Wonders in Wood

His name is Shanmugham and he is popularly known as "Antique Shanmugham". He lives in Coimbatore. He has plenty of "wonders in wood" to show you: Center Tables, Mirror frames,Pillars, Diwans, Wooden Chests, Swings, Sofa sets, Cradles, Cots, Dressing tables, Chest of Drawers, Cupboards, Key Holders, Book shelves. You name he has it or he can create it for you.
Shanmugham's is an interesting story. He initially took up hard ware business. but it sunk. Next he tried his hand at textile marketing but that too collapsed. During one of his business trips to Bangalore he chanced upon an Antique shop & there he discovered a passion that was to change his life forever.

Antique Shanmugham at his factory & workers
Wooden Pillars
Photo Frames for Tanjore painting
Another photo frame
Other creations
Low level Diwan & Mirror Frame
Door Frame
Wooden Pillars
Wooden Chests
Shanmugham has also converted his house into an antique musueum: See pics below:

Entrance Door Gate & Balcony
Side Balcony
Grandfather Clock & Puja(prayer) Corner
Drawing room corner

Thirupuvanam Temple

Visited on 2 Sep'2011: After Lunch we took some rest and then left Madurai for Thiruppuvanam around 5.00 pm. We first crossed the Theppakulam at Madurai before moving on towards Thiruppuvanam - a Thevara Sthalam as also one of the Pandi Pathinaalu.The four Saivite saints have sung the glory of Poovana Nathar, deity of Tiruppuvanam temple, located 20 km east of Madurai on the road to Manamadurai, on the southern bank of the river Vaigai.

Temple Legend: The place is connected with a legend narrated in the ``Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam." Ponnanaiyall, an ardent devotee of Lord Siva used to take bath in the river early in the morning, offer garlands and dance before the Lord daily. She spent all her earnings and wealth in feeding the devotees of the Lord. To test her, the Lord created in her mind the desire to carve out His idol in gold. Appearing before her as an ascetic (Siddhar) he claimed that He could turn any metal given to Him into gold. Promptly the girl handed over all the vessels in the house. The siddhar smeared holy ash on them and went away telling her that she would find them golden the next morning. So it happened and the girl turned over the collection to a goldsmith to make an idol. And what she saw was so enchanting that she pinched the deity's cheek leaving a permanent mark there. Her statue is found at the entrance of the temple along with those of the Siddhar, Chokkappa Nayak, the king who built many portions of the temple, his queen and his minister. The idol of Somaskandar, which bears the pinch mark on His cheek even now, is known as Ponnanaiyan and Azhagiyapiran. When Saint Gnanasambandar visited this place he was held up on the northern bank of the river. The Lord asked the celestial bull Nandi to stand a little aside to give him darshan. One therefore finds Nandi seated a little aside and not right in front of the sanctum sanctorum. On our return we stopped at a nice roadside Bakery that was selling oven fresh biscuits, cakes and other niceties. We picked up a whole lot of goodies before proceeding further.

Theppakulam - dry but green.Normally a water tank,presently serves as a playground.

The Entrance Tower to Tirupuvanam TempleThe Lord appearing as Siddhar or Ascetic
The Nayak King & his Queen paying obeisance to the LordPonnanaiyall the ardent devotee who had unflinching faith in the Lord

Roadside bakery -sales girl posing in the midst of goodiesView of Bakery from Highway

Madurai Meenakshi Temple - Kambathadi Mandapam

Visited on 1 Sept 2011: This mandapam is located in the outer prakaram of the Sundareswarar Sannithi. This is called the kambhathadi mandapam. Here one can see an most amazing collection of most exquisite & ornate sculptures on granite pillars. I could capture many of these on my camera:( Had to take special permission from temple officials to be able to take photographs in an inner prakara)

The Nandi Mandapam
Veerabhadrar & Bhikshandanar Urdhvathandavar & Bhadrakali Chakra Dhanar Nandi the Celestial Bull facing Sri Sundareswarar sanctum Sri Kalasamharar Sri Natarajar & his consort SivakamiKanyadanam -Sri Vishnu giving away the hand of the bride Meenakshi to Sri Sundareshwarar
Arjunan & Pasu Patastar Sri Sankara Narayanar and Sri Ardhanareeswarar Sri Gaja Samharar Ravana carrying Siva & Parvati on his shoulders Agni Veerabhadrar & Agora Veerabhadrar Sri Rishabha Rudrar & Sri Eka Pather Sri Nandi Mandapam directly facing the sanctum sanctorum

Avani Festival @ Madurai Meenakshi Temple

2/9/2011: We visited the temple once again on the afternoon of the second. We were extremely fortunate that we accidentally chanced on the occasion of the Avani Festival - the Utsava Murthy's (Festival Idols) of the various deities ready to embark on a procession around the temple as part of the Avani Festival celebrations. See photos below:

1. A colorfully decorated cow with dholak 2.Silver elephant on palanquin 3.The Temple Elephant-colorfully attired 4.Goddess Meenakshi & Lord Sunderaswarar in Golden Palanquin 5.Goddess Meenakshi - magnificently attired 6.Lord Muruga atop his favorite vehicle - peacock 7.Lord Ganesha atop his vehicle - a rat 8.The procession begins: Led by the temple elephant followed by other vehicles.

Madurai Meenakshi Temple - Pudhu Mandapam

Pudhu Mandapam is a shopping arcade and also has some glorious sculptures> Please enjoy the photo tour:

The Magnificent bull Nandi at Mandapam Entrance
Kanyadhanam of Goddess Minakshi by Sri Vishnu to Sundareswarar Ravana the ten headed king of Lanka Ravana carrying Mt.Kailas with Lord Siva & Goddess Parvati seated aloft Urdhva Thandavam - a fierce dance form by Natarajar Thadathagai -Goddess Minakshi was born with three breasts but the third breast vanished after her marriage Shoppers Paradise Shoppers Delight