Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Utsavar Mandapam, Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple, Thiruvazhikal, Sumai Thangi, and Pandya Period Inscription, Kodikulam, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Utsavar Mandapam, Pandya period Thiruvazhikal at Kodikulam, Madurai, was part of the “Traditional Journey to Yanaimalai” on 31st August 2025, organised by Kumbakonam Heritage by Gopinath and kumbakonamheritage.com. Thanks to Prof. Devi Arivu Selvam for leading our Heritage Journey with valuable inputs.

SRIRANGAM RANGANATHASWAMY UTSAVAR MANDAPAM.

It is believed that during Muslim’s rule, especially under Malik Kafur and later Uluk Khan in the early 13th - 14th centuries, Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Utsavar was taken to many places to save it from the Muslim rulers. It is said that the Utsavar was taken to this place by Pillai Lokachariyar and kept in a natural cave, and a mandapam was built at a later date. Now the mandapam is in a dilapidated condition. The mandapam pillars with bas-reliefs of Vaishnava deities are found inside the debris.

Pillai Lokachariyar Temple 

Pillai Lokachariyar

Well 

SRI VEDANARAYANA PERUMAL TEMPLE.

In the 13th -14th centuries, Sri Vedanarayana Perumal was just near the old mandapam. The Shrine consists of the sanctum sanctorum and an ardha mandapam. A Shrine for Pillai Lokachariyar was also constructed near the Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple in recent years.

The inscription at Thirumogur Sri Kalamega Perumal Temple, connected to this Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple, records the gift of a village as irayili to this temple. The details of the inscription are…

பிற்கால பாண்டியர் முதலாம் மாறவர்மன் குலசேகரரின் 40 ஆம் ஆட்சியாண்டு தெற்கு வெளிப்புற திருமதிலின் உட்புறம் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு, துங்கவனத்தில் பிரம்மதீர்த்தக்கரையில் அரசன் பெயரால் சுந்தர பாண்டிய சோழக் கோனார் என்பவர் எடுப்பித்த வேதநாயகர் கோயிலுக்குத் தென்பறப்பு நாட்டுப் பன்னாட்டான் கோட்டை என்ற ஊர் காராண்மை திருவிடையாட்ட இறையிலி யாக அளிக்கப்பட்டதை இக்கல்வெட்டுக் கூறுகிறது. இக்கோயில் யானை மலையின் தென்கோடியில் உள்ளது. இங்குள்ள பாறையில் பிற்காலப் பாண்டியர் கல்வெட்டு ஒன்றும் காணப்படுகின்றது.

Later Pandya, Māravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I’s, 13th century CE, inscription records that Pannāttānkōttai was endowed as Kārāņmai thiruvidaiyāţţa iraiyili to the temple of Vedhanathar. This Vedhanāthar temple, which is located in the southernmost part of Yanaimalai, was in dilapidated condition before the period of Maravarman Kulasekara Pandya I, and it was reconstructed by one Sundharapānaya chōlaköņār in the name of the ruling Pandya king, Māravarman Kulasekara Pandya I. The location of this temple, while it was in a dilapidated condition, is recorded in this inscription as the tank of the Brahmathīrttham located in Srithungavanam.

Pandya period inscription at Kodikulam

THIRUVAZHIKAL AT KODIKULAM.

The Thiruvazhi kal measures 6 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. The inscription side of a Thiruvazhi is in the form of petroglyphs (keeral) on the top. This Thiruvazhi kal has 17 lines of 13th-century Pandya-period inscriptions. The inscription records the gift of land as thiruvidaiyattam for creating a nandavanam and thirupani to Tenparappu Nattu Thorumogur, Perumal Temple.  

LOCATION OF THIRUVAZHIKAL: CLICK HERE

THIRUVAZHI KAL WITH PANDYA'S EMBLEM AT PERUMALPATTI.

After visiting the Kizhavikulam/Poosaripatti rock art site on the way to the Amur Shiva temple, we happened to see the Thiruvazhikal in the Nondisamy temple at Perumalpatti Village. This thiruvazhi kal belongs to the later Pandya period. 

This Thiruvazhi kal is square in shape, approximately 3 feet tall, 1 foot wide, and 1/2 foot thick. The Thiruvazhi symbol is on both sides, and the Pandya’s emblem of a fish with a chendu is on both sides of the Thiruvazhi/ Chakra on one side. No inscriptions are found on this Thiruvazhikal. As per the experts, this Thiruvazhikal was erected on the periphery of the land gifted to a Vihnu/ Perumal temple.

Nondi Samy temple

LOCATION OF THE THIRUVAZHIKAL: CLICK HERE

SUMAI THANGIS

These two Sumaithangis are installed on the roadside, close to Sri Yoga Narasinga Perumal Temple. Usually, these Sumai Thangis are installed in memory of a Lady who lost her life during pregnancy or at the time of delivery. These Sumaithangis serve to unload the headloads and take rest for the travellers from distant places.

LOCATION OF THE SUMAI THANGI: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---