Early Chola Temples
by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam | 1960 | 105,501 words
This volume of Chola Temples covers Parantaka I to Rajaraja I in the timeframe A.D. 907-985. The Cholas of Southern India left a remarkable stamp in the history of Indian architecture and sculpture. Besides that, the Chola dynasty was a successful ruling dynasty even conquering overseas regions....
Temples in Tiruvennainallur
Tiruvennainallur is three miles (4.8 km.) from Gra-mam and about six miles (9.6 km.)fromTirunamanallur. This place gains its importance from the fact that it was the Lord of this place who intervened and stopped the wedding of the Tamil saint Sundaramurti Nayanar (9th century a.d.) in order to win him over to His side and bestow His grace on him.
Kripapurisvara temple (Tiru-Arut-Turai Udaiya Mahadevar)
The earliest record in this temple seems to be an inscription of the 10th year of a Parakesarivarman (429 of 1921) who may be identified with Uttama Chola. It records a gift of land to the temple by Parayi-tan Uttama Sola Marayan of Perumbur, after purchasing it from the Assembly of Tiruvennainallur. It is on account of his surname, that the record has to be assigned to Uttama Chola.
In the niches of the walls of this temple are sculptures of Bhikshatanar and Dakshinamurti on the south, Lingodbhavar on the west and Brahma and Durga on the north.
The temple might have been renovated during the time of Uttama Chola and again in modem times.