Photo 212/2(36)

Genre: Architectural Photography

View looking across the tank towards the rock face beyond, with a ghat at the right. Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '326 - Secundermalie or Tiruparangundram is one of the six places where Subramanya is worshipped, and is so called from Skandu or Scander, one of the names of this god. It is of great celebrity, and many pilgrims annually resort hither to bathe in the tank, and also to visit the temple dedicated to Ganesa, placed on the top of the rock. On the opposite side to that shown in the Photograph, the rock rises abruptly from the plains, forming a precipice 400 feet high, whence devotees used to precipitate themselves to secure an entrance into heaven. The legend regarding the sanctity of this Temple is as follows:- In former times, when some pilgrims were in sore trouble, they applied for help to Shiva, who shot forth from his eyes six fiery beams, which produced the six-faced god, Subramanya, by whom the demons were to be destroyed. The young god was placed under Brahma, who, being one day unable to answer some question of his pupil, was put into confinement by him. Shiva interfered, and, to settle the difficulty and separate the teacher and his pupil, gave the latter this rock for his residence.' Another copy at Photo 1000/29(2976).