Suyambunathaswami temple of Narasinganpettai is known for its unique architecture, the main shrine is a pure vesara vimana, a rarely seen architectural type in Tamil Nadu. Narasinganpettai is a small village in the Thiruvidaimaruthur block of Thanjavur district, is about 65 kms from the district headquarters Thanjavur. It lies en-route of the Kumbakonam-Mayiladurai highways in about 16 kms from Kumbakonam. Being a delta region, the village is shrouded with coconut groves, paddy fields and the Suyambunathaswami temple lies on the southern side of the village in the midst of lush green ambiance. The presiding deity of the temple is Swayambunathaswami and the goddess is Lokanayaki. The legend states that Sri Yoga Narasimha offered his prayers to the presiding deity of this temple. The theme is also found in sculptural representation in the maha mandapa of the temple and also as stucco figures in the entrance of the maha mandapa. The temple is under the administration of Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam. Sri Yoga Narasimha swami temple is another old and popular temple in this village.
Suyambunathaswami temple is a spacious single prakara complex with the main shrine lying in the middle, and a huge compound wall encompassing it with a gopura in the east. The main shrine consists of a vimana, mukha mandapa and two maha mandapas. Shrines of Goddess Lokanayaki and Aadavallan are on the northern side of the mahamandapa. In front of the maha mandapa, a Nandi mandapa and balitala are seen. Chandeswara shrine is seen on the northern side of the circumambulation. The madapalli is on the south eastern side of the temple complex. Thiruchurru malika is present only on the western side and houses various sub-shrines. The vimana of the Suyambunathaswami is pure vesara vimana whereas the vimana of goddess Lokanayaki is pure nagara vimana. Three fragment inscriptions are found in this temple complex.
The gopura is a single tier structure with a basement, wall and roof. The basement is about 7’ high and the usual adhishthana features are absent. The wall is cantoned by six pairs of brahmakantha pilasters, denoting the karna-panjara-bhadra divisions. The brahmakantha pilasters have the capital ornamentation and the potikas resting above the pilasters are vettu-taranga type, the potikas bear the prastara of the gopura. Newly constructed niche on the eastern and northern side and Nandi at the corners are seen on the roof of the gopura.
The goddess Lokanayaki shrine is on the northern side of the prakara and adjoins the outer maha mandapa facing south. The shrine consists of a vimana and mukha mandapa, the vimana is an ashtanga pure nagara vimana. It has an adhishthana, bhitti, prastara forming the aditala and above that hara of the aditala, second tala and griva, sikhara forms the superstructure of the vimana. From the kapota of the aditala and the entire superstructure is fully refurbished with cement plastering and painting. The vimana is segmented as karna-bhadra-karna divisions demarcated by a pair of pilasters, the bhadra divisions on the east, west, north are adorned with koshtha panjaras. The adhishthana is padabandha type with octagonal kumuda. The bhitti that raise above the vedica is cantoned by brahmakantha pilasters. The pilasters possess capital elements. The potikas resting above the pilasters are vettu-taranga potikas with medallion ornamentation on its face. The potikas bear the uttira and followed by other prastara elements. The roof of the aditala extends on sides as flexed hanging kapota. The hara of the aditala is arpita hara and as like, the hara of the vesara vimana here also the hara elements are six angas. The koshthas of the bhadrasalas are adorned with the goddess in seated posture whereas the same in the karnakutas and panjaras are adorned with the goddess in standing posture. Female bracket figures are shown on the roof of the hara bearing the second tala. The second tala carry all the usual components and the tala ends with a bhumidesa. The vimana is crowned with nagara sikhara and the stupi atop. The koshthas are adorned with goddess in seated posture and the kshudra nasikas are adorned with goddess in standing posture. On the roof of the second tala a pair of simha is shown at the four corners.
The mukha mandapa of Goddess shrine adjoins the northern wall of the outer maha mandapa of the main shrine in the south. The adhishthana, bhitti and prastara of the mukha mandapa carry the same features of the aditala of the vimana. The koshtha panjaras in the eastern and western wall of the mukha mandapa possess the same features of the koshtha panjaras of the vimana aditala. The southern wall of the mukha mandapa is sectioned by four brahmakantha pilasters; the inner pair of pilasters flank the entrance and the space in between the pilasters on both sides are adorned with koshtha panjaras.
The koshtha panjaras has a pair of brahmakantha split pilasters that carry the same ornamentation of the pilasters of mother wall. Virakantha, the uppermost element of the pilaster, directly bear the prastara of the koshtha. Uttira, vajana, valabhi and the kapota forms the prastara elements of the koshtha, the valabhi is plain and the kapota is ornamented with a pair of kudu arches. The panjara is crowned with a sala sikhara.
The sanctum is a cubical chamber houses Goddess Lokanayaki in standing form. The goddess is standing in sama on a pedestal with the front hands in abhaya and varada while the back hands are in kataka and carry lotus flower. The goddess is clad in silk attire and decked with jatamakuta, kundalas and all usual ornaments.
**Seetharaman Subramanian, Director, SR Realtors, Kumbakonam. The author extend sincere thanks to him for sponsoring trips to this temple.
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