Temples in Tirunamanallur (Tirunavalur)

Tirunamanallur is a village on the north bank of the Gadilam river, about a mile (1.61 km.) to the east on the branch road to Cuddalore from the 113th milestone of the Madras-Tiruchy trunk road. This place holds an honoured place in Saivite hagiology as the birth-place of the Tamil saint Sundaramurti Nayanar.

Tiruttondisvaram Udaiyar (Bhaktajanesxaram) temple

There were once three Siva temples and a Vishnu temple here. One of the Siva temples was an old Pallava temple called Kalinarisvaram, perhaps so named after a Pallava king Kalinari. There was a sculptured stone which bore the figure of a kneeling elephant, and on the back of the animal a howdah with a stout male person reclining on it, and there was a single-word inscription “Sri-Kalinari” in Pallavagrantha characters. The rider of the elephant is perhaps meant to represent the Pallava king; and the temple of Isvara built by him was called Kalinarisvaram. This temple is said to have been demolished by the local people (365 and 376 of 1902, and Epi. Indica no. 19, pp. 132 if.).

An inscription of the 32nd year of Parantaka I (348 of 1902) records a gift by a member of the retinue of Pillaiyar Rajaditta-devar for a perpetual lamp to the Tiru-merrali Maha Vishnu temple at Tirunavalur in Tirumunaip-padi-nadu. Therefore the existence here of a Vishnu temple in the days of Parantaka I is established beyond doubt; it is a pity that there is no trace of it now.

The existence of two other temples, both Siva, whose principal deities were called Rajaditta Isvarrattu Mahadevar and Tiru Agastyesvarattu Mahadevar is recorded in an inscription of the 29th year of Parantaka I (347 of 1902). The Agastyesvaram temple cannot be traced now. The only important temple extant in the village is the Rajaditta Isvaram, otherwise (and commonly) known as Bhaktajanesvaram or Tiruttond-isvaram.

There are two inscriptions, one of a Rajakesari and the other of a Parakesari, both of whom cannot be identified. There are 29 inscriptions relating to Paran-taka I and ranging from his 17th to his 39th year. His earliest inscription (of the 17th year: 377 of 1902) calls the temple Tiruttondisvarattu-devar Koyil of Tirunavalur in Melur-nadu of Tirumunaippadi-nadu. The inscription of his 28th year (335 of 1902) records that the temple of Tiruttondisvara of Tirunavalur was constructed of stone by Rajaditta-devar; and a member of the retinue of his mother (‘Tayar Nampirattiyar Kok-KilanadigaF) made a gift of a lamp-stand and 90 sheep for a perpetual lamp. The wording of the inscription also admits of the interpretation that the temple was built by the mother of Rajaditya (in his name, instead of by Rajaditya himself).^[2]

From this time on (even from about the 28th year of Parantaka I), the temple had the alternate name, Rajaditya Isvaram. And there are recorded a number of endowments by the members of the retinue, military officers and soldiers, most of them Malayalis who belonged to the regiment of Pillaiyar Rajaditya and were perhaps stationed at the neighbouring military station of Mouli-Gramam.

An inscription of the 38th year of Parantaka I refers to the gift of a lamp to Kuttap-Perumal (Nataraja) by a merchant of Tirunavalur. The elder brother of queen Mahadevadigal, queen of Pillaiyar Rajaditta-devar and daughter of Iladaraiyar, makes a gift of 100 sheep for a lamp to this temple in the 39th year of Parantaka I (362 of 1902).

The political anarchy that prevailed in the region consequent on the Rashtrakuta invasion (a.d. 953-954) is reflected by two inscriptions being issued with dates without the name of the reigning king being mentioned. One of these concerns a gift of a lamp to this temple in saka year 875 (a.d. 953) by one Munai-yadaraiyan Kulamanikka Raman Devan.

The occupation of the northern part of the Chola country by the Rashtrakuta King, Krishna III, is attested by the inscriptions of his 17th, 19th and 28th years (covering the period a.d. 957-968); he styles himself as ‘Kannara-deva who conquered Kachchi and Tanjai (Kanchi and Tanjavur). It was only in the days of Rajaraja I that the final re-conquest of, and consolidation of Chola rule over, this region took place.

Tiruttondisvara received the devoted homage and munificence of kings and nobles, princes and peasants throughout the long and glorious period of Chola rule.^[2]

In addition to the bronzes of Nataraja and Bhiksha-tanar, this temple has excellent metals of Sundaramurti and his two consorts and of his patron Munaiyadaraiyan (or could it be of Siva?).

The garbhagriha is 15 ft. 6 in. (4.72 m.) square. The ardhamandapa projects forward 9 ft. 7 in. (2.92 m.). The niches are adorned with two short pilasters. The basement has plain mouldings followed up by lotus and yali- friezes and kumudam mouldings. Over the palagai of the pilaster and below the cornice, there are dancing figures. There is a figure of Dakshinamurti in the southern niche. There is a frieze of bhutaganas below the cornice and a ya/z-frieze above. There is an image of a drummer at the east end (the northern face) of the pilaster. There is no The griva and the sikhara are square: but they are modem (Pis. 66 to 70).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

“Svasti Sri Madirai-konda Kop Parakesari-panmarkku yandu irupattet-tavadu Tirumunaippadit Tirunavalur Tiruttondisvaram Tirukkarrali seyvitta Rajaditta-devar tayar Nampirattiyar Kokkilanadigal parivarattalSittiraKomalam vaitta nonda-vilakkonrukku vaitta sava-muvap peradu tonnuru ilavilakkonru.”

[2]:

An inscription of the 18th year and 270th day of Rajaraja I (370 of 1902) records the enquiry by a royal officer into the income of paddy and gold due to the temple from the Kudi-ningadevadanam of Tirunavalur. He found that the original documents of the capital endowments could not be traced perhaps as a result of the political disorder in the land, and therefore he ordered a fresh measurement and assessment of lands, and directed that the Nagarattar (merchant guild) of the place should pay to the temple 700 kalam of paddy and 30 kalanju of gold. Thus we see that periodical audits and enquiries into irregularities in the administration of local bodies and temples and setting them right were a normal feature of Chola rule.

There are two other interesting inscriptions of the days of Rajaraja I. An inscription of his 21st year mentions a gift of a forehead-plate (pattam) weighing 21 kalanju and 6 manjadi of gold to the “Lord who bestows grace by Dancing” (“Sri Koyilil adi arulukinra kuttarkku”). Perhaps this is a reference to the Nataraja bronze in the temple itself. The other inscription, of the 24th year, mentions that a royal officer, during his supervision of, and enquiry into, the affairs of the temple found that gifts made in earlier years had not been inscribed on the temple walls, and he ordered that they be engraved immediately.

A set of costly jewels set with precious stones was presented to Adavallan (Nataraja) in the days of Rajendra I (360 of 1902).

King Vira Rajendra himself made a gift of land to the temple (371 of 1902). Several gifts of lamps made in the days of Kulottunga I are recorded. A feudatory of Kulottunga II (Anapaya) makes a makara-torana (arch or aureole) out of 100 kalanju of gold for Nataraja (kuttadum devar) and also presents several silver and bronze utensils useful for worship.