Sambandar
Historical background
One of the four most important Shaiva saints (7th cent.) author of a number of hymns. He wandered from temple to temple singing the praise of Shiva. He cured the Pandya king of Madurai from an illness and converted him to Shaivism. He is said to have merged into Shiva at the age of 16.
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Sambandar before the king Kun Pandya, the queen and the Jains (TP 62).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudut
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Preceded by three devotees, Sambandar is carried to Madurai in a palanquin (TP 62). Behind the palanquin are two musicians, playing a horn and a kombu.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Preceded by three devotees, Sambandar is carried to Madurai in a palanquin. On the extreme left, Sambandar before the King (TP 62).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Top row: Sambandar is carried to Madurai in a palanquin and sits before the king , Kun Pandya (TP 62). Second row: Sambandar throws a leaf with Shaiva scriptures in the fire before the Jains and the leaf remains unscathed, while the one with the scriptures of the Jains is devoured by the flames (TP 63).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Sambandar and the Jains throw manuscript leaves in the Vaigai river, and while those of the Jains are carried away by the current, Sambandar’s flow upstream (TP 63).To the extreme right the minister holds Sambandar’s book above his head and places it before a linga.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: The story of Sambandar from his arrival in Madurai to the contests with the Jains (TP 62,63).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: Sambandar receives the letter of the queen inviting him to Madurai to rescue the kingdom from the influence of the Jains. The Jains request Agni to burn Sambandar’s hermitage. He refuses, and becomes the fever that plagues the king Kun Pandya (TP 62).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: The Jains refuse to concede defeat and talk to two dignitaries. Sambandar is invited to a a new contest: the scriptures of the respective faiths are to be thrown in the Vaigai river (TP 63).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: mid-17th century
Description: The story of Sambandar.Top row: Agni refuses to burn the hermitage where the saint lives; Second row: the Jains refuse to concede defeat; Third row: the impalement of the Jains (TP 62,63).
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Narumpunatha Temple;Tiruppudaimarudur
Positioning: Gopura, first tier, north chamber, west wall
Date: 17th century
Description: Panguni Uttaram festival; The processional images of Ganesha, Subrahmanya and consorts, Bhairava, the three Tevaram poets (from right): Appar; Sundarar; Sambandar and Manikkavachakar carried on palanquins.
Location: Tamil Nadu Temple;Tyagaraja Temple;Tiruvarur
Positioning: Devasiriya mandapa, ceiling, second bay from the east
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