Later Chola Temples

by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam | 1979 | 143,852 words

This volume of Chola Temples covers Kulottunga I to Rajendra III in the timeframe A.D. 1070-1280. 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 Korukkai (Rajanarayanapuram)

Korukkai in the Kumbakonam taluk of the Tanjavur district is to be distinguished from Tiruk-kurukkai in the Mayuram taluk of the same district; the latter is about five km. north of Tiru-mananjeri whose temple of Virattanesvara, one of the eight Virattana temples, is connected with the exploit of Yama’s destruction by fire emanating from Siva’s third eye. Korukkai is about 5 km. from Kumbakonam in a south-easterly direction on the road to Nachchiyarkoyil. The temple is to the right of the road (proceeding from Kumbakonam).

Siva (Kulottunga Cholisvaram Udaiyar) temple

The Siva temple here was called in olden days Kulottunga Cholisvaram. There are five inscriptions on the walls of this temple. The earliest, found on the base of the north wall of the central shrine, is one of the 21st year of Tribhuvanachakravartin Kulottunga Deva, ‘the conqueror of Madurai and Ilam, who took the head of the Pandyan king’ (ARE 316 of 1927). It is assignable to Kulottunga III. It registers a gift of twelve of land in Raja-raja mandalam in Jayangondasola valanadu by two persons of Kolattur alias Kulattur in Vandalaivelur kurram in Rajendra-sola valanadu for providing worship to the deity of Lord Kulot-tungasolisvaram Udaiyar in the temple of Kurukkai alias Raja-narayanapuram in Tirunaraiyur nadu, a subdivision of Kulot-tungasola valanadu. ‘Rajanarayana’ was a surname of Kulottunga I and the valanadu in which the village was situated was presumably also named after him. However, as the earliest inscription here, found on the base of the central shrine, has to be assigned to Kulottunga III, I am inclined to attribute this temple to his period. The next inscription, also on the same base, is of the 38th year of Kulottunga III (ARE 317 of 1927); it relates to a sale of 2½ velis of land for 17,700 kasus. An inscription of the ninth year of Tribhuvanachakravartin Rajaraja III records a gift of land by a lady, Karunakara Alvi, for providing worship in the temple (ARE 319 of 1927). Early in the eighteenth century (Saka 1627, Kali Era 4809, a.d. 1705), one Kumaranayyan purchased the village of Korukkai, renamed it as Achyuta Vijaya-raghavapuram and distributed the lands among several temples and persons (ARE 318 of 1927). (Pls. 314-9).

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