Chola-era inscriptions found at Rachandar Thirumalai temple

They were found during a study of the temple; they throw up details on land documents and tax exemptions from the periods of Kulottunga III and Rajaraja III; inscriptions reveal rich details about the society and the temple activities

Two Cholaperiod inscriptions, one a land record and another pertaining to tax exemption granted to a temple, have been found at the Viraiachilai Andavar Temple in Rachandar Thirumalai, situated about 22 km away from Tiruchi, by researchers recently.

The temple is situated atop a hillock, called Thirumalai, at the centre of the town. Rachandar Thirumalai was formerly known as Kunraninallur and was governed under Uratthur Kurram, a subdivision of Konadu alias Kadaladaiyathilankai Konda Chola Valanadu, according to R. Kalaikkovan, Director, Dr. M. Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, Tiruchi. The inscriptions were found by M. Nalini,

The inscription belonging to Kulothunga Chola III copied from Viraiachilai Andavar Temple at Rachandar Thirumalai near Tiruchi

Associate Professor, Department of History, Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, and R. Akila, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri, during a study take up at the temple with the help of Narasimha Rao, a heritage enthusiast, the temple trustees B. Ponnambalam and M. Velmayil and its Sivacharyars.

“Although the study led to the discovery of several inscriptions a couple of of them stood out,” said Prof. Kalaikkovan. The oldest one belongs to the period of Kulottunga Chola III, which is in consonance with the architecture of the temple. Inscriptions of Rajaraja III and the Hoysala kings Virasomesvara and Viraramanatha reveal rich details about the society and the temple activities of that period, he explained.

The inscription of Kulottunga III appears to be a land document and throws light on a bronze icon, referred to as ‘Desanayaga Perumal’, at the temple. The inscription indicates that temple officials had purchased two plots of land at Karaiyur and Merkaraiyur from a few Brahmins of Maduranthaka Chadurvedimangalam by paying 3,000 anradu narkasu. The purchase was meant to take care of the worship of, and services to the deity. The sale deed was written by Pillaiyalvan, the village accountant of Karaiyur.

Another inscription reveals a royal order of Rajaraja III that was written by Neriyudai Chola Muvendavelan, the chief document writer of the king. As per the order, two veli of lands belonging to the two bronze icons of the temple named Desanayagar and Nachiyar, were exempt from all taxes including antharayam and pattam.

Though the statues were installed during the period of Kulottunga III, the inscription reveals that a person named Aalalasundarar had actually installed them. The tax exemption was made as per the recommendation of Irukkuvelar of Kodumbalur, who was probably a local feudatory. The order instructs the revenue authorities to make note of this exemption in the government land records. More than six government officials had verified and signed the order, Prof Kalaikkovan said.

“These inscriptions at the temple help us to reconstruct the history of the temple and is surrounding areas. Further studies at the temple may throw up more inscriptions,” said Prof. Nalini who led the group.