TIRUCHCHIRAPPALLI, lower (Lower)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A man-made 8th century (Pandya period) 'cave temple' (rock chamber) has been excavated from the famous Trichy Rock (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 24: 45; LONELY PLANET 1997: 1092; 1999: 1162, 2005: 980-981). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1864, June: The entrance to the Rock Pagoda at Trichinopoly may likewise be mentioned as showing some fair examples of large-sized carved pillars of gneiss (KING, W & FOOTE, R B 1865: 368 = 146). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1909: … a chamber hewn out of the rock and covered with Sanskrit inscriptions. This chamber was used as a magazine by the British during the siege, and has recently been opened out (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 24: 46). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1926: Schützend bietet der graue Gneiss seinen starren Körper um die Heiligtümer, die tief in dem ausgehöhlten Leib des Felsens verborgen liegen … (DRINNEBERG 1926: 146-148) CAVE DESCRIPTION 1991: The lower Cave Temple is of Pandyan age, the eigth century, when ecumenism prompted the dedication of temples to many divie aspects: on the rear wall of the mandapam Brahma in the middle is flanked by Ganesha and Subrahmanya [an epithet of Murugan, Muruhan]on one side, and Surya and Durga on the other, while the two side shrines are devoted to Shiva and Vishnu (WARD 1991, 1993: 66). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2008: The Rock Fort at Tiruchchirappalli Rock Fort, Trichy allows considering the existence of Lower Cave; path leading to the site in front of the Lower Cave, path leading to the Upper Cave, site in front of the Lower Cave, and Upper Cave. (Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai circle [note 1] SI no. 58).e aspects: on the rear wall of the mandapam Brahma in the middle is flanked by Ganesha and Subrahmanya [an epithet of Murugan, Muruhan]on one side, and Surya and Durga on the other, while the two side shrines are devoted to Shiva and Vishnu (WARD 1991, 1993: 66). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2008: The Rock Fort at Tiruchchirappalli Rock Fort, Trichy allows considering the existence of Lower Cave; path leading to the site in front of the Lower Cave, path leading to the Upper Cave, site in front of the Lower Cave, and Upper Cave. (Archaeological Survey of India, Chennai circle [note 1] SI no. 58).