Temples in Nellore

Nellore was the headquarters of the Telugu Chodas, and became important during the late 12th and the entire 13th century. Close allies of the Cholas, they played a vital role in the preservation of the Chola kingdom during the days of Rajaraja III.

Manumasiddhisvaram temple

We infer from a record found at the Palaivananathar temple at Tiruppalaivanam in the Chingleput district and dated in Saka 1152 (corresponding to the 15th year of Rajaraja III, i.e., a.d. 1231) that there was a temple by the name of Manumasiddhisva-ram at Nellore. Evidently the temple was built during the days of Madhurantaka Pottapichchola Manumasiddharasan Tiruk-kalattidevan alias Gandagopalan, who was a contemporary of Rajaraja III and a loyal, though nominal, feudatory. The temple was named after him. We shall see that another temple, also called Manumasiddhisvaram Udaiyar temple, was built at the close-by port of Krishnapatnam, during the same rule. The Tiruppalaivanam record mentions that one Panaiyandai alias Gandagopala Manikkam, the sister of Sittama deviyar, was a devaradiyar (a lady dedicated to the service of the temple) in the temple of Manumasiddhisvaram at Nellore and that Gandagopala (the ruler) gave some lands as a gift on behalf of Panaiyandai for feeding devotees in the Gandagopala-manikka madam at Tiruppalaivanam and for the maintenance of a garden (ARE 830 of 1929). We have already noticed that the Telugu Chodas had control over the Kanchipuram region during this period.