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Rarity
casts a spell and keeps the listeners and spectators spellbound. Be
it in any field, it wins applause and. attracts one and all
eternally. Even in the realm of religion, where miracles permeate,
rarity and oddity enthrall the viewers by their uncommon and bizarre
features. One such rarity is found in the holy temple at Surutupalli
near Nagalapuram on the main road to Madras. This Siva shrine
contains the most rarest unique icon of Lord Siva in reclining
posture, like the Anantha Padmanabhaswamy image at Trivandram.
Nowhere in the globe, can one come across such recumbent Siva in any
temple built in ancient times, or modern days. It is a crest jewel
to Saivism and even to architectural sculpture too. This black icon
of Siva is very huge and exceedingly enticing by its exquisite
craftsmanship and polish. The Sthalapurana narrates, that Siva after
swallowing the halahalam that emerged from the churning of
Ksheerasagaram experienced a sensation of reeling of head and
preferred to lie down. Here Mother Parvathi sitting at His head is
seen trying to hold the neck tight with her two hands, lest the
conflagration - the aftermath of swallowing halahalam would burn the
worlds inside; and if let out, the worlds outside be converted into
ash dunes. The very concept and its masterly depiction by superb
sculpture send thrills in the spines and unconsciously bend heads of
the devotees in obeisance to that Lord of Lords. It surpasses the
unsurpassable imaginative faculty and sculptural artistry. The
garbha griha is housing nearly 18 other worshipful big size adorable
deities. Lack of publicity and inadequate maintenance are crippling
its growth and glory, else it should have exceeded the most
venerated ancient shrines in luring devotees and filling the Aalaya
hundis.
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