At Shree Adikesava Perumal Temple in Tiruvattaru, Kanniyakumari district, a 420-year-old Yazhi sculpture has been found damaged. The limbs and proboscis of the mythical Yazhi creature have been completely broken, along with the figure of the soldier riding it. The sculpture stands at Sripalikal mandapam, built in 1604 by Venadu King Veera Ravivarma, a mandapam described by scholars as a gallery of beautiful sculptures featuring six Yazhi carvings.
This is not just a stone break. It is a wound in heritage. Shree Adikesava Perumal Temple is one of the 108 sacred Divya Desams, as sung by Nammalwar. The Yazhi, depicted as more powerful than a lion in temple iconography, evolved over centuries from the Pallava period to the Naik era. Simha Yazhi, with its fearsome grace, and Vezha Yazhi, with its curled proboscis, stand as timeless symbols of strength and protection in South Indian temple art.
HR and CE officials say CCTV footage may help determine the cause. But footage will not restore what is lost. Tamil Nadu’s temples have repeatedly witnessed vandalism, neglect, and careless cement jobs disguised as restoration. Yazhi sculptures carved in 1604 have survived rains, heat, and invasions.
They should not fall into indifference now.
