Temple ruins unearthed in Andhra Pradesh: relationship again to the Thirteenth century.
Ruins of a Thirteenth-century temple had been found at Pushpagiri Kshetram in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district.
Ruins had been found within the midst of a shrub forest on a tiny hill in Vellur Mandal’s Pushpagiri Kshetram, northeast of the Durga Temple.
The Pushpakala space is well-known for its temples devoted to Hindu deities similar to Chennakesava, Umamaheshwara, Rudrapada, Vishnupada, Trikoteswara, Vaidyanatha, Subrahmanya, Vigneswara, and DurgaDevi. This location is also referred to as Hari-Hara Kshetra because it comprises quite a few temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Vishnu.
This area is washed by the Penne River, which flows to the southwest.
When a delegation led by Sri Vidyasankara Bharathi, the top priest of Pushpagiri Peetham, visited the area preparatory to launching a “Giri Pradakshina,” this ruined edifice piqued individuals’s curiosity.
Giri Pradakshina is a spiritual journey through which individuals stroll round a hill to meet a pledge.
A stone panel depicting the doorway of the monarch and his two queens has additionally been found. In line with Emani Sivanagi Reddy, a historian, this stone determine is linked to an inscription on the temple that may also be related to Kayastha Ambadeva.
WHO WERE KAYASTHA KINGS
Within the Thirteenth century, the Kayasthas had been autonomous kings formally subservient to the Kakatiyas who reigned over Andhra Pradesh. They lived alongside the Cholas and the Pallavas. They claimed to be Kshatriyas by start.
This dynasty was led by 4 formidable emperors, all of whom had been excellent warriors and completed spectacular political feats.
Their names seem within the inscriptions of the Kakatiyas and the Telugu Cholas.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
The architectural traits of the ruins are very similar to these of Vallur’s fashionable temples. These had been established by Kayastha monarchs who had been subordinates to the Kakatiya dynasty, whose capital metropolis was Vallur.
PUSHPAGIRI COMPLEX
This neighborhood is distinguished by the presence of among the area’s oldest temples, relationship again to the seventh century CE.
It’s stated that through the Treta Yuga, Lord Rama worshiped Lord Vaidyanatheswara right here, and the flowers used on this process collected so excessive {that a} flowery mound emerged, giving rise to the identify Pushpagiri.
Regardless of the chronicle says, this area is now typically acknowledged and supported by a number of Puranas, notably the Srisaila Kanda of Skanda Purana and the Garuda Purana.
As new dynasties such because the Cholas, Pallavas, and Rashtrakutas emerged on this area, all of those monarchs bestowed presents and endowments to the temples.
Gangaya Sahini and Ambadevi, Chieftains of the Kakatiya dynasty constructed varied different temples on this area and named them after their relations’ names.
The Vijayanagara empire kings additionally contributed considerably in direction of the structure of this area.
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE OF THE PUSHPAGIRI TEMPLE COMPLEX
The architectural fashion of the Pushpagiri advanced exhibits a variety of selection starting from Ikshvakus as much as the time interval of the Vijayanagara Empire.
The temple structure circumscribing this space is predicated on the Dravidian fashion of structure. The Linga is housed inside a sanctum earlier than which there’s a 16-pillared Mukhamandapa that’s surrounded by three sub-shrines round it. Outdoors this construction lies the mandapa for Nandi.
The carvings on the partitions depict varied Hindu Gods and Goddesses in varied postures. The partitions additionally depict tales of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
