This ancient temple, identified as a Murugan (Kartikeya) shrine, is now recognised as one of the oldest known structural temples in South India, predating even the famed Pallava architecture for which the Mahabalipuram region is renowned.
Archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) uncovered two distinct architectural phases at the site. The older layer, constructed with brick, has been attributed to the Sangam age, broadly dated between the 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE. Above this early shrine lies a later granite temple, believed to have been erected by the Pallavas around the 8th century CE, a period marked by the flourishing of Dravidian temple architecture.
One of the most compelling indicators of the temple’s antiquity lies in its north-facing orientation, a feature rarely seen in temples constructed after the codification of Agama and Shilpa Shastra traditions during the 6th and 7th centuries CE. According to these ancient architectural treatises, temples were typically oriented towards the east or west, symbolising cosmic alignment and spiritual ideals. The deviation from this convention suggests that the temple predates the widespread influence of these texts, reinforcing its connection to the Sangam era, approximately 1700 to 2200 years ago.
Two critical artefacts helped confirm the temple's dedication to Lord Muruga, the youthful warrior deity revered in Sangam literature as the lord of the Kurinji or hill landscapes:
1. A granite spear (Vel), the traditional emblem of Lord Muruga and a symbol of valor and divine protection.
2. A plaque depicting women performing ‘Kuravai Koothu’, an ancient tribal dance closely associated with Murugan worship in Tamil traditions.
These artefacts, deeply rooted in Tamil culture and Murugan devotion, provided ASI experts with compelling evidence of the temple's religious identity.
The excavations at Saluvankuppam also yielded significant geological insights. Layers of shells, sediments, and temple debris found near the shoreline revealed evidence of at least two major palaeo-tsunami or tidal wave events that struck the region over the centuries. Carbon-14 dating of these materials, conducted by The Reach Foundation, Chennai, indicated two distinct periods of deposition:
- Between 405 CE and 564 CE
- Between 1019 CE and 1161 CE
While direct references to the Karthigai festival at the Saluvankuppam Murugan Temple near Mahabalipuram remain elusive in historical records, archaeological findings and temple inscriptions provide important clues to the temple's longstanding religious and cultural significance.
The temple, unearthed in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, has been dated to approximately 2,200 years ago, placing its origins in the Sangam period (circa 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE). Considered one of India’s earliest known Murugan temples, its historical significance is further underscored by the later additions made during the Pallava dynasty in the 8th century CE.
Although the inscriptions do not explicitly mention the celebration of the Karthigai festival, the temple's ancient association with Lord Muruga, a central figure in Tamil devotional culture suggests its likely participation in regional festivals such as Karthigai Deepam.
Source / Image Credit : treks_n_temples , chengalpattu._ , Reddit , Om Spiritual Shop