Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/431

 CHAP. IV. CHIDAMBARAM. 379 hand, those of the external portico must be added, which nearly balances the loss, and makes up the 1000. It must be confessed this forest of granite pillars, each of a single stone, and all more or less carved and ornamented, does produce a certain grandeur of effect, but the want of design in the arrangement, and of subordination of parts, detract painfully from the effect that might have been produced. Leaving out the pillars in the centre is the one redeeming feature, and that could easily have been effected without the brick vaults, formed of radiating arches, which are employed here another certain proof of the modern age of the building. These vaults are certainly integral, and as certainly could not have been employed till after the Muhammadans had settled in the south, and taught the Hindus how to use them. Although this temple has been aggregated at different ages, and grown by accident rather than design, like those at Tiruvalur and ^Srirangam just described, it avoids the great defect of these temples, for though like them it has no tall central object to give dignity to the whole from the outside, internally the centre of its great court is occupied by a tank, round which the various objects are grouped without at all interfering with one another. The temple itself is one important object, to the eastward of it : the Parvatt temple, another on the north, and forms a pleasing pendant to the looo-columned chauari on the south. On the north side of the Parvati another temple (D) was commenced (Woodcut No. 220), called the Pandyanayaka-kovil, with a portico of square pillars, four in front, and all most elaborately ornamented, but in such a manner as not to interfere with their outline or solidity. For long it stood in an unfinished and ruined state, but has of late been restored. This temple was dedicated to Shanmukha or Subrahmanya ; but we cannot feel sure of its age. From its position, however, and the character of its ornamentation, there seems little doubt that it belongs to the end of the i/th and first half of the i8th century. From its style, however, I would be inclined to ascribe it to the earlier date. The main buildings are enclosed within high walls of dressed granite ; outside are four " car streets," 60 feet wide ; and the whole area belonging to the temple is about 39 acres. A large portion of the innermost area, which is historically the most important, has of recent years been undergoing elaborate restoration and important additions at the hands of the^Nathukottai Chettis, thafunfortunately will quite obliterate much that is most important for archaeology. They are adding a wide cloister intended to run all round the enclosure, but the