Early Chola Temples
by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam | 1960 | 105,501 words
This volume of Chola Temples covers Parantaka I to Rajaraja I in the timeframe A.D. 907-985. The Cholas of Southern India left a remarkable stamp in the history of Indian architecture and sculpture. Besides that, the Chola dynasty was a successful ruling dynasty even conquering overseas regions....
Temples in Gandaradittam
Gandaradittam is a village in the Tiruchy district about three miles (4.83 km.) from Tirumalavadi on the northern bank of the Kollidam (Coleroon). Tiru-vaiyaru lies on the opposite southern bank.
It is a town named after Gandaraditya and there is a big irrigation tank near it also named after him.
Sokkanathar temple (Sivalogattu Mahadevar)
There are two inscriptions of the 13th and 14th years of a Parakesarivarman on the walls of the modern temple of Sokka-nathar. These may be assigned to Uttama Chola. The one of his 14th year mentions that Sembarulan Uttama-niti alias Uttama Sola Muvendave-lan of Kolikkurumbur (perhaps a royal officer) erected, at Gandaraditta Chaturvedimangalam, a brahmadeya on the northern bank, a temple to Sivalokattu Mahadevar the old name of the modern Sokkanathar temple and that he made a gift of land to the temple.
The local Vishnu temple is referred to only in an inscription of the 37th year of Tribhuvana Vira devar (i.e. Kulottunga III); and it makes provision for worship, offerings and lamps to the idols of Vatapi Nayaka and Vatapi Vinayaka Pillaiyar. Was this Vishnu temple, also a Siva temple in the past, converted later into a Vaishnavite temple?