CAR FESTIVAL OF SOMANATHESWARAR GOMATHIAMBAL TEMPLE AT AUTHOOR IN THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU - A STUDY

Dr. K. KARUPPAIAH

Volume : VIII, Issue : I, January - 2019

CAR FESTIVAL OF SOMANATHESWARAR GOMATHIAMBAL TEMPLE AT AUTHOOR IN THOOTHUKUDI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU - A STUDY

Dr. K. Karuppaiah

Abstract :

The aim of this paper is to describe the Car Festival of Somanatheswarar Gomathiambal Temple at Authoor in Thoothukudi District of Tamil Nadu. The Someswarar temple car is significant in its architectural order which imitates the garbhagrha of the temple and its location (placement) in the temple complex. This temple car was a replica of the garbhagrha in architectural design. The constituent parts of garbhagrha viz; plinth, pada and vimana were ought out in the temple car. It has an elaborate plinth, consisting of ādhāra, upapitha, adisthāna and nārasana. The wheels in the vairatter of the Attur temple are solid. The car festival was known as Rathotsava or Rathayatra (Tertiruvila Terottam in Tamil). In inscription the term tiruter or ‘ter’ itself stands for the car festival