Conclusion

The foregoing research reveals that the ancient greatness of Munnur temples and its role both the development of South Indian Saivism and Vaishnavism. Munnur is one of the prominent villages of Tindivanam, taluk, Villupuram district. This village is encircled with a vast stretch of paddy fields and other agricultural lands. An enchanting land of panoramic view, this land of charity offered settlements to people of diverse communities and religious affiliation. The place, Munnur also enjoys the rare merit of the existence of worship of almost all the predominant faiths of the Tamil society of various ages viz., the Siva, Vishnu, Sakta, Ganapahthayam, Kaumara, Sasta, Jeshta, Naga and Virksha in addition to those of other minor deities such as Navagrahas, Soma, Surya and Gajalakshmi.

Its antiquity goes back to the days of the paleolithic age. The Sangam classical work Sirupanatruppadai also refers to this place as Mudhur. In fact, Nalliyakodan a Sangam chieftain was ruled the region around Mudhur. The association of places like Mudhur, Perumukkal and Gidankil present Tindivanam ruled by the Sangam Chieftain makes Mudhur one of the important historical places in the early days of the Christian era. After the overthrow of the Kalabhras, Munnur was under the control of the Pallavas of Kanchi. On account of its immense greatness as one among the celebrated Saiva centres, and Vaishnava centres it received the attention of many philanthropists of even distant places. The Pallavas of Kanchi, also had a great reverence to Munnur. This sacred spot, also styled as Mudhur, Munnjur and Munnur was a Chadhurvedimangalam in the days of the Cholas, later Pandyas, and Vijayanagar rulers. This village Munnjur is situated in the Oima Nadu a subdivision of Rajendra Chola Valanadu. During the reign of the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Vijayanagar rulers, Munnur was a devadana village. The Mahasabha managed the administration of the village and the temple.

Adavalleswarar temple, and Arulala Perumal temple situated in the middle of Munnur have been serving as the spiritual, cultural mercantile and educational centre through the ages. The inscriptional records state that this area became a cockpit of rivalries between the Pallavas and the Cholas rulers. However, the rulers from various dynasties envied one with the other and extended their patronage. The rulers of various dynasties endowed profusely to maintain the divinity of the Adavalleswarar temple and Arulala Perumal temple. This patronage had left an everlasting legacy in the minds of both the Saiva devotees and Vishnava devotees of all ages to come.

The village and the temples are glorified in the epigraphs. Lord Siva enshrined in this temple at Munnur is Adavalleswarar in linga form. In the inscription, the main deity of the temple is referred to as Sri Mulasthanaththu Paramaswamy, Sri Mulasthanaththu Adiarulukindra Paramaswamy, Paramaswamy, Sri Mulasthanamudaya Mahadevar, Sri Mulasthanamudaiyar, Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Udaiyar, Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Aludyar, Adavallanayanar, Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Adavallar, Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Adavallanayanar, Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Nayanar and Udaiyar Adavallanayanar.

The epigraphical evidences are the only sources of first hand information giving the noteworthy features of this religious centre of both Saivism and Vaishnavism. The various epigraphs engraved during the period of the later Cholas, the Kadavarayas, the Sambuvarayas, the Pandyas, the Gajapathis and the Vijayanagar rulers found in this temple throw adequate light on the history of this temple and help one to understand the contemporary political, economic, social and cultural conditions. The 33 donatives records on stone, were engraved in Tamil during the reign periods Kulottunga II, Rajaraja II, Kulottunga III, Rajaraja III, Kopperunjiriga II, Jatavarman Vira Pandya, Kapileswara Gajapathi and on the walls of the various parts of the temple. They throw light as well as on the contemporary political, social economic and cultural conditions of those days.

From the time of Rajendra I onwards the place name Munnjur became quite famous in the epigraphs. The primary motive of engraving the inscriptions was to register the gifts of villages, lands, money, sheep and cows made to this temple by rulers and officials as well as the public. These generous grants refer to the purpose of lighting perpetual lamps, performing festivals, procuring puja articles, construction of several parts of the temple, laying streets, setting of idols and other aspects. Though the primary motives of these engravings were mostly to register the gifts of lands, gold and money etc., made to this temple for varied purposes like the installation and burning of perpetual lamps, offering of pujas and celebration of monthly festivals, they incidentally furnish authentic details on the constructional and administrative histories of this temple and on the installation of stone images of Pillayar and Vishveswarar within the precincts of the temple. In comparison with the rulers of other dynasty, the contribution of the later Cholas to this temple is considerable and immense.

The foregoing study reveals the fact that the mutilated Grantha epigraph and Jeshta bas-relic sculptural representation of Munnur takes its patronization to the middle of 7^th century A. D. Though the origin of Adavalleswar temple is ascribed to the reign of Narasimhavarma Pallava I, the main structure of this temple is changed into stone structure to the early period of Rajendra I. This is confirmed by the four inscriptions of Rajendra I. The political successors of the Cholas viz., the Kadavas the Sambuvarayas and the Pandayas paid their attention and devoted their sources to Munnjur consequently continued to retain its glory till the 14^th century A.D. The epigraphical evidence of the Vijayanagar period indicates that Munnjur retained its importance both in the Saivite and Vaishnative even during that age. The above study shows that Munnur has remained from hoary past as a thriving religious centre representing the subjugation of evil forces and the establishment of virtuous elements in the world. This research also reveals that the existing main structure of this temple is assignable to the early years of the Kulottunga II (1133-1150 A.D.).

The imperial rulers outside of the Tamil country during whose rule the available epigraphs of charitable deeds were recorded made the direct contribution to this temple. Devotees of even a distant region like Orissa and Vijayanagar after being allured by the distinguishing greatness of the temple, lavishly endowed it with enormous landed properties for its proper functioning. The temple has developed gradually to the present magnificent form through several centuries, spreading over a long span of a thousand years, during which it was supported by the Cholas, the Kadavas, the Sambuvarayas the Pandyas, the Gajapathi and the Vijayanagar rulers.

The epigraphs of this temple study reveal the socio-economic condition of society and the various kinds of endowments granted to the temple by the Royal clan of the Tamil country and the common folk of the society for the maintenance of the temple. This study further reveals the then four-fold caste system, and the educational institution familiar to the society of those days. That the temple at Munnur was the pivot around which the economic life revolved is also revealed by this study. The majority of the people of Munnur depended upon the temple for their livelihood.

The foregoing study further reveals that the growth of this temple depended upon the wealth it possessed. It had huge wealth in the form of movable and immovable properties. The movable properties were the livestock, gold, cash, paddy and various other commodities. The immovable properties were in the form of land. In addition, tax-exemption and reduction also formed a part of the temple economy. The reclamation of barren lands mostly gifted as devadana also boosted the economy of this temple. All kinds of gifts and donations were deposited in the temple treasury: headed by the treasurer who was expected to maintain the register of account. It does not appear that the temple is just a mute structure and their wealth a dead investment. These investments had great social significance. The major items of expenditure were renovation and repair works, pujas and festivals and the maintenance of a big establishment. Of the establishment, a major income was spent for the disbursement of salaries to the staff, sanction of loan, extension of famine relief measures, establishment of feeding houses, educational institutions, and meeting the expenses of all other temple activities.

Adavalleswarar temple and Arulala Perumal temple at Munnur had been renovated many times with additions right from the period of 11^th century A.D. 15^th Century A.D. Through the architecture and the pillars of Adavalleswar temple the development of Dravidian temple architecture prevalent in different epochs of Tamil country can be perceived. This study strives to fix the age of the several parts of the Adavalleswar temple precisely.

This magnificent temple complex consisting of a sanctum, ardhamandapa, mahamandapa and a mukhamandapa for Adavalleswarar temple, and Arulala Perumal temple of various periods ranging from the 12^th century A.D. to the 14^th century A.D. lost most of its antique, original architectural elements as a result of successive renovations and consecrations. Yet some of its surviving structures like the cella, ardhamandapa, mahamandapa and mukhamandapa of the Adavalleswarar temple and the subsidiary shrines in the first prakara are retaining features of the Dravidian art tradition which flourished during the later Chola period. The Adavalleswarar temple, the ancient structure of this complex constructed by Pallavas (middle of the 7^th century A.D.) was converted into stone during the early 12^th century A.D. and renovated by Kulottunga II in the late 12 century A.D. These are also proved by this study.

This study further reveals that the sub shrines of this temple complex is ascribed to 12^th century A.D. to 15^th century A.D. The Thiruchutrumaligai, the front pillared mandapa belongs to the periods. Thus the temple passed through several renovations and is noteworthy for its structure of Dravidian order. The architectural survey of this temple strengthens the view that its dwarf Gopura along with the second outermost enclosure of this temple was added during the rule of Vijayanagar Kings. The garbhagraha, antaralas, ardhamandapa, mahamandapa, mukhamandapa and Tiruchutrumaligai of the temple belong to the later Chola period. The Dwarf Gopura was built during the period of Vijayanagar rulers. The Pillaiyar shrine in the prakara is reputed to have been consecrated during the reign of the architectural features of the Visnaveswarar shrine appear to be chola period. The Muha mandapa was perhaps built during the reign of Sambuvarayas, the feudatories of the Cholas the renovated the shrine.

The sculptural study of this Adavalleswarar temple reveals that the Cholas inherited a highly developed sculptural vigor from the Pallavas. It is a rich store house of beautiful images of the various Gods and Goddesses of varied sizes. They belong to the Chola" and Vijayanagar periods. Of the images the notable ones like the figure of Pillaiyar and Vishveswarar are found with rare features. The existence of stone images of certain deities like Subramanya and Dvarapalas, in large numbers alludes to the reconstruction if not renovation of this religious edifice many a time. Above all this temple remains a treasure house of a number of precious bronze images. This temple of later Chola period also confirms the maximum growth of the fine art of metal casting during the period by its possession of certain splendid, superb art products in metal such as those of the group of Nataraja. Among the bronzes of entirely religious character of different ages, the idols of Nataraja and are some of the most precious superb specimen of South Indian sculptural art which bring out the art of metal casting at its best during the age of the Nayak and Vijayanagar empire. The stone, bronze and stucco images belonging to different periods are still preserved in fairly good condition. The characteristics six sects of Hindu Religion, Saura [Sauram], Saiva [Saivam], Sakta [Saktam], Vaishvavis [Vaishvavism], Ganapatya [Ganapatyam] and Kaumara [Kaumaram] are exemplified by the presence of the images such as Surya, Siva, Sakti, Vishnu, Ganapati and Muruga. The worship of minor deities like Amman which is peculiar to and characteristic of the Hindu Religion is also conspicuous by the presence of images of the concerned deities in this temple.