What was once a much celebrated Temple with lots of grants and endowments by Chola Kings now lies as a pile of granite debris, amidst a forest like land with lots of vegetations, trees and bushes around, with no one to visit.
Rajakesari Vinnagaram, as mentioned in the inscriptions, Rajakesari/Parakesari are the titles held by the Kings of Chola dynasty alternatively, Vinnagaram is a term referred to Vishnu Temples in inscriptions, is located in Kotramangalam village approximately 25 Kms from Tiruchirappalli town, near Anbil, a village, home to another popular Vaishnavite Temple called Sundararaja Perumal Kovil, sanctified by Vaishnavite Saint poets, also the native of two finest Chola Prime Ministers/Generals, Anirudhdha and Jananatha, respectively of Rajaraja and Rajendra!
Vishnu is the primary deity of this Temple and a huge granite sculpture of Vishnu in reclining posture, as Ananthasaayi, is found yards away from the ruins, kept under a tin sheet shed.
Kotramangalam, is also mentioned as Jananathanallur in one of the inscriptions found in the Temple. Upon entering the complex, we are being welcomed by what looks like a Bootha, a signature feature in all medieval Chozha Temples with folded hands sitting on the base of a small mandapa. The main entrance of the mandapa surprises us with thoranas on both sides featuring miniatures with stunning details, of Rama holding his bow, Krishna’s fight with Bakasura, an asura disguised as a bird, and more stories from Srimad Bhagawata Purana and Ramayana.
Miniatures depicting stories from Ramayana and Bhagawata Purana are common features of all Chola Temples built during the reign of Aditya and his Son Paranthaka across Tamilnadu, here also we have miniatures depicting Ramayana Stories.
Main Sanctum Sanctorum and Maha Mandapa of this Temple are completely in dilapidated condition as you can see in the pictures yourself, the sanctorum is a huge brick structure of almost fifty feet tall, also in damaged condition.
There are no sculptures except a huge Vishnu in reclining posture. The basement of the Temple is intact and has lots of Tamil inscriptions from Aditya Chozha to Paranthaka, Rajaraja, Rajendra, Kulothunga & Vikrama, of land and perpetual light grants. One of the inscriptions from Rajaraja records an endowment of land to this Deity, Rajakesari Vinnagar Emperuman, for his sacred bath on Vaikunta Ekadashi and Dwadasi days.
Another inscription from the same King’s reign recorded that a grant was given by a servant named Avanamudayan Marthandan to conduct Thiruvizha (Festival) on Sadhaya Nakshatra Day, the birth star of Rajaraja. There are many more inscriptions on the basement which are in half buried state, yet to be read and published.
The glorious days of this Temple must have come to an end during the back to back invasions of Malik Kafur and Ulugh Khan, in the beginning of 14th Century, who had looted and ransacked all the Hindu Temples in that region.
Vishnu, the protector of this universe, lies in the open land with sky as roof, awaiting Govt’s attention to get his abode rebuilt to its original glory.
The Writer Ethirajan Srinivasan, is a Natgeo published Temple and Bird photographer from Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu. He publishes posts about temples and iconography on Instagram page @sculptographer.
Dr Janki Thaker