10 th century Chola period Iyyanar statue located near Tiruvannamalai
Tiruvannamalai heritage foundation president Raj Paneerselvam deciphered a Chola period hero stone found near Tiruvannamalai recently. The stone located on the shores of the irrigation tank of Kattuvnatham village on the Avalurpet – Tiruvaannamalai road was 3 feet high and 3 feet wide.
migrator
Tiruvannamalai
It portrays Iyannar with a chendu in his hand and has been workshipped by local villages as Vediappan. Dressed in finery he is flanked by wives Poorna and Pushkala. The stone also portrays a hunting scene below Iyannar with a hunter having a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. A hunting dog is seen chasing two deer, each running in different directions. However the dog has the leg of one deer in its mouth. An elephant, Iyannar’s vehicle is seen sculpted near his left shoulder. “It is a pity that such 1000 year old idol of Iyannar was found lying unnoticed near the lake for so long” Paneerselvam ended.
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