page_title: Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu
section_title: Durgai
hierarchical_section_title: Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu / Other Images / Durgai
caption_attribution_description: Durga Deity in Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu)
context_page_description: Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu is governed by the Shaiva Agamas that revere the ultimate reality as the Hindu deity, Shiva. Āgama in the Hindu religious context means a traditional doctrine or system which commands faith. Temple worship according to Āgamic rules can be said to have started during the Pallava dynasty in South India, but they were fully under establishment during the Chola dynasty The temples during the Chola period expanded to Sri Lanka and islands in South East Asia. The temple complex was expanding with niches for various deities on the stipulated sides of the sanctum. Lingam was universalised and prakarams with subsequent deities came up. The temple parivara expanded considerably during the Chola period. The niches of following Āgamic rules for building Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, a South Indian state continues even in the modern era. Some of the prime images like that of lingam, Vinayagar and Parvati are present in all the Shiva temples. Almost all the temples follow the same custom during festivals and worship methods with minor exceptions. Most of the Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka are built in Dravidian architecture.
context_section_description: Durga (Sanskrit: दुर्गा); (listen: Durga ); meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible";  "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress"  is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion or a tiger, carrying weapons and a lotus flower, maintaining a meditative smile, and practicing mudras, or symbolic hand gestures. The name is made of Sanskrit dur- = "with difficulty" (compare Greek δυσ- (dys-)) and gā ("come", "go").  The buffalo sacrifice depiction transposes into ritual Durga's feat killing the buffalo demon.  The deity is north facing usually depicted in the wall of first precinct around the sanctum.  In Tamil Nadu Shiva temples, she stands gracefully on the severed head of buffalo and lion is rarely included.
caption: Image of Durga in sculpture
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