America long ago. P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar says in his "Stone Age in India" that Linga worship must have originated in ancient Tamil Nadu as it existed here even in the Old Stone Age. To sum up, the ancient Tamils first worshipped God as an invisible Being; latter the linga worship must have followed suit and thereafter ever so many images and idols came to be worshipped in different temples.
The history of image or idol worship has been traced by many historians in Tamil Nadu. In ancient times there was a custom of worshipping stones in honour of the valiant heroes who sacrificed their lives in the battle-field. Heroism being the supreme virtue, the heroes were considered divine and accordingly worshipped by installing stones in certain places; these stones were supposed to be interfused with the divine sprit of the heroes.
In this manner image worship must have been originated. The Purananuru says
Onnaat tevvar mun ninru vilanki
Olireentu maruppin kaliru erintu viliutena
Kallee paravig allatu
Similarly women noted for their uprightness and chastity were also worshipped after their death, in the form of stone-images. Even today it is not unusual to come across people who worship the pure and chaste women of their kula in their own homes. The silapodikaram refers to a similar worship of Kannaki not only in Tamil Nadu but also elsewhere. Seran Senguttuvan erected a temple in honour of Kannaki, now deemed as the Goddess of chastity. Her figure was carved out of a stone brought by him froin the Himalayas. A congregation of kings, witnessed the installation of the image in the temple dedicated to Kannaki. Kings from the north and kudaku land, the King of Malaya, King Kayabahu of Ceylon and some others were assembed in the Temple on the holy Festival day. Thereafter the image of Kannaki was said to have been taken to different places and worshipped there.
Thus heroes and women of chastity came to be worshipped in carved figures of stone. Some historians believe that this form of worship of deceased human beings gradually led to the worship of Gods and Goddesses. The longing to give a form to a God or a Goddess near to one's heart led to image worship and this in turn led to the moulding of many idols and carving of many statues and building of temples dedicated to them. These temple gradually developed into great centres of religious and cultural activities and they serve as eternal monuments of our culture and our art.
