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Gudimallam Parasurameswara Temple: Most Ancient Shiva Lingam in the
World
Gudimallam (குடிமல்லம்), a freaky village located in Yerpedu Mandal (எர்பேடு மண்டல்),
Chittur (சித்தூர்) district, Andhra
Pradesh state, India Pin Code 517526. Gudimallam village should not be confused
with Mallam (Pithapuram) village in Pithapuram Mandal, East Godavari district,
Andhra Pradesh or with Mallam (Nellore) village, Chittamur Mandal, SPSR Nellore
district, Andhra Pradesh.
The geographical
Coordinates of Gudimallam are 13° 60' 1" North (latitude), 79° 57' 0"
East (longitude). It is located on a
diversion from the Tiruchanur (திருச்சானூர்) road at a distance of 18.9 km from Tirupathi (திருப்பதி) and 8.7 km from Renigunta (ரேணிகுண்டா) Jn. railway station; 82 km towards East from
District head quarters Chittoor (சித்தூர்). It is 10.4 km from Yerpedu (எர்பேடு), 25 km from Pallam (பள்ளம்) and 438.5 km from State capital Hyderabad (ஹைதராபாத்). Renigunta (8.3 km), Tirupathi (20.8 km),
Srikalahasti (ஸ்ரீ காளஹஸ்தி) (21.6 km,) Narayanavanam (நாராயணவனம்) (20,1 km), Puttur (புத்தூர்) (17.8 km) are the nearby railway stations.
From Chennai (சென்னை)
the village is 95.6 km away. The other state capitals are Pondicherry (பாண்டிச்சேரி) 186.7 km and Bangalore (பெங்களூர்) 228.3 km. Buses to Gudimallam village are
available from Tirupati Bus Stand and the frequency is less on this route.
However you will get auto-rickshaws from Renigunta Jn. railway station and the
to and fro trip may cost around Rs. 250/- The Gudimallam village has the
population of 2071 of which 1025 are males while 1046 are females as per
Population Census 2011.
The curling muddy road
will be leading along the Swarnamukhi river bank, and its dry Swarnammukhi
river bed, picturesque paddy fields towards Gudimallam village. The age old
temple stands amidst paddy fields. The tall gateway appear without any tower.
The temple usually appear deserted except occasional visitors.
Architecture
Historically,
Gudimallam village is significant since it is the home for the ancient Parasurameswara (பரசுராமேஷ்வரா) (Shiva) Temple. The temple is protected by
ASI since from 1954 and according to some learned sources the Parasurameshwara
temple has a 2200 year old history as the longest continuously worshiped Shiva
temple (சிவன் கோவில்) in the world. The centuries-old prime sanctum
is built with brick super-structure (hara, griva and shikara) studded with
stucco images (சுதை உருவங்கள்) and the granite substructure (from adishtana
to prastara) and the plinth of the vimana has prativaribanda adhistana (பிரதிவரிபந்த அதிஷடானம்)
with the components of upana (உபானம்),
jagadi (ஜகதி), vritta (round)
kumuda (உருள்குமுதம்) mouldings. The external walls are segmented
by pilasters (அரைத்தூண்கள்) and carry niches (கோஷ்டங்கள்)
housing the images of Ganesha, Vishnu and Brahma. The upper tala (தளம்) (storey) built with brick and lime mortar
carries hara with apsidal sala shikata (கஜபிருஷ்ட
சால சிகரம்). Three metal stupis (finials) crowning the
shikara of the vimana.
The vimana over prime
sanctum has an apsidal shape i.e., gaja prishta vimana (கஜபிருஷ்ட விமானம்)
meaning 'back of an elephant' due to its structural design. The apsidal vimana
of Parasurameswara is hollow inside and
the vimana is named as Lingakriti (லிங்கக்ருதி)
vimana since the elevation of the vimana resembles the shape of the Shiva Lingam.
The sanctum has a false ceiling over wooden joists. Gaja prishta vimanas, in
general can be seen in many Chola built temples around Chennai and its suburbs.
This east facing sanctum is enclosed all around externally by a peristylar
cloister (திருச்சுற்று மண்டபம்) and the entrance to the sanctum is through
the south side of the mahamandapa.
A separate shrine for
goddess is located at north west corner of the temple. Also there are shrines
for minor for parivara devatas (associate deities) like Kartikeya (Subramanya)
and Suryanarayana. The temple sanctums are enclosed by tall perimeter wall
around the periphery with towerless gateway from the west.
It is believed that
the bana and the peeta were under the tree. Successive rulers i.e., Pallavas,
Cholas, Banas and Vijayanagara kings augmented the structures. The apsidal
shaped sanctum could be the most ancient part of this temple since sanctum
flooring is much lower than the floorings of antarala and mukhamandapam.
The excavations
carried by ASI (former director of ASI Dr.I.K.Sarma) during 1973 has retrieved
black and redware sherds (date) assignable to 2nd - 3rd century A.D. The
potsherds and the large size bricks (42 x 21 x 6 cm) retrieved from the site
made the scholar to assign the temple to Satavahana (சாதவாகனர்கள்) period. ASI prefers to call it the earliest extant Shiva Lingam in
India.
Iconography - Shiva
Linga
The prime deity seven
sided monolithic Shiva Lingam (Savedika Linga), measuring about five feet (1.35
meter) in height and one feet in diameter is housed in the prime sanctum. The
Shiva Lingam is believed to be the manifestation of the Hindu Trinity; Brahma
manifests at the bottom; Vishnu at the mid-part and Shiva on top. The Shiva
Lingam depicts the tall and wide bana. The Linga is openly set up within the
square base. The square base is surrounded by a low three barred railings on
slabs and the top railings found damaged and now replaced with new slabs during
renovation. The bana and the peeta alone are considered as the most ancient
form and all the remaining structural augmentations are later additions by
rulers of various dynasties.
It is interesting to
find a deep slanting groove cut about one floor from top of the bana. Within
the groove the sculptors have carefully sculpted the high relief image of a
hunter! The hunter exhibits perfect anatomical proportions and his torso
resembles the shape of a bull's head. The image is well built with broad
shoulders, narrow hips, tight buttocks and toned abdominal muscles. He is
radiating an abundance of vitality and energy. The hunter stands in sthanaka
posture and spreading his legs wide apart and his feet are firmly planted on
the shoulders of Amarapurusha (crouching dwarf yaksha). His face is peaceful
and serene, if not smiling.The two armed idol exhibits both hands keep hanging
loosely. His right hand holds the dead goat by the hind legs and his left hand
also holds a globular pot and it also clutches the long thick battle axe
(parasu) (கோடாரி) at its handle. The
fierce weapon also rests on his left shoulder. According to some scholars the
image of the hunter represents 'Vedic (வேதகால)
and proto puranic (புராண காலத்திற்கு முந்தைய)
concepts of Rudra (உருத்திரன்).'
His hair is arranged
like jatabhara 'burden of braids' characterized by large number of penetential
plaits worn in a bunch. His elongated ear-lobes wear heavier ring shaped
kundalas. Elongated ear lobes have become a sign of power, nobility and wealth.
His neck is adorned with sarapali (most elaborate neck jewelry) around his
neck; armlets with keyura / tholvalai (ornament around arms) on his
shoulder-arms; elbow with kangana (elbow jewelry - bracelets of beads on each
wrist (thick usually 3 – 5 strings) on his elbow; wrists with kataka valai /
bangles in the wrists; rib cage with udarabandha - broad ornamental belt below
the ribs; and thin garment worn around the waist are generously pleated and
also wears beaded katibandha (hip belt) around the waist. Unusually the hunter
has no yagnopavitha.
The Amarapurusha seen
seated on his knee and his body appear shrunken. His face show tight teeths -
may be he is finding it difficult to balance the weight of the super Lord. His
ears appear like leaves.
Legend
Gudimallam temple
legend speaks about puranic tale about Sage Parasurama. The sage beheaded his
mother at the behest of his father. He sought advice of his guru the ways and
means to relinquish his sin of killing one’s own mother. He was advised to
pursue and locate the Shiva Lingam and observe penance as a remedial measures.
Sage Parasurama, after
much pursuit, located Gudimallam Shiva Lingam and dug a pond nearby to observe
penance. The sage noticed the blossoming of single holy flower everyday at the
pond and he submitted the flower at the feet of Gudimallam Shiva Lingam. To
protect the Lingam from external beasts, he assigned the task of guarding the
flower with Chitrasena (சித்திரசேனை),
a yakshi (celestial servant). The yakshi received toddy and the hunted animal from
Parasurama as a reward for her guarding duty. One day Chitrasena offered the
holy flower from the pond to Lord Shiva. Parasurama got enraged by the yakshi's
act and attacked her with his axe. Chitrasena also retaliated severe blow. The
fight prolonged for 14 years and finally a pit formed nearby. From then on
wards the temple was known as 'Gudipallam' or temple at the pit. Over the
period the temple name changed as 'Gudimallam.'
Inscription
Number of inscriptions
have been identified on the inner walls of the Parasurameshwara Temple and also
over stone slabs in the courtyard of the temple. Many of the inscribed records
speak of the perpetual gifts made by several rulers and these have been assigned to the rulers of Ganga
Pallavas, Pallavas, Cholas and Bana dynasty.
The most ancient
inscription of the Parasurameshwara temple is assignable to twenty-third regnal
year of Nandivarma Pallava III and datable to 802 A.D. An inscription dated in twenty-fourth reganl
year of Nrpatungavarman records the donation from Vanavidyadhara-Mahabali
Vanaraya. In the 49th regnal year
inscription of Dantivarman (778 - 829 A.D.) speaks about the grant was to
Gudimallam (no. 226 of 1903) when the Bana king Vijayaditya I, (796 - 835 AD.)
son of Jayanandivarman served vassal / feudatary of Dantivarma Pallvan. The
geneology of Banas of the Perumbanappadi is furnished by the Gudimallam and
Udayendiram plates. The latest inscription at the temple is assignable to
Yadava Devaraya (AD. 1346). Gudimallam (as well as Kolar) served as the capital
of Bana dynasty. An inscription of the time of Vikrama Chola refers to a
complete rebuilding of the temple in 1126 AD., along with flat gopura and the
wall. Surprisingly none of these inscriptions refer the village name as
‘Gudimallam.’ However the village is referred to as ‘Viprapita’ i.e., ‘Brahmana
Agrahara’ and Lord Shiva represented as fierce hunter.
Temple Timings: The
temple is open from 06.00 am to 08.00 pm
Reference
Gudimallam (Wikipedia)
Gudimallam.
Papanaidupeta, Kalahasti, Tirupathi
.(http://www.krishnababug.com/2009/03/gudimallam-papanaidupeta-kaala-hasti.html)
Gudimallam Linga -
Satavahana Style.
(http://indiatemple.blogspot.in/2004/12/gudimallam-linga-satavahana-style.html)
Mysterious saga of a
2,200 year old lingam. (http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146413274)
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