Hindu architecture ( Padmanabhaswamy Temple)

History of Dravida style temple architecture. introduction, sectional view, Gopuram of Padmanabhaswamy temple. The history, story and myths surrounding it and why it is the richest temple of the world.

1. HINDU ARCHITECTURE HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

2. SRI PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE

3. INTRODUCTION WHERE? Located inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is believed to be the world’s richest temple. WHEN? The history of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple dates back to 8th century. The original temple structure dates back to 200 B.C. The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Vishnu, reclining on Anantha, the hooded Serpent. HOW? Marthanda Varma,  noted among Travancore kings, did a major renovation to the temple and it resulted in the present day structure of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It was Marthanda Varma who introduced the Murajapam and Bhadra Deepam festivals in the temple. Murajapam, which literally means continuous chanting of prayers, is still conducted in the temple once every six years.

4. History The origin of the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy is lost in antiquity. It is not possible to determine from any reliable historical documents or other sources as to when and by whom the original idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy was consecrated. The Temple has references in Epics and Puranas. Srimad Bhagavatha says that Balarama visited this Temple, bathed in Padmatheertham and made several offerings. One such legend which finds a place in the old palm leaf records of the Temple, as also in the famous grantha entitled “Ananthasayana Mahatmya”, mentions that it was consecrated by a Tulu Brahmin hermit named Divakara Muni. On the 950th year of Kali Yuga a reinstallation of the idol was done.

5. A view of the temple complex

6. ARCHITECTURAL ASPECTS Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the indigenous Kerala style and the Dravidian style (kovil) of architecture associated with the temples located in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century Gopuram. While the Moolasthanam of the temple is the Ananthapuram Temple in Kasaragod, architecturally to some extent, the temple is a replica of the Adikesava Perumal temple located in Kanyakumari District. ADIKESAVA PERUMAL TEMPLE

7. TEMPLE STRUCTURE The platforms in front of the vimanam and where the deity rests, are both carved out of a single massive stone and hence called "Ottakkal-mandapam". On the orders of Marthanda Varma (1706–58), the Ottakkal-mandapam was cut out of a rock at Thirumala, about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the temple. It measured 20 square feet (1.9 m 2 ) by 2.5 feet (0.76 m) thick and was placed in front of the deity in the month of Edavom 906 M.E. (1731 AD). At the same time, Marthanda Varma also brought 12,000 shaligrams, aniconic representations of Vishnu, from the Gandaki River, north of Benares (now known as Varanasi) to the temple. These were used in the reconsecration of the Padmanabha.

8. Aesthetics and Architecture The temple architecture stands out for its work in stone and bronze. The temple interiors are adorned by beautiful paintings and murals. Some of them are that of the life-size images of Lord Vishnu in the reclining posture, Narasimha Swamy (half-lion, half man incarnation of Lord Vishnu), Lord Ganapati and Gaja Lakshmi. The temple has a dhwaja stamba (flag post) that is about 80 ft high and is covered with gold plated copper sheets. Another structure that captures attention here is the Navagraha Mandapa the ceiling of which displays the navagrahas (the nine planets).

9. gopuram The ground floor under the gopuram (main entrance in the eastern side) is known as the ' Nataka Sala' where the famous temple art Kathakali was staged. The foundation of the present gopuram was laid in 1566. The temple has a 100-foot, seven-tier gopuram made in the Pandyan style. The temple stands by the side of a tank, named Padma Theertham (meaning the lotus spring).

10. Sanctum Sanctorum The garbhagriha of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located on a stone slab and the main idol, which is about 18 ft long, can be viewed through three different doors. The head and chest are seen through the first door; while the hands can be sighted through the second door and the feet through the third door The Lord's right hand is placed over a Shiva lingam. Sridevi-Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity and Bhudevi the Goddess of Earth, two consorts of Vishnu are by his side. Brahma emerges on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of the Lord. The deity is made from 12,008 saligramams.

11. The Corridor Extending from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum is a broad corridor which has 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with beautiful carvings. There is a ground floor below under the main entrance in the eastern side, which is known as the nataka sala (literally means drama hall), where Kerala's classical art form - the Kathakali is performed during the annual ten-day festival at the temple, held during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam .

12. CHAMBER OF SECRETS Among the six kallaras or chambers in the Temple, Bharatakkon Kallara (Chamber B) is very closely associated with Sri Padmanabhaswamy. The chamber B is considered to be fixed to the secret chamber with the ‘naga bandham’ or ‘naga paasam ’ ‘mantras’ by the then ‘ sidda purashas ’ who lived during the reign of king marthandavarma in the 16th century.

13. THE STORY It is said that a door of such a secret vault can be opened by a highly erudite sadhu or mantrikas who are familiar with the knowledge of extricating naga bandham or naga pasam by chanting a garuda mantra'; so except in this way, the door can't be opened by any means by anyone. If any human attempts are made with man-made technology to open the mysterious Chamber-B other than by chanting highly sacred and powerful ‘GARUDA MANTRAS’ by a highly sacred SADHUS or MANTRIKAS, catastrophes are likely to occur in and around the Temple premises or through out India

14. TEMPLE’S ASSESTS Among the reported findings, are a three-and-a-half feet tall solid pure golden idol of Mahavishnu, studded with hundreds of diamonds and rubies and other precious stones. Also found were an 18-foot-long pure gold chain, a gold sheaf weighing 500 kilos, a 36-kilo golden veil, 1200 ' Sarappalli ' gold coin-chains that are encrusted with precious stones, and several sacks filled with golden artifacts, necklaces, diadems, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, gemstones, and objects made of other precious metals. Ceremonial attire for adorning the deity in the form of 16-part gold anki weighing almost 30 kilograms (66 lb), gold coconut shells studded with rubies and emeralds, and several 18th century Napoleonic era coins were found amongst many other objects.

15. THE WEALTHIEST TEMPLE IN THE WORLD? According to Vinod Rai, the former Comptroller-and-Auditor-General(CAG) of India, in August 2014, in the already opened vault A, there is an 800-kilo hoard of gold coins dating to around 200 B.C, each coin priced at over ₹2.70 crore (US$0.5 million). Also found was a pure Golden Throne, studded with hundreds of diamonds and fully precious stones, meant for the 18-foot-long Deity. According to varying reports, at least three, if not more, solid gold crowns have been found, studded with diamonds and other precious stones. Some other media reports also mention hundreds of pure gold chairs, thousands of gold pots and jars, among the articles recovered from Vault A and its antechambers.

16. A FINE EXAMPLE OF ARCHITECTURAL MARVEL

17. PRESENTatION MADE BY:- Mohammed SARWAR AZAD regn . No:- 1602295098 SECTION- ‘C’ 3 RD SEM SUBMITTED TO :- AR. TAPASWINI MOHANTY HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE