Mundlapudi hosts a dilapidated temple estimated to be belonging to Chola period. The layout, carvings & features resemble Chola style of architecture.
Sri Parashareshwara Swamy temple is another iconic Chola temple located in Yogi Mallavaram which is roughly 5 KM from Mundlapudi, in the outskirts of Tiruchanoor or Alimelu Mangapuram.
It appears that this temple might have been a large temple complex during Chola time but got reduced to a single, dilapidated structure sans the presiding deity. Today only the antarala & garbhagruha are standing in their respective places while prakara, mukha mandapa & other standard layout features such as dhwajasthambha, bali peetha & ranga mandapa etc are missing completely.
Locals say that it is a temple of Krishna but the iconography on the walls & roof give an impression that it could have been a temple dedicated to God Shiva. The deva koshtas [niches] are empty but they could have had some murtis in heydays.
There is no presiding deity in the sanctum sanctorum and as per the residents the vigraha has been stolen some 100 years ago. Similarly other peripheral murtis too have been confiscated long ago.
There are inscriptions in Grantha characters chiseled along the length of adhishtanam. It is understood from the residents that few years ago A.S.I. staff have taken the estampage of these inscriptions. But when approached the local A.S.I. office for the contents of these inscriptions, no information was given.
Anyhow, this small but surviving Chola temple in Mundlapudi reminds us of our collective cultural responsibility of protecting, preserving & passing on the monuments to next generations.
If you are a history lover & visiting Tiruchanoor (Alimelu Mangapuram) take time to visit this 1,000 years old temple at Mundlapudi.
#WalkToMonument
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