Secret Chambers, Buried Treasure, Vaults with untold wealth, tunnels that run for hundreds of Kilometers, Kings escaping from inside a granite mandapa – are all stuff of legends. Having been brought up on a healthy dose of fiction, most of us would have dreamed of being in such a situation and no wonder it news & rumors continue to capture the attention of the masses to this day. So when we were given a chance to explore one such within the Bhaktavatsala Permal Temple in Cheranmadevi, it was a dream come true and we literally jumped in.
It is quite true that most ancient temples did have some sort of secret chamber to protect their wealth, not just to hold their treasures – that they had in plenty as not only Kings, but chieftains and the rich, showered them with gifts. These the temple utilised as a kind of village bank lending money and collecting interests. It also helped that despite frequent wars among the kings, temples were relatively insulated from pillage till the advent of Gazhni upnorth and Allaudin Khilji down south. These chambers then became the refuge for the Gods themselves, as they were the easiest to hide the movable deities
For more interesting reading check this from Dr. R. Nagasamy – Underground Secret Treasuries in Ancient Temples
The last para is quite hair raising...” Lastly the late T. G. Aravamudan, the noted numismatist, and the author of ‘Portrait Sculpture in South India’ narrated to this author on more then one occasion, his experience in the Great temple of Tanjore, In his young age, he was once taken blind folded, through an underground passage in the Great temple of Tanjore. When he reached the secret chamber and his eyes opened, he found a large number of Chola bronzes of exqusite beauty stored there. He was able to recollect that the passage through which he went seemed to be between two granite walls. Later he made several attempts to locate the entrance to the passage in the temple but failed. It is not unlikely that many such underground secret treasure chambers exists but their discovery will remain only a chance find. “
Back to our little secret, the chamber is right underneath the arthamandabam in front of the sanctum
We managed to beat the power situation in the State till then, but then suddenly as we turned away towards the exit, it claimed victory – thereby taking us back in time by many centuries – to understand how it would have looked then – dark.
There right by the site of the door, it would have been impossible to spot in that lighting – but ASI had removed the false stone door and replaced it with a steel hinged one for our benefit.
The layout of the entire contraption was pretty awesome – the door opened to a sheer drop of about 7 feet. about a feet from the bottom, there would have been a false wall – which gave way to a narrow tunnel – just about enough to let me crawl and then it turned right ! Claustrophobic – was the word, am not particularly fond of dark passages and this was pumping my adrenalin rush through the roof.
The small path then opened to a decent shaped room – about 4 feet in height but pretty wide.
It was pretty dark – the powerful flash of the camera and the trusted 3 cell EverReady torch, tried their best to help us out.
With all the excitement of being inside an authentic relic chamber giving us a high, we were a bit disappointed at seeing an empty room, but if only it could tell us its tale !
Very Interesting Post… Who know how many False walls still needs to be found in the same temple.. Remember watching on NATGEO Project where they used Ultra Modern Gadgets inside a Pyramid to find the False Walls and finally a Chamber.. Just dreaming that someone takes that kind of initiative in our temples
I am yet to see where the Madambakkam Vault is eventhough I have visited many times.Looking at the article it must be near Ardhamandapam, Near Devi Shrine as it was built by Pandyans. There is a huge Fish Symbol on the cieling to testify in Ardhamandapam.
Even Mr Nagaswamy had mentioned about the Madambakkam Temple Vault.
Regards,
Swaminathan
http://swamisblog.blogspot.com
உண்மைதான். தஞ்சை,குடந்தை, காஞ்சி, மதுரை முக்கியமான பழைமையான ஆலயங்களில் எல்லாம் இந்த நிலவறைகள் உண்டு. இங்குள்ள சிற்பி ஒருவர நிலவறை இருக்குமிடங்களில் உள்ள அடையாளங்களைப் பற்றி சமீபத்தில் சொன்னார். தொடர்பில்லாமல் சுவரில் ஒரு உடும்பு, பல்லி. போன்றவற்றை சிறியதாகச் செதுக்கி வைத்திருப்பதும் இப்படித்தான் என்றார்.
wow! it must have been so exciting! and scary too… and what a disappointment to find it empty… as you say, if the stones could speak, wonder what stories they could tell!
I be a new reader and your blog just got me addicted. Every aesthete’s, history and architecture lover’s dream.
மிக அற்புதமாக உள்ளது.முழு நேர எழுத்தாளர்களால் சாதிக்க முடியாத விடயங்களை தந்துளீர்கள்!
மிக அற்புதமாக உள்ளது.முழு நேர எழுத்தாளர்களால் சாதிக்க முடியாத விடயங்களை தந்துளீர்கள்!No more words to say.
பிரமிப்பூட்டும் செய்திகள்,பயணங்கள்!உங்கள் பணி தொடர என் இதயம் கனிந்த வாழ்த்துகள்!
thanks Tri and Suprajaa. Keep visiting.
rgds
vj
I am delighted to see the interesting information. I congrtulte the auther for his valuable effort in such kind of reserch
thanks for your nice words Ulaganathan
rgds
vj
Exciting!