The oldest temple structure in South India

[@yuvrajsingh-pw1st]

*Mundeshwari Devi Temple* in bihar is the oldest hindu temple in north india. It was built around 100 CE. It is still functional. The primary deity here is siva and shakti.

[@JoshPadmanaban]

I’m from mamallapuram. this site is just 3km from my home .

[@venumadhavaraokatroju4319]

Though your posts are far & few between...understandable with the quantum of research, site visit involved! Good post. Keep them comming...

[@arunramesh3285]

Good work story trails 🎉

[@AdarshAyyappa]

Underrated channel

[@valliappanchockalingam534]

There are several older but less preserved temples. Would be wonderful to compile a list of these temples and add info of the builders, renevators, worshippers, archeological facts, etc. If made, I guess it would make a wonderful coffee table book.

[@valliappanchockalingam534]

@@michaelz123x6 many structures still stand. Which is why I asked if a compilation can be made. Most structures are destroyed, modified, demolished. India has seen several kings, dynasties, rulers and colonizers of different regions and religions. Hence the chance of being preserved in almost nil.

[@curiousobserver123]

It's interesting to know. I understand oldest churches (Indian/Persian orthodox) of India were built in Kerala around the same time -> 4th Century CE.

[@Sathish-sd5kb]

Yes god/sculpture worship did not exist in India before 2000 years ago!

[@tharun541]

But temple building started before that. Srirangam in Tamil Nadu as per Agananooru text , Aihole temple in Karnataka and Maa Mundeshwari Temple in Bihar are around 1st century CE. Only with the available brick structures, we are knowing when temple building started. But the brick temples vanished with wars and natural disasters. Some of them were later converted to stone structures. Only if we have all of the brick,wood temples, we can clearly say when temple building started

[@Sathish-sd5kb]

@@tharun541 nope nothing are there with correct archaeological proof dated before 2000 years ago, may be destroyed or not dated correctly

[@tharun541]

​@@Sathish-sd5kb I deleted my previous comment that had wrong information. But we had mother goddess worship, ancestor worship during Sangam times as seen from archaeological evidences of Keezhadi and Adichanallur

[@Sathish-sd5kb]

@@tharun541 I have a belief temple building started around 12k years back but we need proof for all that! So as per ASI we don't have any solid proof Indians worshipped idols 2000 years ago

[@virumbikettavai5803]

Sir nice works But some idiots will say that Chanakya who came from north only gave all technology to build these structures…. And also they will say The inscriptions here was translated from sanskrit and later on destroyed

[@dmanair]

Please see psychiatrist soon

[@Jayantan846]

@@jahnvisingh8015 One funny fact There is no relationship between North India and South Both cultures are different Even so many don't know Raman is a god 😂😂😂 Because Tamila have their own gods Why to accept a man born in utter Pradesh 🤣🤣🤣?

[@Bujbjjhfhhyfyvhvv]

​@@jahnvisingh8015 Andhbhakts and Sanatanis: let us introduce ourselves🤡

[@har_7988]

​@@Jayantan846Wtf? Are you tamilian? Do you know which tamilian clan claim ramar to be their ancestry? We've many ancient temples of ram as well. ​@Jayantan846

[@Jayantan846]

​@@har_7988 What language ram speaks ? Answer this

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Tamils oldest religion saivism ❤

[@sunilkumar-ns5pl]

Hinduism *

[@aravind4946]

@@sunilkumar-ns5plSaivism

[@userabc8]

@@sunilkumar-ns5plit is Saivism and Kaumaram (Muruga Dharma)

[@gobimurugesan2411]

Actually Saivaism is from North. We had Murugan, Mayon, Amman and Kali.

[@ripsanskrit3609]

@@gobimurugesan2411 pls Google 🙏

[@ganjisuresh3303]

The oldest Siva temple was constructed at Gudimallam around 1 BCE near Yerpedu , Tirupati but not Mamallapuram temple.

[@Whoisnishanth2008]

That temple may be a oldest temple but not that structure. Gudimallam temple was renovated by many large dynasties for centuries for example vijayanagar empire. But this temple is oldest which was not renovated

[@gunasekar.v]

Tirupati was also part of tamilnadu at that time

[@dineshvasu5938]

Any inscription in telugu. Sorry I forgot telugu in not that old and even therupathi temple is covered with tamil inscription 😂

[@maheshbayya3092]

What about Gudimallam near Tirupati, dated to 3rd century BC?

[@syedmaricar9946]

People are not going to believe because of history or politics.. They believe what they want and like..

[@Jayantan846]

Utter Pradesh to tamilnadu 1 day 10 hrs 5 minutes Do u think Ram come to tamilnadu?😂😂😂😂

[@Arctic_Asteroid]

Good❤❤❤

[@KK-cl6ki]

It isnt skanda.... it is Kandan.....

[@Santhosh-qp1hq]

It is Skanda only, u ppl twist and change everything by ur lazyness... U ppl even don't know any of Tamil pasurams devarams or anything scriptures, just political show off

[@bharathikannan5952]

​@@Santhosh-qp1hqthe other name of murugan is kandan not skanda nd skanda is a sanskrit word which copied it from tamil name kandan

[@novaprime5976]

Isn't he the disappointed Pakistani cricket fan? He has hair, now. Great!

[@prasannag.prasannakumar6100]

It is possible the Pallavas were the ones that propounded the idea that Murugan was the son of shiva and Parvathi. Murugan was not always associated with shiva and Parvathi . He was a warrior god who had mendicant origins and supposedly died in battle. Hence immortalised.

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Yeah probably

[@r1a933]

Any references for your theory?

[@prasannag.prasannakumar6100]

@@r1a933 not fortunate enough to have found any study regarding it, I can only infer from certain observations. Like the terminology Karthikeya used more often in mainstream Hindu texts rather than the terminology seyyon or murugan that is predominant in Tamil. Not to forget seyyon is among the original 5 gods mentioned in sangam. It is also true that Brahmincal influences were more with Pallavas than any of the other three tamil dynasty. I believe some of the Pallava kings themselves were of Brahmin origins. It is evident from the history of Cambodia that the royalty of Pallavas were not predominantly Tamil speaking and had Brahmin ties. Most of modern temples including arupadai Veedu are constructed in the traditional Dravidian architecture. It is also evident Dravidian architecture was at its peak during their reign. It is possible they retold an age old story amalgamating the north and the south. Of course It would be more appropriate of me to back my inference with comparing the patterns in story telling and architecture involved in skanda puranam and Murugan temples with Vedic mythology. Similarly Parvati could be an adoptation of Durga of the Bengal region , thereby connecting the north , east and south.

[@rrrajlive]

​@@prasannag.prasannakumar6100you don't understand Ancient Tamil (yes, it's different from modern Tamil) or Sanskrit, then how come you come up with your Tatti /poop theory.

[@prasannag.prasannakumar6100]

@@rrrajlive as I’ve mentioned It is only an inference from personal observations. For example There seem to be some discontinuity in the story telling in north and south. Karthikeya has only devasena as his consort in north and in south he has both valli and devayanai. I didn’t claim to be a scholar or an expert man. Take it with a pinch of rationality.

[@ashokdev9403]

Wow....

[@jai7185]

Earliest temple structure in south India is in aihole & talagunda in karnataka, both stone & bricks.

[@sureshjoshi5097]

Pranaveshwara Temple of Banavasi Kadamba Dynasty is the oldest.

[@raghuls1515]

This is older than anything built before

[@jai7185]

@@sureshjoshi5097 yes, aihole the cradle of Indian temple architecture from 4th century, even have the ruins of brick temples from 1st century in aihole.

[@tharun541]

​​@@jai7185 Heard of Maa Mundeshwari Temple in Bihar? I'm not a Bihari, but Tamizh guy! Heard of Srirangam of Tamil Nadu that existed during 1st century as per Agananooru text of Sangam literature? Heard of Gudimallam temple of Andhra that houses India's oldest linga - minimum 2100 years old

[@jai7185]

@@tharun541 the present temple structure in Srirangam is a later structure not as earliest mentioned by literature , the shiva linga found in andhra is ancient as you mentioned but not the temple which is present now built in later centuries by royal dynasties. Also the temple in bihar which you have mentioned they tell it was started in 2nd century AD & completed in 7th century.

[@SabkoRamRam]

We just love our brothers from south & their so many beautiful cultures and the deep knowledge abt Sanatan Hindu Dharma, just break the back bone of dividers 🙏🏻

[@vinsin328]

Dividers are Brahmins and their Brahmavads.

[@SabkoRamRam]

@@vinsin328 again u doing same mistake don’t hurt any one in any caste , ignore the notorious ones and move ahead🙏🏻

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Those time there was no Hinduism ,it's only tamils shivaism

[@gobimurugesan2411]

Just don't impose ur sanatan caste system on us again. We r now better.

[@parthipanselvaraj2629]

Thank you love from TN ❤ we should unite together and I always want North Hindu brothers to understand that Sanskrit isn't everything. There are many significant languages in India than sanskrit. Equating everything with Sanskrit can only weaken our Hindu tradition. Respect should be given to the languages that were inscribed in hard stones in gigantic temples.

[@buddhadhammamonk]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@SMCGPRA]

Jai Karnataka Rashtrakutas

[@tharun541]

Why not Jai Pallavas or Jai Cholas as well ? They also contributed to the temple too

[@thesupremesupreme]

But it's the temple which was built by ikshvaku's of nagarjuna konda are the oldest which are in Andhra Pradesh. Please make a video to confirm it. I want you to do a study on it as well.

[@sankadines]

There was no telugu back then

[@yahqappu74]

பழந்தமிழரின் தெய்வங்கள் கீழ்மைப் படுத்தப் பட்டதில் வைதீகத்தின் வளர்ப்புப் பிள்ளையான சிவனியத்திற்குப் பெரும் பங்குண்டு. பாலை நிலத் தெய்வமான கொற்றவை சிவனுக்குப் பெண்டாகவும், குறிஞ்சி நிலத் தெய்வமான முருகன் சிவனுக்குப் பிறந்தவன் என்றும், முல்லை நிலத் தெய்வமான திருமாலைச் சிவனுக்கு அளியன் என்றும், மருத நிலத் தெய்வமான இந்திரன் சிவனின் தயவால் இந்திர உலகத்தை ஆள்பவன் என்றும், நெய்தல் நிலத் தெய்வமான வருணன் சிவனது ஏவலாளாக மழை பொழியும் வேலையைச் செய்பவன் என்றும் இவ்வாறாகச் சிவனியம் தமிழ்த் தெய்வங்களைக் கொச்சைப் படுத்தியே வந்ததுடன், பழந்தமிழரின் ஆசீவகச் சமயத்தின் சமணப் பிரிவினர் கொல்லா நோன்பினர், அவர்களையெல்லாம் அனல்வாதம் என்ற பெயரால் சுண்ணாம்புக் காளவாயிலிட்டு எரித்தும், புனல்வாதம் என்ற பெயரில் கல்லைக் கட்டிக் கடலில் எறிந்தும், ஆட்சியாளர்களின் துணையோடு கழுமரமேற்றிக் கொன்றும் தமிழர் தம் விழுமிய மெய்யியலை அழித்ததில் சிவனியமே முதலிடம் பெற்றது. ஆனால் குதிரை கீழே தள்ளியதுடன் குழியும் பறித்தது போன்று தமிழர்களின் தனிப்பெரும் சமயம் சிவனியமே என்றதோர் மாயையையும் ஏற்படுத்தியது. அண்மைக் காலத்திய தமிழ்ச் சான்றோர் சிலரும் கூடத் தமிழும் சைவமும் இரண்டு கண்கள் என்றனர். அந்த அளவுக்குத் தமிழர்களை மடையர்களாக்கியது சிவனியமே.

[@gangadharhiremath7306]

Here the argument appears a bit stretched.Has the dating of brick structure been done?Has it been conclusively proved that the brick structure was part of an earlier "temple"? TN enthusiasts have the tendencies to push back their history in time as much as possible.The notion of Sangham literature is one among them.

[@kumaran907]

Is it true that iron age in tamil nadu dates back 4200 yrs?!!

[@gobimurugesan2411]

Dravidian local gods exists. Brahminism: let's create a fake story and connect this god with North Indian gods.

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Saivism is hijacked by stories 🥺

[@virumbikettavai5803]

சரியா சொன்னீங்க சாமி

[@tamilism3680]

Tamil saivism is hijacked 😢

[@ajeeshajju780]

👍

[@jahnvisingh8015]

Of course they do !! Even north Indian local gods and goddesses exist - Kula Devatā, Grāma Devatā. And what even is Brahmanism ? I have heard about Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, but never about Brahmanism. What are some prominent texts of this particular sect you are talking about ?

[@gangadharhiremath7306]

Oldest temple structure/s of south India are at Aihole,K'taka(Not at Mammallapuram,TN) To be precise,it is LADKHAN temple at Aihole.

[@Prabu-Manickam]

Interesting, is there any proof or information available to do the fact check because references found online are not hard enough to prove it. Thanks

[@parthipanselvaraj2629]

Source?

[@gangadharhiremath7306]

@@parthipanselvaraj2629 The penguin guide to temples of India,Volume 1 By Michell George. Further,any serious book on Indian temple architecture will have this temple as one of the earliest temple structure in India. Mamallapuram structures are 7th 8th century old where as this temple is dated to 5th century. The person in the above video says that a brick basement structure of 3rd century is seen at Mamallapuram.It is just a basement.Not a concrete proof of an existing temple.

[@tharun541]

​@@gangadharhiremath7306As per inscription evidences, the temple worship existed during Imperial Chola times meaning temple existed during those times. There have been donations given to the temple. There was ardha mandapa, maha mandapa, vahana mandapa, garbagriha etc as per temple experts. Just because only basement exists now , does that mean the temple didn't exist back then? Since it was a brick structure, it got damaged by natural calamities like floods and covered with sand over a period of time. The same Michell you refer to says we need the brick structured temples to exist now that can help us understand when and where temple building started - I saw one video from Deccan Heritage Foundation. But they were destroyed over time due to war and natural disasters. I agree with Aihole was the oldest stone structure to exist as per the existing stone temples we have today - does not mean temple building started in Aihole.

[@tharun541]

​@@Prabu-Manickam As a Tamizhan, I would urge you to watch Deccan Heritage Foundation videos to get to know about temples of Karnataka. Chalukyan architecture explained quite well by Michell Saluvankuppam is one of the oldest brick structured temples to exist. It was a fully functional temple as per inscriptions. You can watch Sivasankar Babu's videos to get some understanding of this temple. The name of the KZbin channel is babu 4 heritage

[@Tharrun.]

Skanda doesn't exist in தமிழ். Don't fool around.

[@bharathikannan5952]

becoz it's not skanda it's kandan

[@dushyanthihoole3340]

Blanket dating is not scientific but agamic Hndu nationalism.. Is the white pole third century too? When did Murugan name come. It was Velan in Sangam times.

[@tharun541]

It was not blanket dating. Watch Sivasankar Babu video on Saluvankuppam temple. The bricks belong to the Sangam period. That's not white pole - it's Vel. Not everything is a third century structure. It had contributions until imperial chola times - meaning worship existed until then. The Vel most likely does not belong to the third century period since stone was not used in any of the temples - they were not seen holy in Hinduism. Only bricks and wood were used. Stone was used as Nadukal and in Buddhist/ Jain shrines. It was later Pallava - Mahendravarman of 7th century , who started using stone for constructing temples since brick, wood structures don't last long because of wars and natural disasters. I'm not sure if he was called Murugan during those days - need to check the evolution of names.

[@rishiyogil.n.7222]

not South India ... just southern region of India

[@sandyqbg]

South India is good enough for us. No need to start this new unnecessary naming convention

[@ripsanskrit3609]

Southern region of India is south india .it's important to have is distinguishions because we all different and need representation for everyone

[@TheDevaser]

By using the term, southern region, the north -south divide is irrelevant & becomes blurred AND that’s a good thing for a united Bharat.

[@rishiyogil.n.7222]

@@ripsanskrit3609 no upto me, we are not different, the culture is same, only the flavors vary ... there not specific culture for a region, their is only specific flavor ... each finger are different, but they are finger, no matter how they look, their purpose are same... we are one family my friend...

[@ripsanskrit3609]

@@rishiyogil.n.7222 if we are all the same ,we can just called are ourselves Asian because we don't have different cultures right ?

[@rrrajlive]

What do you mean by Ancient warrior god in South India???? Just India/Bharat best Hindus........ Bhagwan Murugan or Kartikeya (in north) is the son of Mahadev Shiva. Don't try to divide us.

[@ripsanskrit3609]

That's how it's mentioned in our sangam literature. Later came these stories of son of shiva with this Hinduism and all...

[@tharun541]

Dude he is the warrior god. Have you seen the Channaveera he wears - it denotes he is the warrior god. You should have some knowledge of Agamic texts as well - clearly specifies what Channaveera is used for.

[@rrrajlive]

@@tharun541 Lord Murugan is not just a warrior God.......He is the God of war, the General of all the Gods. There's a difference...... don't be fooled by the western propaganda.

[@tharun541]

​@@rrrajlive Let me know the difference between War God and Warrior God

[@taurusvirischigam]

Sirpa saathiram which was in Tamil could have been translated to Sanskrit at a later date, but forgotten to destry the original tamil ones br proponents of sanskrit.... The entire Tamil culture and gods were sanskrtised...

[@suryadevararao1795]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gudimallam_Lingam