Here are the images:
Gopuram (Gate Tower) of the Sri Ekambaranatha Temple in Kanchipuram  |
and here another picture of the Gate Tower of the Shree Ekambaranatha Temple at Kanchipuram  |
I made a map from the subterranean tunnel system in which the library is stored away  |
view of the temple  |
In the subterranean system there are 10 chambers. In 9 chambers they stored the tablets. In the first 3 chambers the tablets are made fom solid black stone. In the next 3 chambers the tablets are made from gold. In tha last 3 chambers the tablets made from solid silver and brass and an mix of metals wat they callad pachalogha - the so called five holy metals. The 10th chamber is like an small temple with an black Shiva lingam and the statues of the seven holy rishis. In the 9 chambers you find some inscriptions at the walls - they describe the rishis puranas, what means, the live and the deeds of the rishis. I made some pictures from these inscriptions.  |
second inscription  |
third inscription  |
fourth inscription  |
At chamber no. 1 and chamber no. 4 the priest, who guided me down there to to library, allowed me to take some pictures of the tablets. As attachment of this mail you see one tablet from chamber no. 1  |
At chamber no. 4 the priest only allowed me to take pictures from 2 tablets, not from all this books there. The 2 tablets he showed me, are a ittle bit damaged. But you can see clearly the inscriptions.  |
The second tablet from chamber no. 4  |
Athe end of my visit at this subterranean library the priest, who guided me (his name is Pachayappa), presented a small gift to me. This very small tablet is made from brass, in my opinion. I am not very sure, if it was part of the tablets down there at the library of MU or it was made later. But Pachayappa told me, that the inscriptions at these small tablet are some kind of key to the understanding of the inscriptions of the other tablets. This small item is still with me and I am trying to breach its code. But surely I will need a little help.  Closeup  |
