanatha temple: at the centre Shiva and two consorts, on the left the Shivalinga; on the right a standing image of the Devi. On the extreme right is the Vinayaka shrine, immediately beneath it the Nalvar shrine.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, east of the flag staff
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Plan of the Vaidyanatha temple. On the top left, temple dedicated to Subrahmanya and consorts; immediately beneath it, Nataraja shrine.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, east of the flag staff
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Temple festival procession.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling: sculptural frieze
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Temple festival procession.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, east of the sculptural frieze
Date: Paintings 17th century
Description: Fragments of a narrative.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, panels imediately on the east of the sculpturalfrieze
Date: Paintings: 17th century
Description: Fragments of a narrative
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa ceiling, panels on the east of the sculptural panel
Date: Paintings: 18th-19th century
Description: Devotee worshipping the linga.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, beam
Date: Paintings, 18th-19th century
Description: Devotees flanking a huge face, possibly a kirtimukha.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, beam
Date: Paintings: 18th-19th century
Description: Devotee worshipping the linga.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, beam
Date: Paintings: 18th-19th century
Description: Birds.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Vaidyanatha Temple;Srivilliputtur
Positioning: Mahamandapa, beam