The Chola-era Abathsagayeswarar temple in Budalur, near Thirukkattupalli in Thanjavur district, is in bad shape. A dilapidated entrance and mottai gopuram (a bald tower) covered with vegetation alone remain as proof of the existence of an outer wall of the temple that might have collapsed a century ago. Remnants of the outer wall can be found on one side and is covered with cow dung. As the sannidhi of goddess, Ambal, is fully damaged, the idol was shifted to the main temple around 40 years ago. Only rubble remain where the vasantha mandpam (a temple structure) once stood. The temple and its vicinity wear a deserted look.
Now there is a ray of hope for the temple as the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department has decided to renovate it. “It will be done at a cost of ₹40 lakh. A donor has come forward to repair the Ambal sannidhi. The work will be started in a month,” said G. Sivajaran, an executive officer of the department.
The Department of Archaeology has already studied and submitted a report. The initiatives by the HR&CE Department and donors will give a new lease of life to the temple, but the funds are inadequate to restore the outer wall and the gopuram.
The importance of the temple is explained by inscriptions dating back to Parantaka Chola (907-953 CE) and it has been recorded in the Annul Report of the Indian Epigraphy published in 1972-73. “Another inscription belongs to 15th and 16th regnal years of Raja Raja-I (985-1014 CE). There are two more inscriptions and one belongs to the period of Kulothunga III (1178-1218 CE) and another to the period of Pandya king Jatavarma Sundara Pandya (1250-1284),” said Vasanthi, former superintending archaeologist.
The inscriptions talk about sheep and lands being given as gifts for burning the lamp in the Bhadrakali temple in Budalur. “The temples would have existed long before the emergence of Cholas, who have converted it into a stone structure,” said Ms. Vasanthi.
Though it had a glorious past, the temple has been reduced to a pathetic state and survives because of the oru-kaala puja (one-time puja) scheme of the HR&CE Department.
“The priest who used to perform the puja left for Chennai to be with his daughter as he is very old. Except on the days of pradosham (auspicious period) there will be hardly any visitors to the temple. I make a point to perform pujas two times a day on most of the days. The deity and I subsist on the offerings made by the devotees even though temple owns land to generate adequate income,” said A. Balasubramanian, the priest of the temple.
