Temples in Madurantakam

Madurantakam, in the Chingleput district, is a railway station on the Madras-Villuppuram line of the Southern Railway. As in the case of Kattu-mannar-gudi alias Viranarayana Chaturvedimangalam, this town also is described as a taniyur (equivalent to a modem municipality) and a chaturvedimangalam, brahman settlement). It should have been one of the many chaturvedimangalams which, according to the Kanya-kumari inscription of Vira Rajendra, were created by Parantaka I. The great irrigation tank nearby should also have been his creation, similar to the Yiranam tank near Kattu-mannargudi. An inscription of Kulot-tunga I (138 of 1895) makes mention of Virasolan Per-eri. Virasolan is a surname of Parantaka I, and hence the reference should only be to this huge tank evidently named after him. Some streets and channels in this town are named after this and other surnames of his: Vira Narayana and Virasola Vaikkal are found mentioned in an inscription (128 of 1896). The quarters occupied by the merchants bore the name of Virasolan Perangadi (vide 395 of 1922).

1. Kodandarama Perumal temple (Vishnu)

There are three temples in this place. The present Vishnu temple of Kodandarama is called that of Tiru-Ayodhya Perumal in inscriptions. It lies close to the bund of the local tank. In this temple, there is an inscription of the 7th year of a certain Parantaka. The Government Epigraphist opines that the characters of the inscription appear to be of a later date than that of Parantaka I. It describes Madurantaka Chatur-vedimangalam as a taniyur situated in Kalattur Kottam, a sub-division of Jayangonda Chola Mandalam. Jayangondar is a surname of Rajaraja I, so this inscription should belong to an age later than that of Rajaraja I. A son of Kulottunga I, called Parantaka, seems to have ruled over Vengi and the northern parts of the Chola empire during the last years of Kulottunga I. Perhaps he was recognized as heir-apparent with effect from a.d. 1111-12. Evidently, the local Parantaka inscription should be ascribed to him (early 12th century; E. I. Vol. XXXII, no 22). It mentions a grant of land as Tiruvidaiyattam to Tiru Ayodhya Perumal by the Perunguri Sabha of Sri Madurantaka Chatur-vedimangalam as per royal order.

2. Svetaranyesvara temple (Siva) (Tiruvenkattup-Paramesvara)

The deity of the Siva temple, at Kadapperi near the Madurantakam railway station, is called Svetaranyesvara, and in inscriptions by the Tamil equivalent, Tiru-Venkattup-Paramesvara. The earliest inscription in this temple is that of the 12th year and 130th day of Madiraikonda Rajakesari, Sundara Chola (396 of 1922). It concerns a gift of land for the benefit of the king’s long life and victory. There are also two inscriptions of Rajaraja I (395 and 397 of 1922). The first makes provision for the celebration of a festival in honour of this deity, and the second refers to an assignment of land by the mahasabha of Madurantaka mangalam for opening a new street round the temple called TiruVenkattup-Perunteruvu, to settle Siva-Brah-manas, Uvachars (pipers), Tapasvins and Devaradiyars.

3. Arunachalesvara temple (Siva)

There is another Siva temple, lying close to the eastern bund of the great tank, now called that of Arulalesvara and referred to in inscriptions of Vikrama Chola and Kulottunga II as both Arulales-varam and Akalanka Isvaram. Arulala is a surname of Naralokavira, a general and minister as well as a great temple-builder of the days of Kulottunga I and Vikrama Chola. Akalankan is a surname of Vikrama Chola. This Siva temple might have been a foundation of Naralokavira in the days of Vikrama Chola.

The Kodandarama temple (later renovated) and the Svetaranyesvara temple should be Early Chola temples.