South Indian
Temple inscriptions of the early Pandya period
Some of the inscriptions on the temples in Ambasamudram, Thenkasi, Tirunelveli, Srivaikuntam Taluks in Tirunelveli District, Tamilnadu, INDIA
Erichchavudaiyar Temple on the northern bank of Thamiraparani river, Kallidaikurichi - Ambasamudram area.
(A.R. No. 298 of 1916.)
On the door-jambs of the Erichchavudaiyar temple.
This inscription in Vatteluttu characters is dated in the 35th year of the reign of a king whose name is not mentioned; but he may be assumed to be identical with the Maranjadaiyan of whom high regnal years have been found. It records the gift of sheep by a certain Paradayan Senda[nagan] of Pappar-irukkai in Vela-nadu for a lamp to be burnt in the temple of Tiruppottudaiyalvar at Ilangoykkudi, a brahmadeya in Mulli-nadu.
No. 38.
(A.R. No. 104 of 1903.)
On a slab in the Prakara of the Erichchavudaiyar temple.
This inscription is dated in the 39th year of the reign of an unspecified king and may be attributed to king Maranjadaiyan, whose record (No. 36) dated in the 35th year has been published above.
No. 13.
(A.R. No. 105 of 1905.)
On a slab built into the floor of the Erichchavudaiyar Temple. (The slab is now in the Madras Museum.)
This record dated in the 4 + 12th year of the reign of Varaguna-Maharaja registers the gift of 290 kasu to the sabhi of Ilangoykkudi in Mulli-nadu for worship and offerings to the God Bhatara in the Srikoyil of Tiruppottudaiyar. The gift was made when Varaguna was stationed at Araisur on the bank of the Pennai river in Tondai-nadu.
No. 63.
(A.R. No. 299 of 1916.)
On the left door-jamb of the Erichchavudaiyar temple.
This incomplete inscription of Sadaiya-Maran is dated in the 2 + 11th year of his reign and stops with the mention of Bangovkkudi in Mulli-nadu
Other temples in Tirunelveli District.
No. 56.
(A.R. No. 86 of 1907.)
Ambasamudram, Ambasamudram taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the base of a ruined shrine in the Tirumulanatha temple.
The subjoined record of the 2 + 9th year of king Sadaiya-Maran relates to the purchase of a block of waste land lying fallow as purru and terri to the west of the village, from the sabha of Ilangoykkudi, and to its being made fit for cultivation by the provision of irrigation facilities by Puvan-Paraiyan, who is described as one of the ‘Araiyan-anukkar’, belonging apparently to the king’s bodyguard. The land which was renamed s ‘Paraiyan-vasakkal’ was endowed t the temple as kidaippuram.
No. 27.
(A.R. No. 89 of 1907.)
Ambasamudram, Ambasamudram Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On a slab set up in front of the Tirumulanatha temple.
This damaged Vatteluttu record of Maranjadaiyan is defaced at the placed where the regnal year is cited; but it appears probable that only one year and not a double year has been mentioned. The record may perhaps belong to Varagunavarman. It registers a gift of money made by Kavadiyar of Ilavenbaikkadattirukkai for two lamps to be burnt in the temple before the images of god Tiruchchalaitturai-Tirumulatanattur-Bhatarar and Perumanadigal ‘who was pleased to stand at Tiruchchalaiturai’ in Ilangoykkudi in Mulli-nadu.
No. 23.
(A.R. No. 295 of 1916.)
Singampatti, Ambasamudram Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On a rock in a field at Melai-Singampatti.
This highly damaged Vatteluttu record belongs to the 8th year of the king Maranjadaiyan, but nothing more than his name can be traced in this inscription.
No. 68.
(A.R. No. 122 of 1905.)
Tiruppudaimarudur, Ambasamudram Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the east wall of the Chandesvara shrine in the Putarjunesvara temple.
Dated in the 2 + 18th year of Sadaiya-Maran, this Vatteluttu record from Tiruppudaimarudur or Tiruppadumarudil as it was called in the old days, mentions a servant of Vira-Pandyadeva, who was a native of Malayamadevipuram in Pandimattanda-valanadu and refers to some donation made by him, the details of which are lost. Though this Vira-Pandya is not specifically styled a Pillaiyar, to denote his relationship to the reigning king, it is possible that he was identical with Vira-Pandya, who figures in inscriptions with the title of ‘Solanralaikonda’. As this Vira-Pandya’s date of accession has been calculated to be about 946 A.D. the Sadaiya-Maran of this record may, as otherwise indicated also, be identical with Rajasimha, the contemporary of Parantaka, and the immediate predecessor of Vira-Pandya.
No. 70.
(A.R. No. 550 of 1911.)
Tennalagar temple, Kovilkulam, Ambasamudram Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the south wall of the Tennalagar temple.
This incomplete inscription dated in the 2 + 19th year of Sadaiya-Maran refers to the temple of god Vinnagar Devar of Tiruppodiyil and to some donation, the details of which are not preserved in the inscription, made on behalf of a certain Kadan-Seynokki
No. 73.
(A.R. No. 551 of 1911.)
Tennalagar temple, Kovilkulam, Ambasamudram Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the south wall of the Tennalagar temple.
This mutilated record of the time of Sadaiya-Maran is dated in the 2 + 19th year of his reign, and appears to register a gift of sheep made by a certain Adigal . . . . . . . . . . . evidently for burning a almp in the temple of god Tiruppodiyil-Vinnagar-Devar in Vitankanallur.
No. 75.
(A.R. No. 552 of 1911.)
Tennalagar temple, Kovilkulam, Ambasamudram Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the south wall of the Tennalagar temple.
This undated record from Kovilkulam belongs to the same period, as the donor named Kadan and his wife Narseynokki figure in No. 70 of the 2 + 19th year of Sadaiya-Maran. A gift of 25 sheep evidently for a lamp to be burnt in the temple is registered in this inscription.
No. 4.
(A.R. No. 480 and 454 of 1917)
Kuttalam, Tenkasi Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On a pillar in the north-side of the Kutralanathar temple.
This incomplete record is dated in the 4th year and 360th day of the Pandya king Maranjadaiyan and mentions the gift of some donation by Maran-Achchan, probably a petty chieftain of Poliyur, for a lamp in the temple of Tirukurralattu-Bharata. This person also figures in a record from Tiruppattur in the Ramanathapuram district, where he is mentioned with the other title of Tennavan Pallavaraiyan.
No. 53.
(A.R. No. 416 of 1917.)
Kuttalam, Tenkasi Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On a pillar in the east verandah of the Kutralanathar temple.
This vatteluttu record dated in the 2 + 7th year of the reign of Sadaiya-Maran is incomplete and stops with the mention of Tirukkurralam in Tenvara-nadu.
No. 57.
(A.R. No. 417 of 1917.)
Kuttalam, Tenkasi Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On a pillar in the east Verandah of the Kutralanathar temple
This record, dated in the 2 + 9th year of Sadaiya-Maran, registers a gift of 3 buffaloes by Ayyankuttan, a merchant of Idavai in Manninadu, for maintaining half a lamp in the temple of Mahadeva at Tirukkurralam in Tenvara-nadu. This Idavai is identical with Idavai in Sola-nadu, in a campaign against which a Pandya general had accompanied king Maranjadaiyan of No. 26 above.
No. 58.
(A.R. No. 418 of 1917.)
Kuttalam, Tenkasi Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On a pillar in the east verandah in the Kutralanathar temple.
This Vatteluttu record of the 2 + 9th year of Sadaiya-Maran also comes from Kurralam in Tenvara-nadu, and registers a gift of six buffaloes by Vandalai Konan of Nallurpandikkudi in Tenvara-nadu, for burning a lamp in the temple of Tirukurrala-Mahadeva.
No. 66.
(A.R. No. 440 of 1917.)
Kuttalam, Tenkasi Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the east wall of the prakara in the Kutralanathar temple. This fragmentary inscription belongs to the 2 + 15th year of the reign of Sadaiya-Maran. It mentions Kurralam in Tenvara-nadu and Pasupatapperumakkal. Owing to the damaged condition of the record, it is not possible to ascertain the functions and constitution of the Pasupatapperumakka, who, however, appear to have been managing the affairs of the temple. They may have belonged to the Pasupata sect.
No. 71.
(A.R. No. 421 of 1906.)
Alagar temple, Seviliperi, Tirunelveli Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the south wall of the Alagar temple.
This inscription dated in the 2 + 19th year of Sadaiya-Maran registers a gift of 25 sheep for a lamp to be burnt in the temple of Karumanikkadeva of Ten-Tirumalirunjolai in Kilkalakkurram, by Appinangai, the wife of Satrubhayankara-Muttaraiyan of Alangudi, a village in Irunjola-nadu. From the fact that the donatrix is styled an arasiyar, her husband Satrubhayankara-Muttaraiyan was probably a Pandya feudatory of some note in this region. Anukkan is mentioned as the title of Appinangai’s father. Probably he belonged to the Anukkuppadai or the king’s bodyguard. This title appears to have been used for such personal service to the king, as in Tennavan-Anukkapperaraiyan in No. 64 above.
No. 72.
(A.R. No. 409 of 1906.)
Alagar temple, Seviliperi, Tirunelveli Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the north wall of the central shrine in the Alagar temple.
This record is dated in the 19th year to the 2nd year of Sadaiya-Maran and registers a gift of 50 sheep made by Karambichchettu Parpanabban Tiruvengadam residing in Nandivarma-chaturvedimangalam, a village in Uraiyur-kurram on the southern bank (of the Kaveri) in Sonadu, for a perpetual lamp to be burnt in the temple of god Karumanikkadeva, who was pleased to be manifest at Ten-Tirumalirunjolai, which was the ancient name of this temple. Seviliperi appears to have got this name to distinguish it from Alagarkoyil, apparently the Vada-Tirumalirunjolai in the Madurai district.
No. 74.
(A.R. No. 228 of 1932-33.)
Tiruvaludisvara temple, Perungulam, Srivaikuntam Taluk, Tirunelveli District.
On the north wall of the Tiruvaludisvara temple.
This inscription is dated in the 2 + 22nd year of the reign of Sadaiya-Maran and is the highest regnal year so far found for him. It registers a gift of 2 shares of land to Pudangudiyan of Nattamangalam made by the Sattapperumakkal, aganaligaiyar, patiyar and panchacharyas of the temple of Tiruvaludisvaram at Perungulam in recognition of the service rendered by him in redeeming the lands in Kuranguni to the temple, and in having secured the remission of taxes on them.
Acknowledgement:
Archeological survey of India
