Tiruvilayadal Puranam
Historical background
The ‘Purana of sacred plays’ of Shiva at Madurai is the final version of an old tradition of legends. The sixty-four legends were arranged in the present sequence by Paranjoti (late 16th, early 17th cent.) and are considered one of the peaks of Tamil narrative poetry.
Date: mid-17th century
Description: General view of the west wall of the south chamber on the first tier of the gopura, depicting the story of Manikkavachakar (TP 59).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, south chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: The king, perhaps Varagunavarman II (aka Arimarttana Pandya) gives a neacklace to Manikkavachakar. A brahmin stands behind the king, and two men, the first with a sword and the second with a palm-leaf manuscript are shown behind the dignitary. (TP 59)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, south chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: The story of the sale of the rubies (TP 17). The queen sits with her child on her lap assisted by two attendants; the king flanked by his betel-bearer (left) and his scribe (right) talks to a holy man. (TP 17)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, east wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: The story of the sale of the rubies: Shiva, in the guise of a gem merchant displays his ware to prospective buyers. (TP 17)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, east wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: On the left, Vikrama Pandya enthroned and a nobleman. Shiva, in the guise of a hunter, kills the magic black elephant sent by the Chola king – a Jain- to kill Vikrama Pandya. On the right, the king stands behind Shiva. (TP 22)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, east wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: On the left: A pregnant queen(?) laments the death of her husband killed by a cheetah. On the left upper corner, a soldier armed with a pike is aiming at the cheetah. (TP 17)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, east wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: A net to catch a large fish is cast under the guidance of an experienced fisherman, i.e. Shiva in disguise. (TP 57)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, east wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Top row (from left to right); Puja scenes before a temple enshrining the Devi and the linga; sages floating above the shrines pay homage to the deities. A devotee carrying something on his head, perhaps a bamboo rod, walks towards the entrance gopura;
On the extreme right, a king speaks to two dignitaries. At the feet of the king is a scribe with a palm leaf in his hands. Second row: Adhikaranandi stands near Shiva and Parvati enthroned while a courtly couple pay homage to them; A tank is shown on the right. This may be the Surendra moksha tirtha near the Narumpunatha temple; A sage stands near a maruda tree from which emerges a linga. Another sage, seated on a hillock beneath a maruda tree, with the left knee held in place by a yogapatta, could be Karuvur Siddha; Yet another sage worships a linga emerging from a maruda tree. Third row: A shepherd, Idaikkadar, and his flock; Idaikkadar talks to Shiva at the presence of five noblement, two of them taking notes on a leaf; The king, flanked by an attendant, listens to the debate. On the extreme right Idaikkadar in a trance. (TP 56)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Top row: Tarumi (left) presents the poem written by Shiva on his behalf to the academicians, who find it perfect; Nakkirar, however finds is faulty; Tarumi worships Shiva; The god appears before the academicians and Nakkiran continues to assert that the poem is faulty; Shiva opens his third eye; Nakkiran, however persists in his statement; Unable to bear the scorching heat of Shiva’s gaze, he jumps in the Golden Lotus tank (TP 52); Second row: Adhikaranandi and Chandesha pay homage to Shiva and Parvati seated on Mount Kailasa; Worship at a Shiva temple; Two noblemen discussing; Third row:
Sages at worship; Idaikkadar at the side of the king, and another poet, Kapilar, involved in a discussion; The king waves the chauri near the Vaigai river, a sign that Shiva has manifested himself there. (TP 56)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Wooden statue of a wrestler; On the wall, scenes from the life of Sundarar. Top row: Sundarar seated on an elephant and Cheraman Perumal riding on his horse ascend to Kailasa; Second row: Sundarar arrives in Avinashi and is welcomed by some priests; Third row: Sundarar restores to life a child eaten by a crocodile by singing the praise of Shiva; Fourth row: The Pandya king gives a pearl necklace to Tarumi (TP 52).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, transept, north east corner
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Indra on the elephant Airavata. (TP 3)
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, south chamber, east wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Tatatakai (Minakshi) her mother and an attendant.(TP 4) The inscription says that Tatatakai was born with three breasts.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, third tier, south chamber, east wall
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