*The Sembiyan Style*

From this survey, we find that there is a regular and continuous line of gradual development of the architectural features without any violent change from the days of Vijayalaya and Aditya I down to the time of Uttama Chola. We have already described the chief features of the Aditya style which marks the first stage of development of Dravidian Art and Architecture during the early Chola period.

The next stage is reached in the days of Uttama Chola. It consists in the provision of a larger number of devakoshta figures. They were three to five from Pallava times to the days of Parantaka I. The Muvarkoyil at Kodumbalur built by Vikrama Kesari in the days of Sundara Chola (latter part of the 10th century a.d.) is a kind by itself. Its triple shrines and 15 (or sixteen) subshrines are unique features. Temples built by Sembiyan Mahadevi or under her inspiration had devakoshtas with deities ranging from nine to sixteen. Tiruppurambiyam and Karuntattangudi are examples of early temples which were re-fashioned in the days of Sembiyan Mahadevi, so as to accommodate and insert the additional deities in improvised niches to the detriment of even the old inscriptions on the walls and without regard even to artistic taste but merely to satisfy the spirit of the Sembiyan age. Temples with the increased number of devakoshta figures can be classified as belonging to the Sembiyan style.

The goddess in the form of a bronze image known as BhogaSakti or Bhogesvari continued, as in ParantakaFs days, to be installed in the antarala or ardhamandapa. Independant shrines for the goddess were yet to come into existence.

Another significant development in this period is the building of a few apsidal temples in the Chola-desa proper. The earliest apsidal temple built in the Chola empire is the temple of the Tirumulasthanamudaiyar built in the days of Aditya I at Tirukkalukkunram, now found in the northern prakara of the Bhaktavatsala temple at the foot of the hill (see E.C.A.I,pp. 220-228). This type was popular in the region of the ancient Tondaimandalam. One of this type was constructed in this region in the days of Uttama Chola. It is the temple of Masilamanisvara at Vada-Tirumuallaivayil. It is the northernmost of the temples built by Sembiyan Mahadevi. A few of this type came to be built also in the Chola-desa proper. The Muyarchinadesvara temple at Tirumiyachchur and the Tunganaimadam at Pen-nadam (in Nadu-nadu) are the best specimens of this class. Innambur in the Tanjavur district is said to have an apsidal vimana.

(See the following chapter)