Essay name: Sucindrasthala-mahatmya (critical edition and study)
Author:
Anand Dilip Raj
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies in English the Sucindrasthala-mahatmya which represents a significant Sthalamahatmya from South India detailing the origins and development of the Trimurti temple at Suchindram in Tamil Nadu. The study reveals its legends, customs, and religious practices.
Chapter 3 - Suchindram temple and other places and rivers mentioned
48 (of 53)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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paintings from SSM and the Ramayana of Valmiki as also a miscellaneous themes based on purānās. Out of 72 paintings, 50 are the illustrationĕ of SSM. The colours seen in the pictures are saffron, yellow- blended saffron, green, red, white, blue, greenish yellow, black, yellow and golden yellow. These colours were extracted from the natural materials like green leaves, fruits, sherbs, etc, etc. This artistic decoration of the walls, is done in 1888 A.D, by the Vaikkathu Pachumoothathu, who was a well known historian and the Vattappalli Sthanikar, Officer in charge of the Sucindram temple. The pictures are treated as the chapterisation of SSM. The mural paintings pictures only the stories of Chapter 3 to 8, 12 to 13 and 23 of SSM. [ the story of Atri,, story of Indr and Dakisinamurthi] b. Sculpture Indra performing puja and Devi's performing Ardra Vrta are engraved beautifully inside the Sucindram temple. Sculpture offering worship to Indra On the northern wall of the gate of pagoda there is a figure that deserves attention. It is the figure of a Brahmin devotee who goes to the temple carrying in his hands, flowers, water, vessel, and other thing for puja. Opposite to that figure there is a sivalinga at the foot of a tree. It is no one other than Devendra who worship the Lord of Sucindram. It is the pictorial representation of these lines in chapter 13: सहस्राक्षः शचीनाथः पुरस्कृत्य निजं गुरुम् � [sahasrākṣa� śacīnātha� puraskṛtya nija� gurum | ] 4a वैदिकै� पूजयामास तन्त्रैश्च प्रणवात्मकम् ।। [vaidikai� pūjayāmāsa tantraiśca praṇavātmakam || ] 5 119
