Etymology of Munnur

At present the village Munnur is called as Minnam and Mangalam in colloquial language but in written form it is popularly known as Munnur.

Regarding the name Munnur one may also assume that it may be 300^th temple of Chola period. Somalay, a writer is of opinion^[1] that there are 300 temples existed in South Arcot district. After the construction of 300^th temple the place was known as Munnur meaning, the numerical number 300 is spell as Munnur in Tamil. Some may assumed that the Cholas while constructing innumerable temples the 300^th temple construction completed in this village, therefore in memory of this numerical number 300 this place is known as Munnur in Tamil. It is also strengthened by the fact that some of our Sangam literature is known as Ahananuru, Purananuru and so on. Besides the Post Sangam work Kalavazhinarpathu^[2] mentions that the Chola King as the Lord of Punal Nadu and Cauveri Nadu.

The Chola King was identified with Kochenganan who lived in the latter half of the 6^th century A.D. He was a prominent Chola ruler mentioned in the literature^[3] and epigraphs as a patron of art. From the hymns of St.Sambandar^[4] and Tirumangai Alvar,^[5] we came to know that he was responsible for the construction of seventy temples on the banks of the river Cauveri. Likewise it is also assumed that the association of this place with Chola Rajendra I the village Munnur may once famous for its 300^th temple construction of later Cholas.

Some may also assumed that the name Munnur appeared because this human settlement or village may be placed in front of all villages of the Taluk. The temple inscriptions mentioned as Munnjur,^[6] Sri Panditha Chola Chathurvedhimangalam, Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalam and Purushothamanallur. Moreover the inscriptional records make mension the Munnur village in the territorial divisions of Jayankonda Chola Mandalam and Rajananayana Chadurvedhimangalam and the Oima Nadu territorial sub division. The name Munnur is a combination of two words i.e., Mun and Ur, Munnur meaning first inception of human habitation or pioneer among the other villages of the surrounding area. It is assumed that there are many villages in Tindivanam taluk of the Villupuram district among the other villages of this region the first one might be called Munnur or it might have been appeared as first village of the Tindivanam taluk.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

V. Mahadevan, (ed.,) Thevaram–The First Seven Thirumurais, Kumbakonam, 1988, p. 116.

[2]:

Sadasiva Chettiyar. (ed.,), Thirugnanasambandar Thevaram, Tinneveli, 1987, p. 304.

[3]:

K. Venkataswamy Nattar, (ed.,) Nalayira Divya Prabandam, Madras, 1981, p. 146.

[4]:

A.R.E., 65, 75, 76, of 1919.

[5]:

Ibid.,

[6]:

K. Rajan, “Petroglyphs of perumukkal, Tamil Nadu,” Journal of Rock Art Society of India, 1996, pp.3-10.