Rajakkalmangalam Sculpture
HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS :
Rajakkalmangalam, a village in Nanguneri taluk of Tirunelveli District lies about three kilometres north of the main(road between Nanguneri and Valliyur.In this village a mound was found locally known as Iraniyan Kudiyiruppu.
The place is a raised mound, indicating the possible presence of remains of a temple that originally housed the sculptures now lying scattered. There are 46 sculptures, many badly mutilated. Most of the sculptures brought to T.N. Mahal Museum Madurai. On the ground of style the sculptures may be assigned to the eighth-ninth century AD
Some of the sculptures represent the Saptamatas. Three other sculptures carry inscriptions on the base.Two are in good condition.
Another is worn out. One inscription reads "Satakratu"i.e. Indra. An other reads "Kuja" one of the planets. Only the letter, "Ya ", probably representing Yama is found on a badly damaged sculpture. These epigraphs are found on the pedestals of seated male images.
Evidently they represent the dikpalas and the planets. In Pallava temples, sculptures of dikpalas are noticed, but not planets so far. Representation of the planets in sculpture, assignable to the eighth century A.D., in the Pandya cuntry is important for the study of South Indian religious art.
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