A 90-year-old dilapidated choultry-cum-thanneer pandal (watershed) has been found at Umaiyalpuram near Musiri by R. Akila, assistant professor, Department of History, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri, during her field studies.
R. Kalaikkovan, director, Dr. M. Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, who studied the building, said the single storey brick structure, facing south, had large windows on all three sides to facilitate good ventilation. The porch drawn in front and on the west of the building has a granite base resembling that of the basement found in the temple buildings.
Its tiled roof is supported by tall square wooden pillars. The eastern half of the tiled roof is heavily damaged with hanging wooden beams.
The roof of the building extends to the south to form a curved sunshade such as structure that resembles the “kapota” of the temple buildings. The terrace with its parapet was intact and has an entrance on the eastern corner.
Well-decorated
The parapet is well-decorated with stucco treatment on the south and has three arches with divine figures. Two seated stucco figures of Nandhi are on either side of the arches and the corners have stucco peacocks. Broad square plasters adorn the parapet with flower medallions brightening their shafts.
Flower bouquet such as ornamentation shown on either side of the arches adds attraction to the parapet, Dr. Kalaikkovan said in a release.
The western arch depicts Gajalakshmi with lotus buds in her hands. Elephants on either side of the deity are pouring holy water from the pots carried in their trunks.
A. Vinayaka seated on a mouse is in an unusual posture on the eastern side. The figure on the central arch is damaged beyond recognition.
The building is surrounded by thick bushes and thorny vegetation.
A stone plaque on the front wall at the right narrates the history of the building. It states that Palaniyandi Nadalvar, son of Ramasami Nadalvar of Umaiyalpuram in Musiri taluk, had conducted the house-warming ceremony of the building on November 27, 1925.
The building was built in memory of his father as a thaneerpandal and choultry.
Erecting watersheds in memory of ancestors was not uncommon in the history of Tamil Nadu, says R. Kalaikkovan.
The dilapidated Umaiyalpuram structure needs careful restoration and preservation, he added.
A stone plaque says Palaniyandi Nadalvar had built it in memory of his father in 1925
“The structure needs careful restoration and preservation”
