Temples in Solapuram

Solapuram lies 8 miles (12.87 km.) south of Vellore in North Arcot district. There were four old Chola temples here : two of Siva, namely Nandi Kampesvara and Gunamalai Peruman temples; one of Vishnu, Kanakavalli Vishnugriham and a Pidari Koyil. Now all of them are in ruins. The ancient name of Solapuram was Kattuttumbur.

Nandi Kampesvaram

Three stones were unearthed in a tope opposite one of the ruined Siva temples (the Nandi Kampesvaram). There is an inscription on them dated in the 8th year of Kampavarman (a.d. 886: 429 of 1902). It mentions that this Pallava ruler had a local feudatory called Prithivi Gangaraiyar and that when this chief died, his son, 'the great king Rajaditya’, built a temple of Isvara (IsvciraAlayam) and a ‘house for the deceased’ (atita-griham=tomb) on the spot where his father had been buried (pal lippadutta idattu). This reference to a pallippadai (tomb-temple)built duringthe daysof Vijaya Kampavarman is the earliest epigraphical reference to such temples in South India.

Kanakavalli Vishnugriham

Another inscription, of the 23rd year of Vijaya Kampavarman, refers to the Vishnu temple (SII, I, No. 53: Epi. Indica, VII). Here is an extract therefrom: “Kattut-tumbur Narayana Bhattarakar Srikoyil edippittu Kanakavalli Vishnugriham ennum nama-deyattal amaippittu idanukku tri-kalam aradippadark-kum tri-kalam tiru-amudukkum nanda-vilakkukkum aradippanukku jivitam-aha ik-kottattu in-nattu Kanakavalli eri bhumi...’\ As this inscription is found on the (north) wall of the local ruined Perumal temple, this temple should be the Kanakavalli Vishnugriham of Kampavarman’s days.

There is another important inscription in this place (428 of 1902: Epi. Indica VII, p. 195), the text of which is: “Svasti sri yandu irandu, saka varsham ennurru elupatti onru Chakravarti Kannaradeva Vallabhan Rajadittarai erindu Tondaimandalam puhundavandu”. Hutlzsch has convincingly shown that the “second year” referred to in the inscription should be interpreted as Rajaditya’s second regnal year, so that it corresponds to saka 871 equivalent to a.d. 949. This indisputably fixes the date of the defeat and death of Rajaditya at the battle of Takkolam and the invasion and conquest of Tondaimandalam by Kannara-deva.

Gunamalai Perman temple

There is yet another inscription, dated in saka year 875 (=a.d. 953) found on the wall of the ruined Siva temple (Nandi Kampesvaram). This mentions one Attimallan alias Kannaradeva Prithivi Gangaraiyan. He is perhaps a nominal vassal of Kannaradeva, because on the one hand he bears the name of the Rashtrakuta ruler but on the other he is powerful enough to ignore his overlord by issuing the inscription with merely the saka date without mentioning Kannaradeva’s regnal year. Attimallan had a minister called Puttadigal alias Alivina Kalakanda Prithivi Gangaraiyan. This minister made a gift of 90 sheep for a lamp to the Nandi-Kampesvara temple at Kattut-tumbur (modern Solapuram) and another set of 90 sheep for a lamp to the Gunamalai temple. He also made a further gift of one kalanju of gold for the supply of one ulakku of tumbai (hence the name of the place Kattu-tumbur) flowers daily to each of the temples of Nandi-Kampesvaram and Gunamalai Peruman. Nandi-Kampesvaram should have been the name of the ancient Siva temple on which this inscription is found. (Its name may mean that it was built by Kampa (varman), son of Nandi (varman III), or built in his honour. Again, at the request of his minister, Prithivi Gangaraiyan agreed to combine four villages into one called Amalangavalli Attimalla Chaturvedimangalam, and provision was made for offerings thrice a day to the Gunamalai temple. All these establish the existence here, in the days of Parantaka I, of two Siva temples: Nandi-Kampesvaram and Gunamalai Peruman temple.

Pidari Koyil

There is a damaged inscription (426 of 1902) which mentions the Pidari Koyil (now called Kali Amman Koyil) erected by Nangaimani, daughter of Prithivi Gangaraiyar Devi Arigandagan.

There is also an inscription of Parantaka 1 (423 of 1902) whose date is lost.