Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram Temple
| Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram temple | |
|---|---|
Image of the temple complex | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Tiruvannamalai |
| Deity | Stambeswarar(Shiva) |
| Location | |
| Location | Seeyamangalam |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
Location in Tamil Nadu | |
| Geographic coordinates | 12°25′52″N 79°27′59″E / 12.43111°N 79.46639°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Rock-cut architecture |
Avanibhajana Pallaveshwaram temple also called Stambeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, located in the town of Seeyamangalam, Tiruvannamalai district in Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is constructed in Rock-cut architecture by the Pallava king Mahendravarman I (600-630 CE) during the 7th century. The cave temple had later additions from the Chola and Vijayanagar Empire.
One of the pillars has a sculpture of Nataraja, believed to be the earliest representation of the deity in South India. The temple has a small three-tiered rajagopuram, the entrance tower. The temple is declared as a heritage monument and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India as a protected monument. The other side of the hillock houses the Jain beds established in the 9th century during the reign of Western Ganga King Rajamalla II.