Ardhanareeswarar temple at thiruchengode a historical study

Abstract

Temples grew as a part of the religious ethos of the country and they became newlinecentres for promoting and engaging the spiritual needs of the people. The two dominant newlinesects Saivism and Vaishnavism were built around myths, historical narratives, folk newlinediscourses, symbols and beliefs. Temples were primarily intended to serve as places of newlineworship and as locations where personal beliefs and social lives intersect. In ancient newlinedays, the temple was a centre of social and administrative activities and its importance newlinewas in no way less significant than the court of the monarch. During the medieval newlineperiod the temples became cities by themselves and many cities. Temples provide newlinedirectly and indirectly employment and income opportunities to various groups of newlinepeople, notably to the artisans attached to the temple. In India, Hinduism is the religion newlinewith the largest number of adherents and holds within itself various sects such as newlineSaivism and Vaishnavism. Tamil Nadu is historically an ancient land with its own newlinelanguage, culture, and social system. It is also a land of temples because all its ruling newlinedynasties were sponsors of temple architecture. The temples during the periods of the newlinePallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Pallavas, Vijayanagar rulers and the Nayaks and newlinebuilt temples of their own kinds. During the period of Sangam Age temples came to be newlinecalled a Nagar Mauram, Kottam, Koil and Madam. There were also Nadugal worship. newlineAfter the Sangam period also numerous and different types of temples came into newlineexistence in the Tamil country. The Bhakthi poets, the Devaram poet and Tirumangai newlineAlzhar have noted several such temples in their songs. Temples are the holy places newlinewhere gods and goddesses are worshipped in their various forms and postures. newlineTiruchengodu is approximately 20 kms from the city of Erodu, 46 kms from Salem, and newline120 kms from Coimbatore. It is a part of Kongu Nadu region of Tamil Nadu. The newlinetemple dedicated to Lord Arthanareesawara temple is built along the Mahendra newlineVarman style. The three chief sacred shrines of t