History of Adavalleswarar temple

The present Adavalleswarar (Adavalleeswarar) temple is one of the prominent Siva temple in Tamil Nadu. The name of the Presiding deity of the Siva temple is referred to in the inscriptions as Sri Mulasthanaththu Paramaswamy,^[1] Sri Mulasthanaththu Adiarulukindra Paramaswamy,^[2] Paramaswamy^[3], Sri Mulasthanamudaya Mahadevar,^[4] Sri Mulasthanamudaiyar,^[5], Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Udaiyar^[6] Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Aludiyar,^[7] Adavallanayanar,^[8] Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Adavallar,^[9] Rajanarayana Chadurvedimangalaththu Adavallanayanar^[10] Rajanarayana Chadurvedhimangalaththu Nayanar^[11] and Udaiyar Adavallanayanar.^[12]

During the middle of the 9^th century A.D., Vijayalaya (A.D. 846-881) vanquished the chieftain Muttaraiyar and laid the foundation of the later Chola dynasty at Thanjavur. Aditya I (A.D.881-907) the son and successor of Vijayalaya Chola, participated in Sripurambiam battle which took place between Pallava and Pandya near Kumbakonam, as an ally of the Pallava ruler. Even though Aparajita, the Pallava ruler, emerged victorious in the battle, he not allowed Aditya to add some new territories. Aditya wanted to extend his territories further. Therefore, he waged a war against Aparajita, defeated him and annexed Tondaimandalam. This conquest enabled him to expand his territory from the river Cauvery in the south as the southern boundary and the Rashtrakuta Kingdom in the north. We do not come across any record of Vijayalaya and Aditya in this temple. Anyhow Oima Nadu including Munnjur came under the rule of the Cholas right from the period of Vijayalaya.

After the death of Aditya I, his son Parantaka I ascended the throne.^[13] Gandaraditya, succeeded Parantaka I, Gandaraditya Chola died in A.D. 957. After Gandaraditya, his younger brother Arignjayan (A.D. 957) became the ruler of Cholamandalam. But he died in the same year. After him, his son Parantaka II alias Sundara Chola ruled over the Chola country from A.D. 957 to 970. Thereafter Uttamachola, took over the reign in A.D. 970.In the year 985 A.D. Rajaraja Chola ascended the throne. He conquered several countries and brought them under his sway^[14]. He rendered maximum services to the temples. The real greatness of the Chola empire dates from the accession of Arulmolivarman who crowned himself as Rajaraja I in 985 A.D. The thirty years of his rule constitute the formative period of Chola Imperialism. No inscriptional record of Parantaka I to Rajaraja I is available in Munnjur temple.

The Chola empire, thus expanded, was later ruled by the celebrated Chola Kings up to the end of the 13^th century A.D. Among them Rajendra I (A.D. 1012-1044) Kulottunga II (A.D 1133-1150) Rajaraja II (A.D.11501163) Rajadhiraja II (A.D. 1163-1178), Kulottunga III (A.D.1178-1218) and Rajaraja III (A.D. 1218-1256) deserve special mention. Adavalleeswarar or Adavalleswarar temple has inscriptions of these rulers.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Unpublished Inscription., See Appendix, No. 3.

[2]:

A.R.E., 65 of 1919.

[3]:

Ibid.,

[4]:

A.R.E., 69 of 1919.

[5]:

A.R.E., 72 of 1919.

[6]:

A.R.E., 70 of 1919

[7]:

A.R.E., 73 of 1919.

[8]:

A.R.E., 50 of 1919.

[9]:

A.R.E., 86 of 1919.

[10]:

A.R.E., 58 of 1919.

[11]:

Tamilnattu Varalatru Kuzhu, Tamil Nattu Varalaru, Vol. IV Part II, Chennai, 1998, p. 89.

[12]:

Ibid., p. 119.

[13]:

Tamilnattu Varalatru Kuzhu, Op.Cit., pp. 132-133.

[14]:

Unpublished Inscription., See Appendix, No. 1.