Thirunandikkara Cave Temple, also referred to as Thirunanthikarai rock-cut Shiva temple, is a 9th-century rock-cut Hindu cave temple in Kanyakumari district,

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

, India. It is dedicated to Shiva, with murals and inscriptions. It is attributed to the Ay king Vikramaditya Varaguna by

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...

, but to Pandya rulers (Nedunjadaiyan) a few decades earlier by Ajit Kumar, an archaeologist.Ajit Kumar (2016), ''A Review of Thirunanthikarai Rock-cut Shiva Temple with Special Reference to its Paintings'', Heritage, University of Kerala, Volume 4, pp. 160–172 It is part of a larger active temple complex named the Thirunanthikarai Shri Nandeeswara temple,

Thirunanthikarai Thirunanthikarai is a village situated in Thirparappu panchayat, in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. This village comes under the post office of Kulasekharam Kulasekharam is a town located in the district of Kanyakumari, Tamil ...

and is carved out of the side of a rocky hillock to the north of the temple complex. According to Rao, one of the inscriptions suggests that this may be a late 8th-century cave temple or early 9th.TA Gopinatha Rao (1908), Travancore Archaeological Series, Volume II, Trivandrum: Government of Kerala, pages 200–206 The square-plan temple consists of a mandapam and a small, slightly raised cell sanctum facing east. In the sanctum is a Shiva Linga. The mandapam has four

Vatteluttu ''Vatteluttu,'' popularly romanised as ''Vattezhuthu'' ( ta, வட்டெழுத்து, ' and ml, വട്ടെഴുത്ത്, ', ), was a syllabic alphabet of south India (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) and Sri Lanka used for writing t ...

script inscriptions on the pillars and pilaster surface, as well as faded murals in the Kerala style. The inscriptions are in Tamil language and describe gifts made to the temple. The earliest inscription (c. 800 CE) mentions a donation to maintain the continuous lighting of a sacred lamp, pay for musicians (drummers) and offerings. The last inscription in this cave temple is from Chola era, and it too mentions a gift to maintain the perpetual lamp along with an autumn festival.TA Gopinatha Rao (1908), Travancore Archaeological Series, Volume I, Trivandrum: Government of Kerala, pages 412–413 The most visible part of the mural is in the southwest corner showing

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...

in red outline with a devotee making offerings and palace scenes. The more eroded frescoes show a Vaishnava theme of

Narasimha Narasimha ( sa, नरसिंह, lit=man-lion, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end rel ...

(half lion, half man Vishnu avatar) with a female devotee. The ceiling has a faded painting of lotus and nature, somewhat reminiscent of the Sittannavasal cave. The frescoes or murals in this cave temple represent the early stages of Kerala style of murals in a Hindu temple. Thus, although this temple is now a part of Tamil Nadu, it incorporates the historic Kerala Tranvancore heritage of this region. The Thirunadhikkara Cave Temple is a protected monument (N-TN-T5) and managed by ASI, Thrissur circle.

Gallery

File:Inscription in the rock-cut cave temple at Thirunanthikarai (free pillar I) - second version.jpg, Pillar 1 inscription at the Cave temple File:Inscription in the rock-cut cave temple at Thirunanthikarai (free pillar II).jpg, Pillar 2 inscription File:Inscription at the rock-cut cave temple at Thirunanthikarai (right of the entrance).jpg, Inscription on the entrance pilaster File:Ganesha mural at Thirunanthikarai rock-cut cave temple, Kanyakumari district.jpg, Faded Ganesha mural File:9th century Thirunanthikarai Kudaivarai Kovil, Vatteluthu inscription rock cut Shiva temple, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.jpg, A Vatteluthu inscription in the temple File:9th century Thirunanthikarai Kudaivarai Kovil, rock cut linga in Shaivism Hindu temple, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.jpg, Shiva Linga in the sanctum

References

External links

A Review of Thirunanthikarai Rock-cut Shiva Temple with Special Reference to its Paintings
Ajit Kumar (includes a temple plan and mural photographs) Hindu temples in Kanyakumari district Hindu cave temples in Tamil Nadu {{TamilNadu-hindu-temple-stub