Chithiram Pesuthada

Chithiram Pesuthada Explore the History through the lens of a Heritage Lover. Heritage Sites, Architecture, & Sculptures. And also, Watch our videos, Subscribe and Share.

Passion for visiting ancient sites and interested to know more about them? Hello, this is Suresh Priyan, and welcome to my channel, "Chithiram Pesuthada", earlier called "CookWithBabyma"

I am interested in exploring ancient places, historical places, temples, monuments and mystic sites. This "Chithiram Pesuthada" channel carries my travel experience and learnings with the site. Every video is a n

ew experience, and this will encourage my audience to visit and experience the feel of our antique sites and the history they carry

Support "Chithiram Pesuthada" by sharing your Healthy feedback and inputs. You can reach me at [email protected]

🏛️ Exploring the tapestry of history through the lens of a Heritage Enthusiast and researcher
🕵️‍♂️ Heritage Sites, Architecture, and Sculptures are my language
🖌️ Join me in unravelling the stories etched in stone and culture
🌍

A 1,400-year-old temple that began in brick, witnessed the Cholas rise — and still stands quietly today.மேற்றளியில் மறைந...
18/04/2026

A 1,400-year-old temple that began in brick, witnessed the Cholas rise — and still stands quietly today.
மேற்றளியில் மறைந்திருக்கும் 1400 ஆண்டுகள் பழமையான சோழர் கால அடையாளம்!

📍 Location: Sri Brahmanandeeswarar Temple, Thirumetrali, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India

Highlights Not to Miss
✦ A 1,400-Year-Old Origin Story
Originally a brick temple, this shrine dates back over 1,400 years, making it one of the oldest sacred sites in the region.
✦ Rebuilt, Yet Rooted in Antiquity
Despite its dilapidated state, the temple was recently renovated, but its core legacy dates back to the early historic period.
✦ Royal Patronage from the Early Cholas
The wife of Aditya I — Queen Azhisi Kattadigan — donated gold to maintain a perpetual lamp, showing its importance in royal worship circuits.
✦ Pazhayarai – The Chola Nerve Centre
Located in Pazhayarai, once a thriving Chola capital before Thanjavur, this temple was part of a dense sacred and political landscape.
✦ Brahma’s Connection to the Deity
The name Brahmanandeeswarar reflects the belief that Brahma worshipped Shiva here and attained spiritual bliss.
✦ Spiritual Geography of Pazhayarai
This temple is not standalone — it’s part of a sacred urban layout, once surrounded by palaces, mutts, and shrines.

Visit this temple to experience the Chola world before it became monumental — intimate, sacred, and deeply rooted.


Did you know this grand temple once hosted music, dance, and royal patronage—but stands silent today?கண்டிகோட்டையில் அற்...
06/04/2026

Did you know this grand temple once hosted music, dance, and royal patronage—but stands silent today?
கண்டிகோட்டையில் அற்புதம் - விஷ்ணு கோயில் - மாதவராயர் ஆலயம்!

A towering gopuram, 60 sculpted pillars, and a temple that still whispers its lost glory… The Silent Vijayanagara Marvel Inside Gandikota Fort!
📍 Location: Madhavaraya Swamy Temple (Madhava Perumal Temple), Gandikota Fort, YSR Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Historical & Architectural Highlights:
✦ Vijayanagara Legacy (16th Century)
Built during the reign of Sri Krishna Deva Raya, reflecting the golden age of South Indian temple architecture.
✦ Dominating Gopuram (~16m high)
A massive multi-storeyed entrance tower visible across Gandikota—once a beacon of spiritual and architectural grandeur.
✦ Grand Maha Mandapa (≈60 Pillars)
Each pillar narrates stories—Ramayana scenes, deities, dancers, and daily life sculpted in classic Vijayanagara finesse.
✦ Dance & Cultural Space -
Sculpted dancers and musicians indicate this was not just a temple—but a performance stage for art traditions.
✦ Unique Vaishnavite Symbolism
Carvings of fish, tortoise, Garuda, Narasimha, Krishna reflect Vishnu’s avatars and theological symbolism.
✦ Intricate Iconography
Features Jaya-Vijaya, yali riders, yakshis, musicians, and rare composite creatures—hallmarks of Vijayanagara sculpture.
✦ Temple Without a Deity
The main idol was moved to Mydukur after invasions—leaving behind a monument frozen in time.
✦ Architectural Layout
Includes Mukhamandapa, Antarala, Garbhagriha, Kalyana Mandapa, Navagraha shrine—a complete temple ecosystem

Why Visit:
Visit for the art, stay for the silence of a lost empire carved in stone.



Madhavaraya Temple, Gandikota Fort, Vijayanagara architecture, Krishna Deva Raya temple, Andhra Pradesh heritage, Vishnu temple ruins, temple pillars carvings, Chithiram Pesuthada, Suresh Priyan

05/04/2026

திருவாரூர் ஆலய கல்வெட்டில் பதிவான ராஜேந்திர சோழனின் பிறந்த நட்சத்திரம் — ஆடி திருவாதிரை! 🌟
இதை முன்பு கேட்டதுண்டா?

Not Myth… Not Guess… Inscription Confirms Rajendra Chola’s Star!





What if a temple was so perfect, its creators called it the “Emperor among Temples”?ஆலயங்களின் சக்கரவர்த்தி – இதகி மகாதே...
04/04/2026

What if a temple was so perfect, its creators called it the “Emperor among Temples”?
ஆலயங்களின் சக்கரவர்த்தி – இதகி மகாதேவர்
The Temple That Declared Itself an Emperor!

In 1112 CE, this temple didn’t wait for praise—it inscribed its own title: Devalaya Chakravarti.
📍Location: Itagi Village, Yelburga Taluk, Koppal District, Karnataka

Highlights Not to Miss
✦ 1112 CE Inscription → Declares it Devalaya Chakravarti
✦ 64-Pillared Open Mantapa → 24 full + 40 half pillars in perfect rhythm
✦ Lathe-turned polished pillars → Mirror-like precision in stone
✦ Ceiling mastery → Floral patterns, makaras & kirtimukhas in fretted stone
✦ 13 subsidiary shrines → Sacred spatial planning around the main linga
✦ Dedicated shrines → To builder Mahadeva’s parents
✦ Engineering detail → Ornamental rainwater spouts
✦ Comparative evolution → Built on Annigeri’s Amruteshwara plan, but refined

Why Visit?
To witness the exact moment where Chalukyan architecture reached its most refined and confident expression.

Ever heard of a temple where lamps were lit using water instead of oil?Araneri Achaleswarar – Where Lamps Burned with Wa...
29/03/2026

Ever heard of a temple where lamps were lit using water instead of oil?
Araneri Achaleswarar – Where Lamps Burned with Water!
நீரால் எரிந்த திருவிளக்கு! – அரநெறி அச்சலேஸ்வரர்!

📍 Location: Araneri Achaleswarar Temple (Inside Thyagaraja Temple Complex), Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu

Highlights Not to Miss:
✦ Nested Shrine: Located within the grand Thyagaraja Temple complex, in the south-east corner of the second prakara.
✦ The deity is referred to in inscriptions as: “Araneriyudaiyar” / “Thiruvaraneri Alwar” / “Araneri Mahadeva Bhattaraka
✦ Part of a Sacred Cluster: Inscriptions identify Acalēśvara as one among four key subsidiary Shiva shrines within the Thyagaraja complex (along with Atakesvara, Anandesvara, Siddhishvara).
✦ Chola Core Structure: Originally a brick shrine, later converted into stone by Sembiyan Mahadevi (10th century).
✦ Sculptural Details: Koshta images here whisper the elegance of Sembiyan Mahadevi’s Chola artistry. Elegant makaratorana with floral borders & simhamukha. Gana friezes with musicians (flute & drum) encircling the sanctum
✦ Mandapa Evolution: Massive early Chola pillars in the sanctum. Later 12th-century mukha mandapa additions with refined geometry
✦ Rare Orientation: Shrine uniquely faces west, unlike most Shiva temples

The inscriptions of Araneri Achaleswarar revolve around lamps, land, and legacy—showing a shrine continuously sustained by devotion, structured endowments, and Chola royal patronage.


🕉️ தேவாதி தேவன்… தெய்வங்களுக்கெல்லாம் ராஜா! 👑ஆரூர் தியாகேசா!" என்று அழைக்கும் அந்த நொடியிலேயே மனம் ஒரு வேறு உலகிற்கு செல...
29/03/2026

🕉️ தேவாதி தேவன்… தெய்வங்களுக்கெல்லாம் ராஜா! 👑
ஆரூர் தியாகேசா!" என்று அழைக்கும் அந்த நொடியிலேயே மனம் ஒரு வேறு உலகிற்கு செல்கிறது…

🔥 அந்த தரிசனம்…
பட்டு வஸ்திரங்களும்,
செங்கழுநீர் மாலைகளும்,
தங்க பிரபாவளியும்,
ஆழ்ந்த கருவறை இருளில் விளக்கும் ஒளியும்…

அனைத்தையும் தாண்டி —
அந்த ஒரு முகம் மட்டும்… அமைதி… ஆனந்தம்… ஆதாரம்!

What if a small, unnoticed temple holds the footprints of Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, and Vijayanagara rulers—all in one ...
22/03/2026

What if a small, unnoticed temple holds the footprints of Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, and Vijayanagara rulers—all in one place?
சிற்பங்கள் சொல்லும் ஆயிரம் ஆண்டு வரலாறு?

A quiet village shrine holding 1000+ years of inscriptions, miniature sculptures, and layered dynastic history.
Location:

📍 Location: Thiruvaleeswarar Temple, Mettupudupakkam, near Pon Vilaintha Kalathur, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu

Highlights not to miss:
✦ Multi-dynasty inscription hub
Records from Chola, Pandya, Sambuvarayar & Vijayanagara periods—rare continuity across centuries

✦ Possible Pallava origin
Structural style and early layers hint at a pre-Chola, likely Pallava foundation

✦ Miniature sculptural richness
Walls filled with intricate micro-reliefs—easy to miss, but incredibly detailed

✦ Compact yet complete temple plan
Gajaprishta Vimana; Garbhagriha + ardhamandapa with classic early Dravidian proportions

✦ Epigraphical value
Inscriptions from Rajaraja Chola’s era onwards—valuable for regional history mapping

✦ Underrated heritage zone
Located near Pon Vilaintha Kalathur, itself an ancient settlement

Why visit?
Visit before it fades—this is living history quietly waiting to be noticed.

சில தருணங்கள்—சில இடங்களில் மட்டும் மனதை உருக்கி விடும்…அப்படியே தியாகராஜரின் முன் நின்று, மனம் திறந்து அழுது பேசிய அந்த...
21/03/2026

சில தருணங்கள்—சில இடங்களில் மட்டும் மனதை உருக்கி விடும்…
அப்படியே தியாகராஜரின் முன் நின்று, மனம் திறந்து அழுது பேசிய அந்த நொடி—
என் வாழ்வில் அழியாத ஒரு ஆன்மிக நினைவாகவே நிற்கிறது.
உங்களுக்கும் அப்படியான அனுபவம் உண்டா?

Not just a temple — a place where devotion becomes deeply personal!
மனதை உருக்கும் திருவாரூர் தியாகராஜர்!
Have you ever stood before a deity… and felt like He was listening?
📍 Location: Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu

Highlights Not to Miss:
✦ Ajapa Natanam (Silent Cosmic Dance)
Thyagaraja is believed to perform a subtle, internal dance — unique among Shiva temples.

✦ Saptha Vidanga Sthalam (1 of 7 Sacred Sites)
This temple is the primary among the rare Saptha Vidanga shrines.

✦ Massive Temple Complex (~33 acres)
One of the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu with multiple prakaras and shrines.

✦ Kamalalayam Tank (One of India’s Largest Temple Tanks)
A vast sacred tank that dominates the temple landscape.

✦ Chariot Festival (Ther) – Among the Biggest in India
The Thiruvarur temple car is one of the largest and heaviest wooden chariots.

✦ Somaskanda Iconography (Pallava Legacy)
Thyagaraja appears in Somaskanda form — Shiva with Parvati and Skanda.

✦ Rich Chola Contributions
Expanded and enriched by the medieval Cholas, especially during the imperial phase.

✦ Musical Trinity Connection
Birthplace of Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Diksh*tar, and Syama Sastri traditions (regionally rooted).

Why you should visit?
Because some temples you see… but here, you experience.


The Artisan Hall of Kanchipuram – Stories Carved in Sixteen Pillars!பதினாறு தூண்கள், பல கதைகள் – காஞ்சியின் சித்திர மண்ட...
16/03/2026

The Artisan Hall of Kanchipuram – Stories Carved in Sixteen Pillars!
பதினாறு தூண்கள், பல கதைகள் – காஞ்சியின் சித்திர மண்டபம்!

Is the Achari Mandapam named after the artisans who built it—or could it originally have been an Achyutaraya Mandapam from the Vijayanagara period?
📍Location: Ekambaranathar Temple, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India

✦ Achari / Viswakarma Mandapam
The pavilion was historically associated with the Viswakarma artisan community, the traditional sculptors and architects of South Indian temples.

✦ Later Known as Chitra Mandapam
The name reflects the decorative narrative carvings on its pillars, making it a “hall of sculptural pictures.”

✦ Sixteen-Pillar Layout
A compact pavilion supported by 16 granite pillars arranged symmetrically, typical of ceremonial mandapas.

✦ Narrative Sculptures
Carvings depict divine figures, ritual scenes, and aspects of social life, giving the hall its artistic identity.

✦ Mythological Themes
Panels include Shiva-Parvati imagery and other deities, reflecting the temple’s Shaiva tradition.

✦ Architectural Phase
Stylistically associated with the late medieval Vijayanagara–Nayak temple expansion period, when many festival mandapas were added.





The Thousand-Pillar Hall of Kanchipuram – Chola Legacy or Vijayanagara Masterpiece?ஏகாம்பரநாதர் கோவிலின் ஆயிரம் தூண்கள் ...
15/03/2026

The Thousand-Pillar Hall of Kanchipuram – Chola Legacy or Vijayanagara Masterpiece?
ஏகாம்பரநாதர் கோவிலின் ஆயிரம் தூண்கள் – வரலாற்றுப் புதிர்?

📍Location: Ekambaranathar Temple, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India

✦ Symbolic “1000 Pillars”
Like many South Indian temples, “1000 pillars” represents a grand pillared complex rather than an exact count.

✦ Possible Two-Phase History?
Historians believe an earlier Chola mandapa may have existed, later rebuilt or enlarged during the Vijayanagara expansion of the temple.

✦ Historical Debate
Tamil historical references attribute the hall to Kulottunga Chola I and an expansion under Vikrama Chola, while the architectural style strongly aligns with Vijayanagara temple design (15th–16th century).

✦ Temple Layout & Intricate Carvings
Located inside the precinct after the entrance tower, serving as a ceremonial gathering hall. Each pillar carries detailed sculptures of deities, legends, and decorative motifs.

The history may be Chola — but the architecture we see is Vijayanagara.
So what’s your take: Chola origins or Vijayanagara grandeur?





Exploring the Living Heritage of KanchipuramA truly fulfilling day spent with 40 energetic students from Amrita Vishwa V...
14/03/2026

Exploring the Living Heritage of Kanchipuram

A truly fulfilling day spent with 40 energetic students from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, as our 6-member THT docent team conducted a site seminar across some of Kanchipuram’s most remarkable heritage spaces.

We began the journey at the majestic Ekambaranathar Temple, understanding its place among the Pancha Bhoota Stalams. The exploration continued at Jvarahareswarar Temple, followed by the sculptural brilliance of the Sixteen-Pillared Mandapa.

A pleasant surprise for both mentors and students was the Kanchi Museum, where history unfolded through rare objects and narratives.

The day concluded at the magnificent Kailasanathar Temple — the timeless Pallava masterpiece. Walking through this architectural jewel with curious young minds made the experience truly inspiring.

Grateful to Gopu Sir for the opportunity and special thanks to Sivashankar Babu Sir for coordinating the program seamlessly.

Wonderful teamwork with fellow mentors Hemant, Krishna, Krishnakumar, Uma, and myself made the day even more memorable.

Days like this remind us — heritage becomes meaningful when the next generation experiences it directly.

Thakkārkku Thakkān – A Stone Philosophy at Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur!தக்கார்க்குத் தக்கான் – ஆரூர்த் தியாகன் அருள் த...
13/03/2026

Thakkārkku Thakkān – A Stone Philosophy at Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur!
தக்கார்க்குத் தக்கான் – ஆரூர்த் தியாகன் அருள் தத்துவம்!

On the east-side mandapa pillars of the Thyagaraja Temple, “Thakkarkku Thakkan", a short inscription quietly expresses a powerful idea: God grants grace according to the devotee's worth.

Location:
Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, India

திருவாரூர் தியாகராஜர் கோயிலின்
கிழக்கு ராஜகோபுரம் அருகிலுள்ள தூண்களில்
ஒரு அரிய கல்வெட்டு வாசகம்.

“தக்கார்க்குத் தக்கான்”
அதாவது —
தகுதியுடையவர்களுக்கு தகுந்த அருள் வழங்கும் இறைவன்.

பக்தரின் பக்தி • பக்குவம் • அர்ப்பணிப்பு
எவ்வளவு உள்ளதோ
அவ்வளவு அருள் தரும் ஆரூர்த் தியாகன்.

அதனால் தான்…
ஆரூர்த் தியாகன் — தக்கார்க்குத் தக்கான்.

Found on pillars near the East Rajagopuram, associated with structures erected for festival kottakai (temporary mandapas/pavilions).

The phrase “Thakkārkku Thakkān” translates to “He who gives according to the worth of the devotee.”

A profound Saiva philosophical expression emphasising reciprocal devotion between Lord Thyagaraja and his devotees.

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