Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/426

 374 DRAVIDIAN STYLE. BOOK III. It is old, but, probably, not older than the Tanjor and Gangaikondapuram temples. The Kongade^a Rajakal relates a legend of Vira Chola Rayar who " one day saw on the sea- shore the Sabhapati of Chidambara (Siva), attended by Parvati, dancing and beating the damaraka (a kind of drum) ; he there- fore expended great sums of money in building the Kanaka, or Golden Sabha." l A little further on, it is said, " Arivari- deva (A.D. 985) observing that his grandfather had built only a Kanaka-Sabha to the Chidambara deity, he built gopurams, maddals (enclosures), madapanas (image-houses), sabhas (holy places or apartments), and granted many jewels to the deity." Though this work is not at all trustworthy, yet from an inscrip- tion we learn that Viranarayana or Parantaka I., early in the loth century, covered the hall with gold, or erected the Kanaka-sabha. There is also in the temple an inscription of Rajadhiraja I. (1018 to 1052) which may be regarded as evidence that the two inner enclosures, BB, at the west end of the tank (Woodcut No. 220) were in existence in the loth century. 2 They, indeed, measuring about 320 ft. square, appear to have been the whole of the original temple, at least in the loth and nth centuries. On the whole, I am inclined to believe that this inner temple is really the one referred to in the above extract as far as supported by the inscription. The temple of Parvati, C, on the north of the tank, was added afterwards, most probably in the I4th or I5th century, and to that age the great gopurams and the second enclosure also belong. The north gopuram, 140 feet high, is ascribed to Krishnadeva, about 1520, whilst that on the east has inscriptions of Sundara Pandya about 1250. The hall of 1000 columns, E, was almost certainly erected between 1595 and 1685, at which time, we learn from the Mackenzie MSS., the kings of the locality made many donations to the fane. 3 It was then, also, in all probability, the outer enclosure was commenced ; but it never was carried out, being in most places only a few feet above the foundation. The oldest thing now existing here is a little shrine in the inmost enclosure (opposite A in the plan). A porch of fifty- six pillars about 8 ft. high, and most delicately carved, resting 1 'Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,' vol. viii. p. 7. The Chidambaram temple is dedicated to one of the Pancha-lingams or five notable symbols of Siva in southern India. These are (i) at Conjivaram, the " prithvi-lingam," made of earth, claimed also by the Tiruvalur temple ; (2) at Jambukejvaram, the "apa-lingam," exuding water; (3) at Tiruvannamalai in j No. 20, p. 15. S. Arkat, the " tejo-lingam," sparkling with light ; (4) at Kalahasti in N. Arkat, the " vayu-lingam," of which the lamp vibrates with the wind ; and (5) this at Chidambaram is the " akaja-lingam," of ether having no material representation. 2 ' Epigraphia Indica,' vol. iii. pp. 280-281. 3 ' Madras Journal,' vol. viii. (1838),