Bronze icons

There are a good number of bronze images of utsava murthis of Arulala Perumal and their consorts besides subordinate divinities, meant for processional ceremonies. Some of them are the utsava bheras of the Lord with Devis at nitya Abhisheka, Balibhema, yagabhera, and Mahasudarsana.

Similarly, the utsava bheras of dancing Kannan, and Garuda and Alvar also adorn the list of bronze images of the temple. Then the utsavabheras of Acharyas too are found enshrined in the shrines adjacent to the Thayar Sannadhi.

For instance the second inscription^[1] of Rajaraja III (A.D.1218-1256 A.D.) is found on the east wall of the Muhamandapa in front of the central shrine in his 8^th regnal year (A.D.1225). It records that one Udaiya Nayakkan Orrikondon of Cheyyur Thittacherry Udaiyan^[2] which is 20 km from Munnjur registers a gift of certain amount of land which was purchased by Gold coins^[3] and the same land was entrusted to the Sabhaiyar of the temple. The record also mentions that the income from the land was used for procession of the Urchava Murthy on every new moon day.

The bronze icon of Kali aboded in the Siva temple of Arulala Perumal temple complex is shown standing with jvala sikhraa, patrakuntala, serene face, four arms holding ankusa and pasa in her upper right and left no arms, while a trident and kapala are by her lower arms. The standing icon is provided a proboscis with shooting flames. It could probably be of Vijayanagara period.

Apart from the art and architectural evidence, the epigraphic references do make confirmation of such erection or installation of structure and images. Hence, such references become quite interesting to quote as part of this chapter. There are five inscriptions pertaining to the Chola, Pandya, and times making mention of few structures forming part of Arulala Perumal temple. The details of them are as follow.

An inscription of Rajakesarivarma alias Tribhuvana Chakravathin Kulottunga Chola deva issued during his 50th regnal year refers about a gift of 16 kasu by a lady of Rajendra mangala chaturvedi mangalam in Kilkundaru for burning a perpetual lamp in the Kilai Tirunilai, where the God was pleased to take rest. From this record, it becomes evident that the existence of Kilai Thirunilai as the abode of Arulala Perumal could be contemporary at least to the date of this inscription.

Similarly a record of Pandya Tribhuvana Chakravartin alias Kulasekara deva, issued during his 3^rd regnal year, records about the provision made by a certain Atrayan Sankaranarayanan Akki Sanman for offerings to the images of Kerala Singa Perumal and his consorts in the ground floor of the temple, during the midnight service and so on. Here too the reference occurs and confirms the contemporary date of its existence through the patronage executed by the Pandya ruler.

Another inscription of yet another Pandya ruler namely Jatavarma alias Tribhuvana Chakravartin Vira Pandya issued during his 16^th regnal year registers a gift of land and money by a certain Valudaivarajan for special offerings and worship to the image of the God while seated in the mandapa (pavilion built by the donor in the temple on the day of natal asterism Uttratadi in the month of Vaigasi, Through this it can be inferred that during the Pandya rule of this ruler, the existence of the mandapa (pavilion) and hence its contemporary of erection and existence.

Yet another record issued dry saka 1308 equivalent it to 1386 A.D. makes mention of the mandapa called Malavachakravarti and the seat called Vedachakravarthi. So naming of the pavilion of this inscription becomes evident of such a structure in the temple.

Apart from the above inscriptions, an epigraph of Raghunatha Tirumalai Sethupathi Kattadeva Rakasurdevar issued in saka 1601 records a gift of land called karukalivayal for worship of the image of Sokka Narayana during the parivettai festival, and for the maintenance of a watershed for the merit of the king. From this it is understood that the Lord of this temple received the continued patronage of Sethupathi ruler and revealed the extension of the cultural importance of this temple.

Based on the above facts it becomes clear that Adavalleswarar temple and Arulala Perumal temple, right from its erection and inception, to the periods of the Vijayanagar, passing through the Chola, Pandya and Vijayanagara, rule rendered yeomen religious service to the society and continues the same even now.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A.R.E., 59 of 1919.

[2]:

Ibid.,

[3]:

Ibid.,