MADHAVA
PERUMAL TEMPLE - ART AND CULTURE
News:
Inscriptions in a temple submerged by Bhavanisagar dam in
Erode reveal a trade route
What's
in the news?
●
Inscriptions
dating back to various periods were found at the Sri Madhava Perumal Temple in
Tamil Nadu.
Revelation
of Major Trade Route:
●
According
to the inscriptions found at the temple, a major trade route connecting the
Kongu region in western Tamil Nadu with southern Karnataka and Kerala had
existed over 1,000 years ago.
Submerged
Temple Revealed as Water Levels Drop:
●
This
temple largely remained submerged in the water-spread area of the Bhavanisagar
dam in Erode district.
●
The
temple, in a dilapidated state, is currently visible following the depletion of
water level in the dam to less than 46 feet, as against the full reservoir
level of 105 feet.
Ancient
Village:
●
A
village named Thuravalur existed
there over 1,000 years ago with a temple
for Thondreeshwaramudiayar (Lord Shiva).
●
The
area served as peruvali (a trunk road), and traders crossed River Bhavani and River Moyar to reach
Wayanad in Kerala and various places in Karnataka.
Inscriptions
Detailing Traders and Transportation:
●
Inscriptions
with the names of many traders reveal they were dealing in oil, clothes,
cattle, and handicrafts, and they could have traveled on foot and used donkeys
or horses for transport.
Go
back to basics:
Sri
Madhava Perumal Temple:
●
Madhava
Perumal Temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu, who is worshipped as Madhava Perumal.
Backdrop:
●
Hoysala ruler Veera Ballala III (1292-1342), the last great king of the Hoysala Empire,
ruled the region.
●
He
asked Madhava Perumal Dhandanayaka, the general of the army, to rule the
region.
●
He
constructed the Dhandanayaka Fort
which was later renamed as Danaikan Fort.
●
The
fort, constructed 680 years ago, was destroyed of which only the damaged temple
is visible now.
Construction:
●
Madhava
Perumal Dhandanayaka’s son Veera Siddha
Keththaya Dhandanayaka constructed the Sri Madhava Perumal Temple inside
the fort.
●
An
inscription found on a stone describes it as “Nilagiri Sadaranan Kottai”, and villages along the fort were
called “Oduvanganadu”.
Important
Events:
●
The
Battle of Sathyamangalam, fought
between September 13 and 15, 1790, during the Third Anglo-Mysore War from 1790 to 1792 took place near the fort.
●
Later,
the British brought the area under their control and the Nilgiris, which was
part of the Mysore Province, was merged with the Madras Province.
Idols
Shifted to New Temples:
●
The
construction of the Bhavanisagar dam, the first major irrigation project in
Tamil Nadu after independence, began in 1948 and was completed in 1955.