The Later Cholas

For nearly seventh centuries from Sangam period to Chola period the reference to this temple is silent. Munnur, Adavalleswarar temple is a treasure house of inscriptions. There are thirty three inscriptions found in the Adavalleswarar temple. Of the thirty three inscriptions only Twenty nine appear on the existing temple structure and the remaining four earliest inscriptions are appear on a stone Pillar. The Pillar is broken and lying on the ground in the eastern prakara of the temple. The early four epigraphs of this temple are not noticed and no estempages taken by the department of Archaeology in A.D. 1919.

The inscriptions of the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Sambuvarayas, the Kadavarayas, the Pandyas, the Gajapathis and the Vijayanagar rulers are the primary sources of information to reconstruct the history of Adavalleswarar temple. Most of the epigraphs mention the munificent endowments and enormous gifts made over to the Presiding deity, Pillaiyar sub-shrine and Chandeswarar sub-shrine of the temple complex in the form of devadana villages, lands, gold, sheep for burning the perpetual lamps and Santhi lamps for its upkeep and maintenance of this temple. Among the four unnoticed four inscriptions only two earliest inscriptional records refers to an educational institution existed in this temple. The donors mentioned in the inscriptional records are mainly the rulers, the chieftains, the officials, the merchants and the public. Among the prominent dynasties of South India, the Cholas, especially the later Cholas, rendered meritorious service not only to maintain the divinity of the Adavalleswarar temple but also for its maintenance.