Temples in Tiruvengaivasal

In the village of Tiruvengaivasal in the Pudukkottai district, there is an ancient temple of Siva, dating back to at least the days of Parantaka I.

Vyaghrapurisvara temple shrines of Sadira Vitanka Nayakar and Pirattiyar (consort)

The principal deity is called Vyaghrapurisvara (Vyaghra in Sanskrit = vengai in Tamil = tiger). There is an inscription in Tamil verse, of the fifth year, and another, of the 28th year, both of an unspecified Parakesarivarman and found on the north wall of the mandapa in front of the central shrine (ARE 239 and 238 of 1914). The former mentions a gift of a lamp to the temple of Tiru-vengaivayii by a native of Malanadu and the latter a gift of a lamp to the deity of the temple, referred to as Tirumerrali Mahadevar. Both could be assigned to the days of Parantaka I.

On the door-posts of the entrance to the same, there is a record of the 26th year of Rajaraja I, referring to a gift of a lamp by a merchant to ‘the temple of Tirumerrali Mahadevar at Tiruvengaivayil, a devadana in Peruvayil nadu, a sub-division of Pandikulasani valanadu’ (ARE 240 of 1914), In a record of the 26th year of Rajendra I, reference is made to an image of Nitta-sulamani Vitankar, to whom a gift of land for offerings is made by the Assembly of Tiruvengaivayil, described now as a devadana in Peruvayil nadu, a subdivision of Jayasinga-kula-kala vala-nadu. We have two records of the days of Rajadhiraja I; one, of his eighth year, states that the devadana lands of the temple were lying uncultivated for want of tenants and so certain private individuals bought them from* the temple authorities and agreed to ‘measure out’ the specified quantity of paddy every year to the temple (ARE 250 of 1914); the other, of his 30th year, lists all the devadana lands belonging to the temple (ARE 236 of 1914).

In the Later Chola period, the temple seems to have received attention in the days of Vikrama Chola. There are two records, both of his 14th year, on the outer side of the west wall of the first prakara. One refers to a gift of land by the nadu and the Make-svaras of Peru-vayal nadu to one Elu-nattu-nangai who was to give nine performances of sandikkuttu during the Chittirai festival before the Lord Tiruvengai-vayi) Andar. She was to receive 'korru' for the performance in years when the crops failed (ARE 253 of 1914, pd. 128).

Two records of ‘Tribhuvanachakravartin Rajarajadeva’, of his 12th and 20th years (ARE 246, 247 of 1914), refer to the installation of the images of ‘Sadira Vitanka devar’ and Consort (Pirattiyar) by one Sadiran Irajan alias Kulottungasola Kidarat-tarayan and to gifts made to them. The later record tells us that, one-half of the revenue from the 18 of land presented was to be used for the expenses of the main shrine and the other half for festivals in the shrines of Sadira Vitanka Nayakar and Consort in the temple. Both these records are on the south wall of the first prakara. An inscription of the fifth year of Rajadhiraja II, on the west wall of the same prakara, records a gift of land to two women for performing the sandik-kuttu during the Tiruvadirai festival in the month of Vaikasi at the shrine of Sadira Vitanka Nayakar set up by Sadiran Irajan alias Kulottungasola Kidarattarayan (ARE 254 of 1914, pd. 139).

From the contents of these records, and noting that the 20th year of Rajaraja II would correspond to a.d. 1166 and the 5th year of Rajadhiraja II to a.d. 1171, we may reasonably infer that the two Rajaraja records belong to the days of Rajaraja II.

The independent Amman shrine of Brihannayaki appears to be a later structure; there are Pandyan records on its walls which, however, do not throw any light on the growth of the temple.

The main shrine itself, though dating back to the days of Parantaka I and beyond, has undergone total renovation and contains no Chola or Pandyan records on its walls, now.