Later Chola Temples
by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam | 1979 | 143,852 words
This volume of Chola Temples covers Kulottunga I to Rajendra III in the timeframe A.D. 1070-1280. 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 Achchapuram
Achchapuram, a village in the Tanjavur district, has an ancient temple dedicated to Perumanam Udaiyar, which had been in existence even prior to the days of Vikrama Chola, as we hear of a land purchase by the Assembly of Parakrama chaturvedi-mangalam for feeding the mahesvaras in a matha known as the Para-samaya-kolari matha, as early as in the third year of this ruler (ARE 534 of 1918).
We learn from an inscription in this temple dated in the 14th regnal year of Rajadhiraja II (sulnda introduction) that this village bore the name of Panchavan Madevi- alias Kulottunga-sola- chaturvedimangalam. The sabha of this village, by an executive order, reduced the rates of varam and kadamai on some lands and fixed the duties and privileges of certain classes of persons (ARE 538 of 1918). We learn of the existence in this temple of a shrine dedicated to Panpadaikka Aduvar, from a record of the 24th regnal year of Kulottunga III. This record refers to an order of one Pirudigangaraiyan of Purakkudi presenting to this shrine lands purchased from the inhabitants of Nallur alias Nigarilisolapuram. Presumably this shrine was added about this time (ARE 532 of 1918).
Tirupperumanam Udaiyar temple (Tiruk-kamak-kottam udaiya Nachchiyar shrine)
We are, howeyer, concerned here with an inscription of the 32nd regnal year of the same ruler (who is referred to as ‘Tribhu-vanavira deva, who conquered Madurai, Ilam and Karuvur, took the crowned head of the Pandya, and celebrated the virabhi-shekam and the vijayabhishekam'), which mentions that a shrine was constructed in the temple of Tirupperumanam Udaiyar, for Tiruk-kamak-kottam Udaiya Nachchiyar, by one Chandrasekha-ran Panchanadivanan of Nerkunam (ARE 530 of 1918).
The Amman shrine thus came into existence around a.d.1210.
There is a record in this temple dated in a.d. 1218 (equivalent to the second regnal year of Rajaraja III) that mentions a gift of land by the ‘Grama Kariyam seykira Kuttapperumakkal’ of Panchavan Mahadevi- alias Kulottungasola- chaturvedimangalam for offerings to Aludaiya Pillaiyar (Sambandar) and Sokkiyar (Sundarar) and for feeding apurvins after the newly-introduced service called ayirattennurruvan sandhi in the Sri Kailasam Udaiyar temple in the same place (ARE 527 of 1918).