Post No. 13,869
Date uploaded in London – 9 November 2024
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
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Three authors’ book on Rayalaseema has shed more light on the architectural wonders in the region. I just give below the details in bullet points; those who like temples and the sculptures must buy this book,
Rayalaseema The Royal Realm
By Anna L.Dallapiccola, George Michell, Anila Verghese
Year 2014
The book in A4 size has beautiful pictures of sculptures of scores of temples and paintings from Lepakshi.
Three remarkable temples which are 500 years old are in the Rayalaseema area of Andhra Pradesh.
Two temples in Tadpatri
Somapalem Temple
What are the important Sculptures?
1.Chintala Venkataraman Temple, Tadpatri
Vishnu shrine has Ramayana and Bhagavata sculptures;
Gajendra Moksha,
Vamana Trivikrama ,
Ramayana scenes from Daratha’s Putra Kameshti Yaga to Rama Pattabishekam/Coronation.
Sita’s Fire Ordeal
150 Ramayana episodes in sculptures
Garuda shrine in stone chariot
Bhagavata purana scenes in 27 panels .
These include Krishna lifting Govardhana hill to protect THE cowherds;
Venugopala playing flute;
Krishna hiding the clothes of Gopi girls. This is in Sangam Tamil verse as well.
Krishna subduing the Kaliya serpent;
Krisna and Balarama in chariot
Krishna cutting off dhobi’s head when he refused to give him clothes
Krishna magically straightening the back of hunch back lady.
Krishna killing elephant Kuvalayapida
Krishna killing king Kamsa, and wrestlers Chanura, Mushtika
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2.Bugga Ramalingeswara temple, Tadpatri
Garbhagrihas with ShibK lingam, Rama, Parvati
Sixteen pillar mandapa
Walls and pillars with sculptures, mostly animals and flowers
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Chennakesava temple at Somapalem
It is 50 kilometres from Kadiri
Dipastambha 18 metres high; it has a square base.
Musicians and Dancers are sculpted
Female stick dancers
Kama and Rati engaged in mock fight
Elephants, lions, Garuda
On the walls female figures with fly whisks
Male devotees with typical clothes with folds and conical caps. they join hands in namaste position.
Garuda shrine in stone chariot
Traces of faded paintings of Ramayana
12 column mandapa with ornate designs
The pillars have sculptures in every inch or cm
Swans, flowers etc
Also three dimensional figures of Venugopala, Bala Krishna , maidens holding lotus flowers.
Separate shrine for Lakshmi Narayana
Rama enthroned (Pattabisheka Scene)
–Subham—
TAGS- Tadpatri temples, architecture, Ramayana sculptures, Bhagvatha, Chennakesava, Bugga ramalingeswara, chintala Venkataramana, Rayalaseema, Three Architectural Wonders
Tamil and Vedas 