Now this place is called Thiruvalam – திருவலம். This is
the 10th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam on the banks of the River Ponnai / Bahuda River (There is also another name “neevaa (நீ வா)” for this river
– The river changed its direction and came nearer when Lord Shiva asked ) in
Thondai Nadu. Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of
this temple.
எரித்தவன் முப்புரம் எரியின் மூழ்கத்
தரித்தவன் கங்கையைத் தாழ்சடைமேல்
விரித்தவன் வேதங்கள் வேறுவேறு
தெரித்தவன் உறைவிடம் திருவல்லமே.
அன்றிய அமணர்கள் சாக்கியயர்கள்
குன்றிய அறிவுரை கூறாவண்ணம்
வென்றவன் புலன்ஐந்தும் விளங்க எங்கும்
சென்றவன் உறைவிடம் திருவல்லமே
கற்றவர் திருவல்லம் கண்டு சென்று
நற்றமிழ் ஞானசம் பந்தன் சொன்ன
குற்றமில் செந்தமிழ் கூறவல்லார்
பற்றுவர் ஈசன்பொற் பாதங்களே
Moolavar : Sri Vilvanatheeswarar, Sri Vallanathar
Consort : Sri Thanumathyambal, Sri Vallambigai.
எரித்தவன் முப்புரம் எரியின் மூழ்கத்
தரித்தவன் கங்கையைத் தாழ்சடைமேல்
விரித்தவன் வேதங்கள் வேறுவேறு
தெரித்தவன் உறைவிடம் திருவல்லமே.
தரித்தவன் கங்கையைத் தாழ்சடைமேல்
விரித்தவன் வேதங்கள் வேறுவேறு
தெரித்தவன் உறைவிடம் திருவல்லமே.
அன்றிய அமணர்கள் சாக்கியயர்கள்
குன்றிய அறிவுரை கூறாவண்ணம்
வென்றவன் புலன்ஐந்தும் விளங்க எங்கும்
சென்றவன் உறைவிடம் திருவல்லமே
குன்றிய அறிவுரை கூறாவண்ணம்
வென்றவன் புலன்ஐந்தும் விளங்க எங்கும்
சென்றவன் உறைவிடம் திருவல்லமே
கற்றவர் திருவல்லம் கண்டு சென்று
நற்றமிழ் ஞானசம் பந்தன் சொன்ன
குற்றமில் செந்தமிழ் கூறவல்லார்
பற்றுவர் ஈசன்பொற் பாதங்களே
நற்றமிழ் ஞானசம் பந்தன் சொன்ன
குற்றமில் செந்தமிழ் கூறவல்லார்
பற்றுவர் ஈசன்பொற் பாதங்களே
.... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் தேவாரம்
Moolavar : Sri Vilvanatheeswarar, Sri Vallanathar
Consort : Sri Thanumathyambal, Sri Vallambigai.
Some of the salient features of this temple are…….
The temple faces east with an entrance arch on
the south side. The first level Rajagopuram is of 5 tiers, and the
second level Rajagopuram is of 3 tiers. The
Gowri Theertha kulam with neerazhi mandapam is on the right side between the 1st and 2nd level Rajagopurams. At the 2nd level Rajagopuram, on both sides, murtis of
Valampuri Vinayagar and Aathmalingeswarar. Immediately after the 2nd level, Rajagopuram, Kalabhairava is on the right.
In the outer praharam (100 pillar mandapam), Kasi Viswanathar, Chandramouleeswarar, Annamalaiyar, SadhaShiva,
Anandhar, Neelakandar, Ambikeswarar, 1008 Mahalingam / Sahasra Lingam, Sri
Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Gurueswarar, Vishnueswarar, VidhAtharaeswarar, 1300
years old Mango tree and Kani Vangiya Vinayagar (கனி வாங்கிய விநாயகர்). Also, separate temples for Adhi Vilvanathar (with Chozha
period inscriptions all around) and Sundareswarar with Meenakshi.
Adhi Vilavanathar shrine
100 pillar mandapam
In the mukha mandapam, Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Adhikara Nandhi/ Rishabam, Big stucco Rishabam (Installed by
Sri La Sri Sivananda Mouna Swamigal), Mouna Swamigal Murti, Navagrahas. Adhikara Rishabam with balipeedam, in the inner praharam, facing east along with
moolavar. There is also a special feature about the Gopuram of Saba Mandapam.
The Stucco images of 27 Nakshatra deities are around the gopuram.
27 Nakshatra deities
Navagrahas with Stucco Rishabam
In the inner praharam, Idols /murtis of
Brahmi, Vishnu, 63var (in ஐம்பொன் - Impon and stone –
installed in 2 rows), Chandikeswarar, and Nagar.
Nayanmars
The moolavar is of swayambhu and a little
inclined to the north, and looks majestic. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy,
Vishnu, Brahma, and Durgai (Not standing on Mahishasuran).
In the artha mandapam, Vishnu, Urchavars
(the beauty of Sakthi and Pichadanar/Bhiksahadanar are to be seen), and Chandrasekaran. Standing in one place, we can have the darshan of Lord Shiva
and Vishnu.
The Dwarapalakas are not regular murtis.
The left-side Dwarapalaka is somewhat regular with the usual mudra
(The index finger – sushi). On the right side, the dwarapalaka is dancing with a beautiful smile on his face. (Thanks to the Sivachariyar and his son, who gave permission to take photographs
of Dwarapalakas).
Dwarapalakas
Ambal Sri Thanumathyambal is
in a separate temple in the outer praharam, and she is also called "Theekali Ambal" with anger/ugram on her face. It is believed
that Adhi Shankara had changed the anger into peace/
Shantham. In the koshtam, Vinayagar, Annapoorani, Ambal with
Abayavaram and Durgai.
On the left is the temple for Sri
Rajarajeswari. Also, there is a copper plate inscription installed by
Sri la Sri Sivanatha Mouna Swamigal (The inscription details are posted separately). Sri la Sri Sivananda Mouna Swamigal Jeeva
Samadhi is on the left side of the temple arch. He had done a lot of
thirupani to this temple. He had cured many diseases through vibhuti and vilva / Bilva leaves. He spent all the donations on the thirupani. (A copper plate with
inscriptions can be seen on the left side near Sri Ambikeswari samedha
Sri Raja Rajeswarar temple between the two Rajagopurams).
Arunagirinathar
has sung hymns in praise of Lord Murugan of this Temple in his Thiruppugazh.
நசையொடு தொலுந் தசைதுறு நீரும்
நடுநடு வேயென் புறுகீலும்
நலமுறு வேயொன் றிடஇரு கால்நன்
றுறநடை யாருங் குடலூடே
விசையுறு காலம் புலனெறி யேவெங்
கனலுயிர் வேழந் திரியாதே
விழுமடி யார்முன் பழுதற வேள்கந்
தனுமென வோதும் விறல்தாராய்
இசையுற வேயன் றசைவற வூதும்
எழிலறி வேழம் எனையாளென்
றிடர்கொடு மூலந் தொடர்வுட னோதும்
இடமிமை யாமுன் வருமாயன்
திசைமுக னாருந் திசைபுவி வானுந்
திரிதர வாழுஞ் சிவன் மூதூர்
தெரிவையர் தாம் வந் தருநட மாடுந்
திருவுலமேவும் பெருமானே
Beautifully engraved stone bowl with Girls Kolattam
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The temple has a lot of
Tamil inscriptions. The inscriptions belong to Koprakesari Rajendra
Chozhan, Ko Rajakesarivarman Raja Mahendran, Kulothunga I, Kulothunga III, Chozha
Booban’s son Veerasamban, and many other kings' period inscriptions
are found. As per the
inscriptions, this place was called Theekali Vallam during the Rajaraja Chozhan (991 CE) period, as
Thiruvalam during Arunagirinathar’s Thiruppugazh period, and as Vanapuram during the Nandhivarman period (793 CE). Lord Shiva is
called by different names. Nandhivarma Pallavan-III (863 CE) period as
Theekali Vallamudaya Parameswarar, Mahavali Vaana bana Raja (Vikramathiya-I, 888 CE) period as Theekkali
Perumanadikal, Rajaraja Chozhan-I (991 CE) period as
Thirutheekkali Alwar, Rajendra Chozhan (1015 CE) period as Thiruvallamudayar,
Vikarama Chozhan (1123 CE) period as
Thiruvallamudaya Mahadevar and Kulothunga Chozhan-III (1212 CE) period as Thiruvallamudaya Naayanar.
The Pallava King Nandivarman II’s 62nd reign year (793
CE) inscription, on a large boulder in the bed of the Niva river, one mile to
the north east of Tiruvallam, records that when Māvali-Vānarāyar was ruling
over Vadugavali-12,000,5 a goldsmith called Aridiran, the son of Mādan, a
resident of Kilagam in Alingaņapākkam in Ürrukkāttuk-kōtam" granted some
patti of land in Alincirkalam, purchased earlier from a certain Manrādi, the
son of Ilankilavar, to the temple called Vadaśikarakōyil at Vanapuram, which he
renovated. Māvali-Vānarāyar confirmed the grant after circumambulating the
hamlet (pidāgai-valanceydu).
The imprecation at the end states that those who
cause destruction to the endowment shall incur the sin of killing
Kadigai-ēlāyiravar and pay a fine of 1,000 kanam to the temple (?).
NandhiVarman-III's 17th reign year (863 CE) period inscription on the north wall of the mukhamandapa in the
Bilvanāthāśvara temple records that at the request of Mavali
Vanarayan alias Vikramaditta Vanavarayan, the clubbing of villages Aimbuni,
Vilattur, and Amarunri to form a single Village called Videlvidugu Vikramaditta
Chaturvedimangalam, and donated to this temple. The village Saba has to pay 2000
kadi of paddy and 20 kalanju gold, which was paid earlier by the village
Amarunri Mangalam, to this god Paramesvara of Tikkali-vallum. From the 2000
Kadi paddy received, 600 kadi for a food offering, 500 Kadi for the Siva Brahmins, who offer worship, 500 kadi for the musicians ( drums, etc) during the Sri-Bali ceremony, and 400 kadi
paddy to be paid to different service men who include those picking flowers,
for temple garlands, and sing tiruppathigam (hymns). The gold is to be utilized for the
burning of perpetual lamps, anointment, incense, and repairs.
The Pallava King Nandivarman III’s 17th reign year
(863 CE) inscription, on a slab built into the floor of the Bilvanatheśvara
temple, seems to record a gift of four patți of land by Vinaiyādityan, son of Mõnaiyār a resident of Ilaiyanur in Ilaiyanūr-nādu, to god Tıkkāliyadigal, to provide for
rice and one ālākku of ghee daily as
olukkavi offerings and tondaipu for worship. The gift land was left under the
care of [four] persons.
Rajaraja Chozha–I’s 4th-year reign inscription (299 of 1897) records the
construction of the Rajarajeswarar sanctum sanctorum and the burning of 2 perpetual
lamps. The 2000 kuzhi land was donated by an official called Eerayiravan
Pallavarayan.
Rajendra Chozha I’s (1050-62 CE), 3rd year reign inscription (75 of 1889)
records the gift of 25 Kalanju gold from an official under him, and the same was
given to Dikshitar / priest. In another inscription (92 of 1889) of the same
period, the Vanapura land 1000 kuzhi was sold
to Vaithumba Somanathan, and the same was gifted to this temple.
KoRajakesari
Varman-I’s 7th-year reign inscription (8A of 1890) records
the endowment of making Ambal’s idol (metal ?) and burning of perpetual lamps by a Brahmin, and for the same 1700
kuzhi land, which was purchased from Thooinattu mantra sabha. The same King’s 16th-year reign inscriptions (11 of 1890) record the sale of 700 kuzhi land to
Shankaradevan, and the same was gifted to this temple.
Korajakesari Varman Raja Raja’s 20th
year reign inscription (1415 of 1890) records the donation of 90 goats, and the 3rd
year reign inscription records the
income from the village Kukkanur of
Thooi Nadu to this temple.
Vanaraya’s period Saka 810, ie, 888 CE, inscription (1B of 1890) records that a Parpanan (Brahmin ?) of Edkur village received 25 Kalanju gold. The interest earned was spent on the burning of
perpetual lamps.
Vijayakanda Gopalan’s 3rd
year reign inscription records (79 of 1889), Azhakiya Pallavan period
Rajarajan-III Nilamaniyakarar (a village official), exempted the tax of 1.16
%.
The
Vijaya Nandivikramavarman's 62nd year of Vijaya Nandivikramavarman's reign, inscription on a boulder on
the bed of the Niva river records that a goldsmith granted some land to a temple
at Vânapuram (11. 6 and 14), and that Mahavalivanaraya confirmed this grant
(1.10 f.). Vânapuram, 'the town of the Bânas,' seems to have been the residence
of the Bâna chief and to have been situated close to Tiruvallam.
This inscription on the north wall of the maha mandapa, No 43 and No. 44 are
written continuously, the first two words of No. 44 occupying the end of line
46 of No. 43. The first two lines of No. 43 state that both inscriptions are
copies of earlier stone inscriptions, and that these copies were made when the
mandapa of the temple was pulled down and rebuilt. Consequently, the alphabet of
Nos. 43 and 44 exhibits more recent forms than No. 42, though the date of No.
43 is anterior to No. 42.
Vijaya-Nandivikramavarman ‘s(1.3 f.), 17th year of the reign, inscription records
that three villages were granted to the temple at the request of the Bâna king
Vikramaditya (1. 12 ff.). Two chiefs of this name are mentioned in the
Udayêndiram plates of Vikramaditya II. The grant recorded in these plates must
be prior to the time of Prithivipati II, because the Chôla king Parântaka I transferred to the latter the Bâna kingdom, which he had wrested from two Bâna
chiefs." The accession of Prithivipati II has to be placed before the 9th
year of Parântaka I., i.e. before about C.E. 909.7 Consequently, as pointed out
by Dr. Fleet, Krishnaraja, the friend of the Bâna king Vikramaditya II., seems
to have been the Rashtrakûta king Krishna II. (C.E. 888 and 911-12); and the
Bânn king Vikramaditya, who is mentioned in the subjoined inscription as a
contemporary of Vijaya-Nandivikramavarman in the 17th year of this king, may be
identified with Vikramaditya I., the grandfather of that Vikramâditya II. who
issued the Udayêndiram grant.
One of the three villages granted was Aimbuņi (1.6), apparently the modern
Am-mundi near Tiruvallam. The three villages were clubbed together into one
village, which received the new name
Vidêlvidugu-Vikkiramaditta-chaturvedimangalam (1.9 ff. and 1. 20 ff.). The
executor of the grant was Kadupatti-Tamila-Perarayan (1. 15). The same title
was borne by the executor of the Bahûr plates of Vijaya-Nripatungavarman. In
the transcript of these plates, which is in my hands, he is called விடோலைவிடு சுகாடுபட்டித் தமிழ்ப்பேராயன்,
which is evidently a mistake of the copyist for
Videlvidugu-Kadupatti-Tamila-Perarayan. This title and the surname of the
village granted by the present inscription suggest that Videlvidugu, ie. 'the
crashing thunderbolt,' may have been a surname of Vijaya-Nandivikramavarman and
of his son Vijaya-Nripatungavarman.
Of great interest is the mention of persons who had to sing the Tiruppadiyam,
i.e. the Dévåram, in the temple (1.32 f.). Hitherto the earliest known mention
of the Devdram was in an inscription of Rajaraja I. The subjoined inscription
proves that it was considered a holy book already in the 9th century C.E.
Vijaya-Nandivikramavarman's inscription on the north wall of the maha mandapa, stated in the introductory
remarks to No. 43 (above inscription), the subjoined inscription was copied
from an earlier stone inscription when the mandapa of the temple was pulled
down and re-erected. It is dated in the Saka year 810 (in words, 1. 4 f.) and
in the time of a Bâna chief who is not mentioned by name, but only by his title
Mahavalivâņaraja (1. 3 f.).
The balance inscriptions are written at the end of this article….Ref1. Annual report on South Indian Epigraphy, Year 1890, and 1889.2. Inscriptions of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam. 3. South Indian Inscriptions Volume - III.
Inscriptions on the adhistanam
Vijayanagara Dynasty emblem- a proof of their contribution
LEGENDS
It is believed that Vinayagar got the Mango fruit after circumambulating Lord Shiva and Parvati in this temple;
hence he is called a “Kani Vangiya Vinayagar (கனி வாங்கிய விநாயகர்)“ and Vinayagar is facing north. Hence, the place is also called Thiruvalam. Sri Vinayagar
is sitting on his vahana –moonchuru/ mooshika holding a mango in his right hand. The bas-reliefs
associated with the history of this temple are highlighted in the front mandapa
pillar during the recent renovation.
The Rishaba in the inner prahara and the stucco Rishaba
are facing the same direction as the Moolavar of Sri Vilvanatheswarar Temple of
Thiruvalam. There is an interesting legend behind this. The Gurukkal who
brought water to Shiva’s abhishekam from this Kanjanagiri - the hill is
just opposite Sri Vilvanatheswarar Temple- was obstructed by Kanjan, a
Demon. When the same was reported to Shiva, Shiva advised Rishabam to take care
of the Gurukkal. Rishabam killed the demon, tore the demon into pieces, and
threw the pieces of the body around the Hill. The village names are in the
names of the Demon’s parts of the body. Also, the Rishaba at the temple faces the Hill to watch so the demon shouldn’t come again. Hence, the Rishabas are facing east.
This Sthala Purana in Stucco is in the mukha mandapam, and there is a bas-relief
carved on the mandapam pillar also.
Sthala Purana bas-reliefs
Sthala Purana bas-reliefs
Rishabam kills the demon - the sthala puranam
Sthala Purana bas-reliefs- The priests are carrying water for Moolavar abhishekam
The Rishabam - looking in the opposite direction 
A Demon related to Sthala Puranam
THE TEMPLE TIMINGS :
The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS.
For pooja and other details, Sivachariyar Umapathi can be contacted over his landline 0416 –
2236088 and mobile at 9894922166.
Also, Mr Sivan 9245446956 can be
contacted over his mobile.
HOW TO REACH:
From Arcot, a town bus is available to
Thiruvalam.
The place Thiruvalam is on the bus
route from Chennai to Chittoor (Route No 144), after Ranipet. Alternatively, from
Chennai to Vellore, get down at Muthukadai after Walaja and catch a bus to
Thiruvalam.
Thiruvalam
is 14 km from Arcot, 18 km from Katpadi,
20 km from Vellore, 59 km from Arakkonam, and 120 km from Chennai.
The nearest
railway Junction is Katpadi.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Stucco Rishabam
Kannappa Nayanar Puranam
Arjunan fights with Lord Shiva
Narasimhar and Pichadanar
Gandaberunda - an emblem of the Hoysalas
Gangalar
Temple Chariot
Nandi Deva playing Mridangam - a relief of the Chariot
GangalarThe inscriptions continued….
The
inscription records that a Brahmaņa of Ettukkûr near Kavirippakkam (IL 10 to
12) paid 25 kalanju of gold to the villagers of Vannipedu (11. 5 and 19), who,
in return, pledged themselves to supply oil to a lamp in the temple.
Kavirippakkam is the modern Kaveripakkam, and Vannipêdu is the modern
Vannivedu, about a mile south of Walajapet. At the time of the inscription
Vannipedu belonged to Karai-nadu, a sub-division of the district of
Paduvûr-kottam (1.5). Karai-nâdu owes its name to Kârai, a village on the north
of Ranipêt.
The inscription on the south wall of the main sanctum sanctorum of
Mahavalivinaraya is dated in the time, as the alphabet looks decidedly more
modern than that of Nos. 42 and 46 and resembles that of Nos. 47 and 48, it
must be assumed that, like the two last-mentioned inscriptions, this one is a
copy, which was prepared when the central shrine was pulled down and rebuilt.
The inscription records that an inhabitant of Ponpadukuttam near Kachehippodu,
ie. Kanchipuram, purchased some land from the inhabitants of Tiruvallam. The
produce of the land had to be used for providing offerings and for feeding a
lamp in the temple.
The alphabet of this inscription in Tamil Grantha, on a stone built into the
floor, is of an archaic type and resembles that of the rock inscription No. 42.
It records a gift of gold for maintaining a lamp by the queen of
Vânavidyadhara-Vânaraya. As will be shown below (p. 99), this king may be
identified with Vikramaditya I., the sixth of the Bâna chiefs whose names are
given in the Udayêndiram plates. Nos. 47 and 48, which record grants by a queen
of the same king, as well as Nos. 43 and 44, are copies of lost originals and hence exhibit
comparatively modern characters. The archaic alphabet of the subjoined
inscription and the fact that it is engraved on a single stone, which does not
form part of the temple itself, prove that it is an original record of the time
of Vânavidyadhara. Evidently it owes its preservation to the accident that,
when the central shrine and the mandapa were rebuilt, the stone which bears it
was utilised for the new pavement of the temple.
This (No 47) inscription on the west wall of the main Shrine and No. 48 are
written continuously, the first few words of No. 48 occupying the end of line 4
of No. 47. At the beginning of No. 47 it is stated that both inscriptions are
copies of earlier stone inscriptions, and that these copies were made when the
central shrine of the temple was pulled down. This is the reason why the
alphabets of Nos. 47 and 48 are more developed than that of No. 46, though No.
46 records a grant by a queen of the same king as Nos. 47 and 48. In No. 47 she
bears the title Vânamaha-devi, ie. the great queen of the Bâna (king). As the
queen mentioned in No. 46, she is stated to have been the consort of the Bana
king Vânavidyadhara. She was the daughter of Pratipati-Araiyar, the son of
Sivamaharaja-Perumânadigal, who had the surnames Śrinâtha and Kokuni."
This word is a variant or a corruption of Konguni, the title of the Western
Ganga kings, and the name Pratipati is a corruption or, more probably, a
misreading of the copyist for Prithvipati. Hence I would identify Pratipati,
the son of Sivamaharaja, with the Western Ganga king Prithivipati I., who was
the son of Sivamara and the contemporary of the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha
I. and of the Ganga-Pallava king Vijaya-Nripatungavikramavarman. The name of
the residence of Śivamahārāja was Kunilapura according to No. 47, and
Nipunilapura according to No. 48. Both forms of the word are clearly
misreadings of the engraver for Kuvalilapura, the modern Kõlar, which was the
traditional capital of the Ganga family.
The Udayendiram plates of Vikramaditya II. mention a Bâna chief named
Bina-vidyadhara. This person must be distinct from the Vânavidyadhara of the
subjoined inscription, because he stood two generations before Vikramaditya I.,
the contemporary of Vijaya-Nandivikramavarman and consequently of Amoghavarsha
I., while Vanavidyadhara was the son-in-law of Prithivipati I., another
contemporary of Amôghavarsha I. An inscription at Gülgânpode opens with a
Sanskrit verse which attributes to the Bâna king Vikrama-ditya-Jayamêru the
surname of Bânavidyadhara." Dr. Fleet proposes to identify this
Vikramaditya with the Vikramaditya L. of the Udayêndiram plates and with the
Vânavidyadhara of the subjoined inscription. This identification would suit the
fact that Vânavidyadhara's queen was the daughter of Prithivipati I.
This inscription No 48 is on the west wall of the main shrine, as stated in the
introductory remarks to No. 47; the subjoined inscription was copied from an
earlier stone inscription when the central shrine of the temple was pulled
down. It records the gift of a lamp by the same queen as No. 47, who was the
consort of the Bâna king Vânavidyadhara and the daughter of Pratipati-Araiyar
(i.e. the Western Ganga king Prithivipati I.), the son of Sivamaharaja. From
the subjoined inscription we learn that her actual name was Kundavvai.
The Chozha King Rajaraja-Kesarivarman, ie. of the Chôla king Rajaraja I’s 7th
reign year, contains a date which admits astronomical calculation, and which
has been repeatedly discussed since its discovery in 1890.1 Frofessor Kielhorn
has shown that it corresponds to the 26th September C.E. 991.*
The inscription records a visit to the temple by a certain
Madurântakan-Kanda-radittanâr, who caused one thousand jars of water to be
poured over the god. When he had finished his worship, he observed that the
offerings in the temple had been reduced to a minimum and that the temple lamps
were only feebly burning. He called for the authorities of the temple and of
the village and asked them for a detailed statement of the temple revenue and
expenditure.
Here, unfortunately, the inscription is built in. But from the preserved portion
it is evident that Madurantakan-Kandarâdittanûr, ie. Gandarâditya, the son of
Madhurântaka, must have been a person of high standing and influence. He cannot
be identical with the Chôla king Gandarûdityavarman, because the latter had
died before the reign of Arimjaya, the grandfather of Rajaraja I. Perhaps he
was an (otherwise unknown) son of Madhurantaka, the son of Gandarâdityavarman
and immediate predecessor of Rajaraja I.
The Chola King Rajaraja I’s 7th reign year inscription on the west
wall of the sanctum sanctorum is as above (No. 49), records that a Brahmana
set up an image of the goddess and granted a lamp to the temple. He also
purchased 1,700 kuli of land from the inhabitants of the village of Mandiram in
Tûñâdu and made it over to the temple authorities, who had to feed the lamp and
to supply offerings from the produce of the land.
Tûñâdu, to which Mandiram belonged, was the name of the country round Melpadi.
Mandiram had the surname Jayamêru-Śrikaranamangalam (II. 2 and 15 f.), which
seems to be derived from Jayamêru, one of the surnames of the Bâna king
Vikrama-ditya I.
The Chôla king Rajaraja I’s (1. 2), 16th
reign year inscription on the north wall of the main shrine, records that the
citizens of Vânapuram (11. 2 and 6), i.e. Tiruvallam, sold 700 kuli of land to
Samkaradeva, the son of Tiruvaiyan (11. 5 and 6), who granted it to the temple
of Tiruvaiya-Îśvara (1. 6). This temple was situated on the south of the
Bilvanûtheśvara temple and was evidently named after Tiruvaiyan, the father of
the donor. Tiruvaiyan seems to have claimed descent from the Western Ganga
kings. For, to his name are prefixed the name and the epithets of Śivamahârâja
(l. 4f.), as we have found them in Nos. 47 and 48. As these epithets are spelt
with almost exactly the same mistakes as in No. 48, I believe that the donor
copied them from that very inscription, which he found engraved on the temple.
The Chôla king Rajaraja I’s 20th reign year inscription on the west
and south walls of the main shrine records the gift of a lamp by Nannamaraiyar
or Nannaman, the son of Tukkarai. The donor belonged to the Vaidumba family and
ruled over Ingallûr-nâdu, a district of Maharajapâdi.
The seven thousand (villages) of Mârâjavadi, the chief town of which seems to
have been Vallûru, are mentioned in an inscription of Rajadhiraja at Mindigal
in the Kõlar district (No. 279 of 1895); Mârâyapadi occurs in an inscription of
Parthi-vendravarman at Takkôlam in the North Arcot district (No. 14 of 1897);
and a copper-plate inscription of Krishnaraya of Vijayanagara mentions some
villages of the Marjavadarajya, which are in the modern Cuddapah district.
Consequently, Vallûru has to be identified with the present village of Vallûru
in the same district. The Vaidumba king was defeated by the Chôla kings
Parintaka I. and Virarājendra I.; and Vinayamahadevi, the mother of the
Eastern Ganga king Vajrahasta III., belonged to the Vaidumba family.
The Chozha King Parakésarivarman, alias
Rajendra-Chôladeva (I.)’s 3rd reign year inscription on the north
wall of the maha mandapa, records that the inhabitants of Vânapuram (11. 9, 16
and 18), i.e. Tiruvallam, sold 1,000 kuli of land to Sôma-natha (II. 6, 16, 18
and 20), (the son of) Samkaradeva (l. 5 f.), whose name has been already met
with in an inscription of Rajaraja I. (No. 51). The same epithets, which
precede the name of Samkaradeva's father Tiruvaiyan in No. 51, are here
prefixed to the name of Samkaradêva (II. 2 to 5), with nearly the same mistakes
in spelling. A further allusion to Sômanâtha's descent from the Western Gangas
is contained in Gangådėvi. manali (L 11), the name which he bestowed on the
land purchased by him. Besides, Samkaradeva and Sömanâtha claim to be connected
with the Vaidumba family³ (1. 5).
I do not consider it worth while to publish the text of the second half of line
17 and of lines 18 to 21, which record that Somanatha assigned the land "to
the Mahadeva temple of Tiru [vai]ya-Îsvara, which the members of our family
have caused to be built on the southern side of the temple of
Tiruvallam-udaiyâr" (1. 18 L.), ie. of the Bilvana-theśvara temple, and
that he granted 96 sheep for the maintenance of a lamp in the same temple (120
f.). The temple of Tiruvaiya-Îśvara has been already mentioned in No. 51.
The Chola King Rajendra Chôla I’s 4th reign year inscription on the
north wall of Nakulesvara Shrine records
that Îrâyiravan Pallavayan (1.4 f.), an officer of his who is known from
several other inscriptions, had built a shrine which he called Rajarajšśvara
(1. 11 f. and 1. 16 f.), and which is apparently identical with the shrine on
which the inscription is engraved. For maintaining two lamps in this shrine, he
purchased for 50 kašu from the inhabitants of Tiruvallam a piece of land which
measured 2,000 kuli, and which received the name Araiśûrvādagai (1. 15 f.) with
an allusion to his native village of Araisûr (L. 3 f.).
This inscription is dated in the 3rd year of the reign of the Chôla king
Rajendra (1. 4)’s 3rd year of reign inscription on the west wall of
the sanctum sanctorum, refers to the conquest of Ratta-padi (1. 1), the
setting-up of a pillar of victory at Kollapuram (1. 2), and the defeat of
Ahavamalla at Koppam (13). It records that the temple authorities received 25
kalaññju of gold from an inhabitant of Aimbuni, under the condition that the
interest should be applied for the feeding of a learned Brahmana and other
purposes. The end of the inscription is lost.
The Chozha King Rajakesarivarman, alias Rajamahendradeva’s 2nd year
of reign incomplete inscription on the south wall of the maha mandapam, records
that a military officer purchased 800 kuli (1.4) of land from the inhabitants
of Tiruvallam and granted them to the temple.
On page 32 above it has been stated that the Kalingattu-Parani and
Vikkirama-Solan-Ula mention two Chôla kings who have not yet been identified.
The first of them reigned between Rajendra and Virarājendra I., and the second
between Virarajendra I. and Kulôt-tunga-Chôla I. In the introductory remarks to
No. 57 it will be shown that the second king is identical with
Parakésarivarman, alias Adhirajendradeva. Hence the only king who remains to be
identified is the successor of Rajendra and predecessor of Virarajendra I. He
may be identified provisionally with Rajak@sarivarman, alias Rajamahendradeva,
to whose 2nd year the subjoined inscription belongs. In favour of this
identification it may be mentioned that the subjoined inscription praises him
for guiding the goddess of the earth on the path of Mann, while the
Kalingattu-Parani (viii. 28) speaks of "the Chôla who dispensed justice
three or four times better than the ancient Manu," and that an inseription
of the 9th year of Rajendra mentions among the boundaries of a village
"the road of Rajamahen-dra. Perhaps Rajamahendra was the co-regent of
Rajendra.
The Chozha king Parakésari-varman, alias A[dhi]rajendradeva (1.4 f.)’s 200th
day of the 3rd year of reign inscription on the north wall of the
maha mandapam, records that two royal officers met at Kâñchipuram (1.7) and called
for the accounts of the villages which belonged to the Tiruvallam temple. One
of the two decided that the revenue from the villages of Kukkanûr in Tây-nâdu*
(1. 12) and Mandiram in the same nadu (1.13) should be assigned to the temple
for expenses not previously provided for. A larger committee then assembled and
made allotments from this revenue for various heads of the temple expenditure.
In line 11 it is stated that, before the time of this inscription, the income
of the temple had been regulated in the 8th year of the reign of "the
emperor Virarâjêndra-dêva." Consequently, Adhirajendra must have reigned
later than Virarājendra I. Among the kings who are mentioned in the
Vikkirama-Solan-Uld after Virarâjêndra I., the only one who has not yet been
traced in inscriptions is the immediate successor of Virarâjêndra I. and
predecessor of Kulôttunga-Chôla I. This king may be identified provisionally
with Parakésarivarman, alias Adhirajendradeva. If the account in the
Vikramankadevacharita can be trusted, he would have been the son of
Virarajêndra I. and the brother-in-law of Vikramaditya VI.
The Chozha king Rajakėsarivarman, alias Kulôttunga-Chôladeva (I.)’s 26th
year of reign inscription on the base of the verandah around the main shrine, mentions,
in addition to the conquests recorded in Nos. 77 and 78 of Vol. II., the defeat
of Vikkalan and Singanan, i.e. the two Western Chalukya kings Vikramaditya VI.
and Jayasimha III." It states that a lamp was granted to the temple by a
native of Kalavai in Sengunga-nâdu, a subdivision of Palakunga-kõttam.
Kalavai is a village in the Areot taluka, and Sengunga-nadu seems to be named
after Sengunam in the Põlûr taluka of the North Areot district.
The Chozha king Kulôttunga-Chôladêva’s 23rd year of reign inscription on the
south wall of the maha mandapam records the gift of a lamp by a Ganga chief
whose name is not quite distinct, for the benefit of his daughter who was the
consort of prince Vira-Chôladeva. The sheep, which were, as usual, given along
with the lamp, were made over to two persons (1.7) whose names occur also in
the preceding inscription of Kulôttunga L. (No. 58, 1. 4). This circumstance
enables us to identify Kulôttunga-Choladova (1.1) with Kulottunga I. and prince
Vira-Chôladeva (1. 4) with Vira-Choda, the son of Kulôttunga I. and viceroy of
Vêngit.
The inscription on the wall to the north of the tank of the temple records that
certain income was assigned to the temple by Sengêni Mindan Attimallan
Sambuvarayan in the 8th year of the reign of Kulottunga-Chôladêva. As another
member of the Sengêni family is mentioned in inscriptions of Rajaraja III., it
may be assumed that the king referred to in Vol. I. No. 132, and Vol. III. Nos.
60 and 61, is Kulôttunga-Chôla III., the predecessor of Rajaraja III.
The Chozha King Kulôttunga-Chôla-dêva (III.)’s 11th year of reign inscription
on the wall to the north of the tank, records that certain income was assigned
to the temple by the same Sengêņi chief who is mentioned in No. 132 of Vol. I.
The Chozha King Kulôttunga-Chôladéva’s (3)4th reign year inscription
on the north wall of the maha mandapam records the gift of two lamps by
Ariyapillai, the queen of Amarabharana-Śiya-ganga. An inscription in the
Ekamranûtha temple at Kanchipuram (No. 10 of 1893) mentions the same chief as
"the supreme lord of Kuvalalpura (ie. Kõlar), he who was born from the
Ganga family, Siyagangan Amarabharanan, alias Tiruvêgambam-udaiyan," and
is dated in the 27th year of the reign of Kulôttunga-Chôla III.
According to its preface, the famous Tamil Grammar Nannûl was composed by
Pava-nandi (i.e. Bhavanandin) at the order of Siyagangan Amarabharanan. The
Ekimra-nâtha inscription proves that Bhavanandin's patron was a vassal of
Kulôttunga III.
The subjoined inscription on the west wall of the kitchen records a remission
of taxes by Alagiya-Pallavan. This chief bore the same surname as
Alagiya-Solan, a feudator of Rajaraja III., and accordingly seems to have been
a member of the Sengêni family. The inscription refers to the 3rd year of the
reign of Vijaya-Gandagôpâladeva. Three inscriptions at Kâñchipuram are dated in
the Saka year 1187 and in the 15th and 16th years of Tribhuvanachakravartin
Vijaya-Gandagôpâladêva, who is perhaps identical with the former king.
References1. South
Indian Inscription Volume - III.2. Annual report on South Indian Epigraphy, Year 1890, and 1889.3. Inscriptions of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam.--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
Adhi Vilavanathar shrine
100 pillar mandapam
In the mukha mandapam, Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Adhikara Nandhi/ Rishabam, Big stucco Rishabam (Installed by
Sri La Sri Sivananda Mouna Swamigal), Mouna Swamigal Murti, Navagrahas. Adhikara Rishabam with balipeedam, in the inner praharam, facing east along with
moolavar. There is also a special feature about the Gopuram of Saba Mandapam.
The Stucco images of 27 Nakshatra deities are around the gopuram.
27 Nakshatra deities
Navagrahas with Stucco Rishabam
Nayanmars
In the artha mandapam, Vishnu, Urchavars
(the beauty of Sakthi and Pichadanar/Bhiksahadanar are to be seen), and Chandrasekaran. Standing in one place, we can have the darshan of Lord Shiva
and Vishnu.
Dwarapalakas
Beautifully engraved stone bowl with Girls Kolattam
The temple has a lot of
Tamil inscriptions. The inscriptions belong to Koprakesari Rajendra
Chozhan, Ko Rajakesarivarman Raja Mahendran, Kulothunga I, Kulothunga III, Chozha
Booban’s son Veerasamban, and many other kings' period inscriptions
are found. As per the
inscriptions, this place was called Theekali Vallam during the Rajaraja Chozhan (991 CE) period, as
Thiruvalam during Arunagirinathar’s Thiruppugazh period, and as Vanapuram during the Nandhivarman period (793 CE). Lord Shiva is
called by different names. Nandhivarma Pallavan-III (863 CE) period as
Theekali Vallamudaya Parameswarar, Mahavali Vaana bana Raja (Vikramathiya-I, 888 CE) period as Theekkali
Perumanadikal, Rajaraja Chozhan-I (991 CE) period as
Thirutheekkali Alwar, Rajendra Chozhan (1015 CE) period as Thiruvallamudayar,
Vikarama Chozhan (1123 CE) period as
Thiruvallamudaya Mahadevar and Kulothunga Chozhan-III (1212 CE) period as Thiruvallamudaya Naayanar.
The imprecation at the end states that those who cause destruction to the endowment shall incur the sin of killing Kadigai-ēlāyiravar and pay a fine of 1,000 kanam to the temple (?).
The Pallava King Nandivarman III’s 17th reign year
(863 CE) inscription, on a slab built into the floor of the Bilvanatheśvara
temple, seems to record a gift of four patți of land by Vinaiyādityan, son of Mõnaiyār a resident of Ilaiyanur in Ilaiyanūr-nādu, to god Tıkkāliyadigal, to provide for
rice and one ālākku of ghee daily as
olukkavi offerings and tondaipu for worship. The gift land was left under the
care of [four] persons.
Vanaraya’s period Saka 810, ie, 888 CE, inscription (1B of 1890) records that a Parpanan (Brahmin ?) of Edkur village received 25 Kalanju gold. The interest earned was spent on the burning of
perpetual lamps.
The balance inscriptions are written at the end of this article….
Inscriptions on the adhistanam
Vijayanagara Dynasty emblem- a proof of their contribution
Sthala Purana bas-reliefs
Sthala Purana bas-reliefs
Rishabam kills the demon - the sthala puranam
Sthala Purana bas-reliefs- The priests are carrying water for Moolavar abhishekam
The Rishabam - looking in the opposite direction
A Demon related to Sthala Puranam
Stucco Rishabam
Kannappa Nayanar Puranam
Arjunan fights with Lord Shiva
Narasimhar and Pichadanar
Gandaberunda - an emblem of the Hoysalas
Gangalar
Temple Chariot
Nandi Deva playing Mridangam - a relief of the Chariot
Gangalar
The inscriptions continued….
The
inscription records that a Brahmaņa of Ettukkûr near Kavirippakkam (IL 10 to
12) paid 25 kalanju of gold to the villagers of Vannipedu (11. 5 and 19), who,
in return, pledged themselves to supply oil to a lamp in the temple.
Kavirippakkam is the modern Kaveripakkam, and Vannipêdu is the modern
Vannivedu, about a mile south of Walajapet. At the time of the inscription
Vannipedu belonged to Karai-nadu, a sub-division of the district of
Paduvûr-kottam (1.5). Karai-nâdu owes its name to Kârai, a village on the north
of Ranipêt.
The inscription on the south wall of the main sanctum sanctorum of
Mahavalivinaraya is dated in the time, as the alphabet looks decidedly more
modern than that of Nos. 42 and 46 and resembles that of Nos. 47 and 48, it
must be assumed that, like the two last-mentioned inscriptions, this one is a
copy, which was prepared when the central shrine was pulled down and rebuilt.
The inscription records that an inhabitant of Ponpadukuttam near Kachehippodu,
ie. Kanchipuram, purchased some land from the inhabitants of Tiruvallam. The
produce of the land had to be used for providing offerings and for feeding a
lamp in the temple.
The alphabet of this inscription in Tamil Grantha, on a stone built into the
floor, is of an archaic type and resembles that of the rock inscription No. 42.
It records a gift of gold for maintaining a lamp by the queen of
Vânavidyadhara-Vânaraya. As will be shown below (p. 99), this king may be
identified with Vikramaditya I., the sixth of the Bâna chiefs whose names are
given in the Udayêndiram plates. Nos. 47 and 48, which record grants by a queen
of the same king, as well as Nos. 43 and 44, are copies of lost originals and hence exhibit
comparatively modern characters. The archaic alphabet of the subjoined
inscription and the fact that it is engraved on a single stone, which does not
form part of the temple itself, prove that it is an original record of the time
of Vânavidyadhara. Evidently it owes its preservation to the accident that,
when the central shrine and the mandapa were rebuilt, the stone which bears it
was utilised for the new pavement of the temple.
This (No 47) inscription on the west wall of the main Shrine and No. 48 are
written continuously, the first few words of No. 48 occupying the end of line 4
of No. 47. At the beginning of No. 47 it is stated that both inscriptions are
copies of earlier stone inscriptions, and that these copies were made when the
central shrine of the temple was pulled down. This is the reason why the
alphabets of Nos. 47 and 48 are more developed than that of No. 46, though No.
46 records a grant by a queen of the same king as Nos. 47 and 48. In No. 47 she
bears the title Vânamaha-devi, ie. the great queen of the Bâna (king). As the
queen mentioned in No. 46, she is stated to have been the consort of the Bana
king Vânavidyadhara. She was the daughter of Pratipati-Araiyar, the son of
Sivamaharaja-Perumânadigal, who had the surnames Śrinâtha and Kokuni."
This word is a variant or a corruption of Konguni, the title of the Western
Ganga kings, and the name Pratipati is a corruption or, more probably, a
misreading of the copyist for Prithvipati. Hence I would identify Pratipati,
the son of Sivamaharaja, with the Western Ganga king Prithivipati I., who was
the son of Sivamara and the contemporary of the Rashtrakuta king Amoghavarsha
I. and of the Ganga-Pallava king Vijaya-Nripatungavikramavarman. The name of
the residence of Śivamahārāja was Kunilapura according to No. 47, and
Nipunilapura according to No. 48. Both forms of the word are clearly
misreadings of the engraver for Kuvalilapura, the modern Kõlar, which was the
traditional capital of the Ganga family.
The Udayendiram plates of Vikramaditya II. mention a Bâna chief named
Bina-vidyadhara. This person must be distinct from the Vânavidyadhara of the
subjoined inscription, because he stood two generations before Vikramaditya I.,
the contemporary of Vijaya-Nandivikramavarman and consequently of Amoghavarsha
I., while Vanavidyadhara was the son-in-law of Prithivipati I., another
contemporary of Amôghavarsha I. An inscription at Gülgânpode opens with a
Sanskrit verse which attributes to the Bâna king Vikrama-ditya-Jayamêru the
surname of Bânavidyadhara." Dr. Fleet proposes to identify this
Vikramaditya with the Vikramaditya L. of the Udayêndiram plates and with the
Vânavidyadhara of the subjoined inscription. This identification would suit the
fact that Vânavidyadhara's queen was the daughter of Prithivipati I.
This inscription No 48 is on the west wall of the main shrine, as stated in the
introductory remarks to No. 47; the subjoined inscription was copied from an
earlier stone inscription when the central shrine of the temple was pulled
down. It records the gift of a lamp by the same queen as No. 47, who was the
consort of the Bâna king Vânavidyadhara and the daughter of Pratipati-Araiyar
(i.e. the Western Ganga king Prithivipati I.), the son of Sivamaharaja. From
the subjoined inscription we learn that her actual name was Kundavvai.
The Chozha King Rajaraja-Kesarivarman, ie. of the Chôla king Rajaraja I’s 7th
reign year, contains a date which admits astronomical calculation, and which
has been repeatedly discussed since its discovery in 1890.1 Frofessor Kielhorn
has shown that it corresponds to the 26th September C.E. 991.*
The inscription records a visit to the temple by a certain
Madurântakan-Kanda-radittanâr, who caused one thousand jars of water to be
poured over the god. When he had finished his worship, he observed that the
offerings in the temple had been reduced to a minimum and that the temple lamps
were only feebly burning. He called for the authorities of the temple and of
the village and asked them for a detailed statement of the temple revenue and
expenditure.
Here, unfortunately, the inscription is built in. But from the preserved portion
it is evident that Madurantakan-Kandarâdittanûr, ie. Gandarâditya, the son of
Madhurântaka, must have been a person of high standing and influence. He cannot
be identical with the Chôla king Gandarûdityavarman, because the latter had
died before the reign of Arimjaya, the grandfather of Rajaraja I. Perhaps he
was an (otherwise unknown) son of Madhurantaka, the son of Gandarâdityavarman
and immediate predecessor of Rajaraja I.
The Chola King Rajaraja I’s 7th reign year inscription on the west
wall of the sanctum sanctorum is as above (No. 49), records that a Brahmana
set up an image of the goddess and granted a lamp to the temple. He also
purchased 1,700 kuli of land from the inhabitants of the village of Mandiram in
Tûñâdu and made it over to the temple authorities, who had to feed the lamp and
to supply offerings from the produce of the land.
Tûñâdu, to which Mandiram belonged, was the name of the country round Melpadi.
Mandiram had the surname Jayamêru-Śrikaranamangalam (II. 2 and 15 f.), which
seems to be derived from Jayamêru, one of the surnames of the Bâna king
Vikrama-ditya I.
The Chôla king Rajaraja I’s (1. 2), 16th
reign year inscription on the north wall of the main shrine, records that the
citizens of Vânapuram (11. 2 and 6), i.e. Tiruvallam, sold 700 kuli of land to
Samkaradeva, the son of Tiruvaiyan (11. 5 and 6), who granted it to the temple
of Tiruvaiya-Îśvara (1. 6). This temple was situated on the south of the
Bilvanûtheśvara temple and was evidently named after Tiruvaiyan, the father of
the donor. Tiruvaiyan seems to have claimed descent from the Western Ganga
kings. For, to his name are prefixed the name and the epithets of Śivamahârâja
(l. 4f.), as we have found them in Nos. 47 and 48. As these epithets are spelt
with almost exactly the same mistakes as in No. 48, I believe that the donor
copied them from that very inscription, which he found engraved on the temple.
The Chôla king Rajaraja I’s 20th reign year inscription on the west
and south walls of the main shrine records the gift of a lamp by Nannamaraiyar
or Nannaman, the son of Tukkarai. The donor belonged to the Vaidumba family and
ruled over Ingallûr-nâdu, a district of Maharajapâdi.
The seven thousand (villages) of Mârâjavadi, the chief town of which seems to
have been Vallûru, are mentioned in an inscription of Rajadhiraja at Mindigal
in the Kõlar district (No. 279 of 1895); Mârâyapadi occurs in an inscription of
Parthi-vendravarman at Takkôlam in the North Arcot district (No. 14 of 1897);
and a copper-plate inscription of Krishnaraya of Vijayanagara mentions some
villages of the Marjavadarajya, which are in the modern Cuddapah district.
Consequently, Vallûru has to be identified with the present village of Vallûru
in the same district. The Vaidumba king was defeated by the Chôla kings
Parintaka I. and Virarājendra I.; and Vinayamahadevi, the mother of the
Eastern Ganga king Vajrahasta III., belonged to the Vaidumba family.
The Chozha King Parakésarivarman, alias
Rajendra-Chôladeva (I.)’s 3rd reign year inscription on the north
wall of the maha mandapa, records that the inhabitants of Vânapuram (11. 9, 16
and 18), i.e. Tiruvallam, sold 1,000 kuli of land to Sôma-natha (II. 6, 16, 18
and 20), (the son of) Samkaradeva (l. 5 f.), whose name has been already met
with in an inscription of Rajaraja I. (No. 51). The same epithets, which
precede the name of Samkaradeva's father Tiruvaiyan in No. 51, are here
prefixed to the name of Samkaradêva (II. 2 to 5), with nearly the same mistakes
in spelling. A further allusion to Sômanâtha's descent from the Western Gangas
is contained in Gangådėvi. manali (L 11), the name which he bestowed on the
land purchased by him. Besides, Samkaradeva and Sömanâtha claim to be connected
with the Vaidumba family³ (1. 5).
I do not consider it worth while to publish the text of the second half of line
17 and of lines 18 to 21, which record that Somanatha assigned the land "to
the Mahadeva temple of Tiru [vai]ya-Îsvara, which the members of our family
have caused to be built on the southern side of the temple of
Tiruvallam-udaiyâr" (1. 18 L.), ie. of the Bilvana-theśvara temple, and
that he granted 96 sheep for the maintenance of a lamp in the same temple (120
f.). The temple of Tiruvaiya-Îśvara has been already mentioned in No. 51.
The Chola King Rajendra Chôla I’s 4th reign year inscription on the
north wall of Nakulesvara Shrine records
that Îrâyiravan Pallavayan (1.4 f.), an officer of his who is known from
several other inscriptions, had built a shrine which he called Rajarajšśvara
(1. 11 f. and 1. 16 f.), and which is apparently identical with the shrine on
which the inscription is engraved. For maintaining two lamps in this shrine, he
purchased for 50 kašu from the inhabitants of Tiruvallam a piece of land which
measured 2,000 kuli, and which received the name Araiśûrvādagai (1. 15 f.) with
an allusion to his native village of Araisûr (L. 3 f.).
This inscription is dated in the 3rd year of the reign of the Chôla king
Rajendra (1. 4)’s 3rd year of reign inscription on the west wall of
the sanctum sanctorum, refers to the conquest of Ratta-padi (1. 1), the
setting-up of a pillar of victory at Kollapuram (1. 2), and the defeat of
Ahavamalla at Koppam (13). It records that the temple authorities received 25
kalaññju of gold from an inhabitant of Aimbuni, under the condition that the
interest should be applied for the feeding of a learned Brahmana and other
purposes. The end of the inscription is lost.
The Chozha King Rajakesarivarman, alias Rajamahendradeva’s 2nd year
of reign incomplete inscription on the south wall of the maha mandapam, records
that a military officer purchased 800 kuli (1.4) of land from the inhabitants
of Tiruvallam and granted them to the temple.
On page 32 above it has been stated that the Kalingattu-Parani and
Vikkirama-Solan-Ula mention two Chôla kings who have not yet been identified.
The first of them reigned between Rajendra and Virarājendra I., and the second
between Virarajendra I. and Kulôt-tunga-Chôla I. In the introductory remarks to
No. 57 it will be shown that the second king is identical with
Parakésarivarman, alias Adhirajendradeva. Hence the only king who remains to be
identified is the successor of Rajendra and predecessor of Virarajendra I. He
may be identified provisionally with Rajak@sarivarman, alias Rajamahendradeva,
to whose 2nd year the subjoined inscription belongs. In favour of this
identification it may be mentioned that the subjoined inscription praises him
for guiding the goddess of the earth on the path of Mann, while the
Kalingattu-Parani (viii. 28) speaks of "the Chôla who dispensed justice
three or four times better than the ancient Manu," and that an inseription
of the 9th year of Rajendra mentions among the boundaries of a village
"the road of Rajamahen-dra. Perhaps Rajamahendra was the co-regent of
Rajendra.
The Chozha king Parakésari-varman, alias A[dhi]rajendradeva (1.4 f.)’s 200th
day of the 3rd year of reign inscription on the north wall of the
maha mandapam, records that two royal officers met at Kâñchipuram (1.7) and called
for the accounts of the villages which belonged to the Tiruvallam temple. One
of the two decided that the revenue from the villages of Kukkanûr in Tây-nâdu*
(1. 12) and Mandiram in the same nadu (1.13) should be assigned to the temple
for expenses not previously provided for. A larger committee then assembled and
made allotments from this revenue for various heads of the temple expenditure.
In line 11 it is stated that, before the time of this inscription, the income
of the temple had been regulated in the 8th year of the reign of "the
emperor Virarâjêndra-dêva." Consequently, Adhirajendra must have reigned
later than Virarājendra I. Among the kings who are mentioned in the
Vikkirama-Solan-Uld after Virarâjêndra I., the only one who has not yet been
traced in inscriptions is the immediate successor of Virarâjêndra I. and
predecessor of Kulôttunga-Chôla I. This king may be identified provisionally
with Parakésarivarman, alias Adhirajendradeva. If the account in the
Vikramankadevacharita can be trusted, he would have been the son of
Virarajêndra I. and the brother-in-law of Vikramaditya VI.
The Chozha king Rajakėsarivarman, alias Kulôttunga-Chôladeva (I.)’s 26th
year of reign inscription on the base of the verandah around the main shrine, mentions,
in addition to the conquests recorded in Nos. 77 and 78 of Vol. II., the defeat
of Vikkalan and Singanan, i.e. the two Western Chalukya kings Vikramaditya VI.
and Jayasimha III." It states that a lamp was granted to the temple by a
native of Kalavai in Sengunga-nâdu, a subdivision of Palakunga-kõttam.
Kalavai is a village in the Areot taluka, and Sengunga-nadu seems to be named
after Sengunam in the Põlûr taluka of the North Areot district.
The Chozha king Kulôttunga-Chôladêva’s 23rd year of reign inscription on the
south wall of the maha mandapam records the gift of a lamp by a Ganga chief
whose name is not quite distinct, for the benefit of his daughter who was the
consort of prince Vira-Chôladeva. The sheep, which were, as usual, given along
with the lamp, were made over to two persons (1.7) whose names occur also in
the preceding inscription of Kulôttunga L. (No. 58, 1. 4). This circumstance
enables us to identify Kulôttunga-Choladova (1.1) with Kulottunga I. and prince
Vira-Chôladeva (1. 4) with Vira-Choda, the son of Kulôttunga I. and viceroy of
Vêngit.
The inscription on the wall to the north of the tank of the temple records that
certain income was assigned to the temple by Sengêni Mindan Attimallan
Sambuvarayan in the 8th year of the reign of Kulottunga-Chôladêva. As another
member of the Sengêni family is mentioned in inscriptions of Rajaraja III., it
may be assumed that the king referred to in Vol. I. No. 132, and Vol. III. Nos.
60 and 61, is Kulôttunga-Chôla III., the predecessor of Rajaraja III.
The Chozha King Kulôttunga-Chôla-dêva (III.)’s 11th year of reign inscription
on the wall to the north of the tank, records that certain income was assigned
to the temple by the same Sengêņi chief who is mentioned in No. 132 of Vol. I.
The Chozha King Kulôttunga-Chôladéva’s (3)4th reign year inscription
on the north wall of the maha mandapam records the gift of two lamps by
Ariyapillai, the queen of Amarabharana-Śiya-ganga. An inscription in the
Ekamranûtha temple at Kanchipuram (No. 10 of 1893) mentions the same chief as
"the supreme lord of Kuvalalpura (ie. Kõlar), he who was born from the
Ganga family, Siyagangan Amarabharanan, alias Tiruvêgambam-udaiyan," and
is dated in the 27th year of the reign of Kulôttunga-Chôla III.
According to its preface, the famous Tamil Grammar Nannûl was composed by
Pava-nandi (i.e. Bhavanandin) at the order of Siyagangan Amarabharanan. The
Ekimra-nâtha inscription proves that Bhavanandin's patron was a vassal of
Kulôttunga III.
The subjoined inscription on the west wall of the kitchen records a remission
of taxes by Alagiya-Pallavan. This chief bore the same surname as
Alagiya-Solan, a feudator of Rajaraja III., and accordingly seems to have been
a member of the Sengêni family. The inscription refers to the 3rd year of the
reign of Vijaya-Gandagôpâladeva. Three inscriptions at Kâñchipuram are dated in
the Saka year 1187 and in the 15th and 16th years of Tribhuvanachakravartin
Vijaya-Gandagôpâladêva, who is perhaps identical with the former king.
References
1. South
Indian Inscription Volume - III.
2. Annual report on South Indian Epigraphy, Year 1890, and 1889.
3. Inscriptions of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam.
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
Excellent Sir
ReplyDeleteதங்களுடைய வருகைக்கும் கருத்திடலுக்கும் மிக்க நன்றி...
Delete