01Carvings the size of a hand
Sambandar sang Tiruppullamangai, and the stone temple that stands here was raised in the early tenth century, in the reign of Parantaka I. Its fame is its sculpture. Along the plinth and between the pilasters run tiny panels, many no taller than a palm: scenes of the Ramayana, Shiva’s leelas, dancers, musicians. The large niche images, Durga on the buffalo head, Dakshinamurti, Brahma, Ardhanari, are held among the masterpieces of early Chola art. The shrine faces east, and the gopuram and front hall are later additions.
02One of the seven Mangais
The temple is one of the Saptamangai sthalams, seven shrines near Ayyampettai where the Sapta Matrikas, the seven Mothers, are said to have worshipped Shiva; Pullamangai is the shrine of one of them. It stands on the bank of the Kudamurutti, a branch of the Kaveri, at Pasupathikoil on the Thanjavur–Kumbakonam road. Students of Chola art come here with notebooks as often as pilgrims come with flowers.
At Pasupathikoil, about 15 km from Thanjavur towards Kumbakonam.
