Temples in Kovilur (Usattanam)

In Section 9 of “Temples of Rajaraja Ill’s Time” (Ch. 14), we have already dealt with this temple dedicated to Mantrapurisvara and traced its growth till the death of Rajaraja III. Kovilur, which went under the name of Usattanam during the Chola days, is a village in the Pattukkottai taluk of the Tanjavur district.

Mantrapurisvara temple

The Usattanam temple renovated in Vikrama Chola’s days received considerable attention from the last two rulers of the dynasty. Here we deal with the expansion of and additions to this temple during the days of Rajendra III.

There are about twenty inscriptions assignable to the reign of Rajendra III. One, of his fourth year (ARE 185 of 1908), records a gift of paddy to the temple by the tenants of the temple lands. From this inscription, it is learnt that the king had the title of Manu-kulam-edutta Perumal.

i) Bhuvanapati Nachchiyar shrine

Two inscriptions of the same (i.e., the fourth) regnal year and one of his fifth year (ARE 187, 188 and 189 of 1908) mention a shrine for Bhuvanapati Nachchiyar—which has to be distinguished from that of Tirukkamakkottam Udaiya Periya Nachchiyar built

in the 20th year of Rajaraja III (ARE 195 of 1908); these inscriptions refer to gifts made by one Ponnambalakkuttan alias Irumudi Solap-pallavaraiyan to burn a lamp in the shrine, gifts by the lady-servants of the temple and a gift of land for offerings tp the Goddess by the residents of Mummudisolapuram in Puran-garambai nadu, a part of Rajendrasola valanadu.

ii) Sambandar and Appar shrines

An inscription of the tenth year of Rajendra III (ARE 186 of 1908) records a gift of land for offerings to the shrine of Pillaiyar Nayanar (Sambandar) and of Tirunavukkarasu Nayanar (Appar). Another of the same year (on the north side of the base of the verandah of the first prakara— ARE 212 of 1908) records a gift of land for offerings by the Assembly of Suttamalli chaturvediman-galam in Purangarambai nadu of Rajendrasola valanadu.

There are four inscriptions of the eleventh year of this king (a.d. 1256). Of these, two mention a local Chola feudatory, Paiyulan Periyan Alagiya Perumal alias Solagangan. One (ARE 202 of 1908) records a gift of land for worship and repairs in the temple of Usattanam Udaiya Nayanar by the order of this Chief. The other (ARE 205 of 1908) records a gift of land to this temple by the same Chief. Yet another (ARE 204 of 1908) records a gift of duties payable (in kind) on each ‘bullock load’ (podi) of paddy and rice carried by the road called Jananathan-padai, to the temple of Usattanam Udaiya Nayanar by order of the villagers of Mummudisolapuram in pursuance of the directions of the prince’ (king). A sale of land is mentioned in the fourth inscription of that year (ARE 208 of 1908). It also refers to the land-survey in the 38th year of ‘Periya Devar Tribhuvana Vira devar’ (Kulot-tunga III) (= a.d. 1216).

Of the three inscriptions of the 12th year of this ruler, one refers to a gift of land to the temple by Aditta devan, a native of Vellur in Paiyur kottam, a district of Perun-Tondaimandalam (ARE 206 of 1908; see also ARE 207 of 1908, an inscription relating to the 13th regnal year).

iii) Pallavan Madevisvaram shrine

In the 12th regnal year of this king, an officer of the king, called Vanaraya alias Soliyavaraiyan, made a gift of land to the image of Pallavan-Madevisvaram-Udaiya Nayanar (ARE 210 of 1908); another records a gift of land for a malha called Vanarayan matham.

iv) Kuttadu Nayanar matham

From another record (ARE 218 of 1908), which mentions a gift of land to a matha, we come to know of a Saiva teacher called Paripuma Sivacharya who headed that, called Kuttadu Nayanar matham, said to have been located on the western side of the temple; he is said to have come of the lineage (santana) of Tiruchchatti-murram-mudaliar. The same guru is said to have made a gift of money for offerings to the image of Alagiya-Tiruch-Chirrambalam Udaiyar set up by him in the temple (ARE 220 of 1908).

A gift of land for the maintenance of a flower-garden was made in the 17th year of the king (= a.d. 1267, ARE 223 of 1908). An inscription of the 28th year (ARE 216 of 1908) records a gift of land for offerings to the image of Tirujnanam-perra-pillaiyar (Sambandar) by a merchant of Mummudisolapuram. It refers also to the revenue survey of the 38th year of Kulottunga III.

The last Chola inscription is one of the 30th year (a.d. 1276) of Rajendra III (ARE 193 of 1908). It records a gift of land to the shrine of Subrahmanyar by the Assembly of Peru-valvu-tanda-Perumal chaturvedimangalam (i.e., modem Peruvalandan) in Purangarambai nadu, a subdivision of Rajendrasola valanadu. We are not clear about the surname ‘Peruvalvu tandan’—whether, and, if so, in what sense it is applied to Rajendra III.

This was a period of great popularity of the Nayanmars. In many temples, their images were set up; numerous Saiva mathas for the propagation and encouragement of Saivism were set up and flourished during Rajendra Ill’s days. The practice of Devaram hymns being sung by a band of singers in temples is mentioned in one of the inscriptions. A gift of land was made by the order of

Sokkarayan alias Rajagambhira Soliyaraiyar to the Tirukkaikotti Oduvar; a relic of which practices we see in the modem Oduvars of our temples.