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Re: aagama-s and temple construction

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • March 10, 2000 


sampath kumar writes:
> Sir, just as an interesting aside (and not in defense
> of taking license with the aagama), I ask you if you
> knew that many aagama experts say that the main idol
> ("moolavar") of Lord Venkateshwara ("svayambhu")
> defies all aagamic canons?!

Perhaps some agama experts say this, but S.K. Ramachandra Rao,
one of the great iconographical experts of modern times,
argues in his book "The Hill-Shrine of Vengadam" that the
Tirupati idol indeed complies with descriptions of possible
images contained in the older Vaikhanasa texts. I believe
he cites Atri or Bhrigu Samhita.
 
By the way, for anyone interested in the history of Tirupati,
I strongly urge this book. It is outstanding:

	The hill-shrine of Vengadam : 
           art, architecture, and notagama of Tirumala temple
          by S.K. Ramachandra Rao.
          1st ed.
          Bangalore : Kalpatharu Research Academy, 1993.

It is available at most good Indological booksellers in India.

Mani

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