• R.Sakthi Malli Madura
• Prof.A.Rajendran

The Satyavageesvara temple dedicated to lord Siva is recorded in an inscription dated in Kollam Era 676 (1501 CE) as Purarerichchu varamudaiya nayanar and located in Pachacharrupokku Kalakkadu. The town Kalakkadu lies on eastern slope of the western ghats is locted 45km to south west of Tirunelveli city in district of the same name, in southern most part of TamilNadu. The temple town is recorded as birth place of Kurruva nayanar, one of the 63 saiva nayanmars of 7 th cent.C.E.The Siva temple is a large complex, consist many shrines, ornate mandapas and other structures enclosed by three prakaras with tall gopura at the eastern entrance. But the art and architectural features assign the temple to15th cent CE. The tall gopura or Rajagopura is nine storeyed, exclusively built to depict the mural paintings in all its storeys assigned to Nayaka times (17th cent. CE). There are seen about 200 murals portray the scenes from Agamas, Silpasastra, Puranas, Ramayana and Mahabharata. The paintings include both Saivism and Vaishnavism. As the temple dedicated to Siva that various forms of lord Siva such as Bhikshatana, Virabhadra, Vishnu and others worshipping the Sivalinga,besides the miracles and heroic deeds of Saiva saints viz. Tirugnana Sambandar, Kannappa Nayanar and Sundaramurti swamigal. The Sivalingas shown with eye and nose is a unique feature. Most of the panels are provided with labelled inscription. The rare paintings are mostly defaced due to long negligence and lack of chemical preservation technique.

Satyavageeswara,Arikesari Iswaram, Kalakkadu, Nayanmars, Kannappaar, Bhikshatana, Poopavai.

"saivism under the Nayakas of Madura-As gleaned from paintings of Satyavageeswara temple,Kalakkadu, Tirunelveli district,TamilNadu", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no.c195-c201, September-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509225.pdf

"saivism under the Nayakas of Madura-As gleaned from paintings of Satyavageeswara temple,Kalakkadu, Tirunelveli district,TamilNadu", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no. ppc195-c201, September-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509225.pdf