PUDUKOTTAI, INDIA, May 29, 2011 (The Hindu): The temple dedicated to Sri Athmanathaswamy in Avudaiyarkovil, about 31 miles from here, is not only an engineering marvel, but also a treasure house of murals of an ancient period. Although the rituals are being performed as they were in ancient times, the murals are in a bad condition. Deposits of soot, smoke, and humidity during the monsoon, have caused extensive damage to a number of murals — a condition that plagues the art of many temples in the region.
Every mural depicts a specific legend from Tiruvilaiyadalpuranam, Periyapuranam and also the ‘murthy sthlam and theertham’ of 1,008 Siva shrines across the country, says Balasubramania Nambiar, chief priest of the temple.
With the temple associated with the life of Sri Manickavasagar, the significance of the murals pertains to his life. The ancient rulers had not only decorated the walls and ceilings of the temple with these murals, but also had documented them.