INSCRIPTIONS OF RAJAKESARIVARMAN 

No. 126.

(A.R. No. 139 of 1931.)

Tiruchchatturai, Tanjore Taluk, Tanjore District.

On the north wall of the central shrine, Odanavanesvara temple.

This records an endowment of l30 kalanju of gold by Velan Tiruvenkadadigal alias Muvenda-Pidavur-Velan of Pidavur in Pidavur-nadu for burning a perpetual lamp in the temple of Tiruchchorrutturai-Mahadeva.  The urkilar-makkal  of Kodiyalam, the brahmadeya-Kuavargal and the urar of the village, held themselves responsible for the maintenance of the lamp.  Evidently the same gift is recorded in No. 137 of 1931 also in Sanskrit, the next of which is given below.  To judge from its writing and disposition with regard to No. 138 of 1931 of the 13^th year of Parantaka I, this is possible a record of Gandaraditya.

No. 127.

(A.R. No. 219 of 1931.)

Manamadi, Chingleput Taluk, Chingleput District.

On the wall of the central shrine, Tirukkarisvara temple.

This inscription is built in at the beginning of the lines.  It records an endowment of a land for burning a perpetual lamp in the temple of Tirukkara-puradeva at Kalakkattur (Manamadi) by a resident of the village.

No. 128.

(A.R. No. 442 of 1904.)

Vedaranyam, Tirutturaipundi Taluk, Tanjore District.

On a pillar in the mandapa in front of the central shrine, Vedaranyesvara temple.

This inscription is damaged.  It seems to record an allocation of paddy from certain fields, to provide for offerings daily during the midday service in the temple of Bhuvanavitankadeva at Tirumaraikkadu, and for (special) offerings to the deity on the festival days in the months of Aippigai and Masi.  Mention is made of Tirumaraikkadan Sokkan alias Soliyanga . . . . . . . . . . probably a donor.

No. 129.

(A.R. No. 381 of 1905.)

Kaveripakkam, Arkonam Taluk, North Arcot District.

On the north wall of the central shrine, Sundaravarada-Perumal temple.

This inscription is left unfinished, and stops with the mention of Paduvurkottam.

No. 130.

(A.R. No. 382 of 1905.)

On the west and south walls of the same shrine.

This inscription registers a gift of 90 sheep for burning a lamp in the temple of Kirttima[r*]ttanda-Kalap[ri*]yadeva by Sambakkan, son of  Pandipparan Kumarasetti, a merchant of Kirttima[r*]ttanda-ttanda-Kalap[ri]yam village in Sirutimiri-nadu, a district in Paduvur-kottam.  The late Mr. V. Venkayya surmised that the temple might have owed its origin to the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III in whose Karhad inscription (Epigraphia Indica, Vol. IV, p. 281), the king is stated to have encamped at Melpadi for constructing temples to Kalapriya, Gandamarttanda, Krishnesvara and others (M.E.R. 1906, II. 21).  The Rajakesarivarman of this inscription was very probably Sundara-Chola.

No. 131.

(A.R. No. 220 of 1906.)

Perangiyur, Tirukkoyilur Taluk, South Arcot District.

On the north and west walls of the central shrine, ruined Siva temple.

This inscription registers an endowment of two plots of land made by the assembly (perunguri-perumakkal) of Peringur, one for burning a perpetual lamp in the temple of Mulasthanattu-Perumanadigal, and the other for the daily feeding of a tapasvin in the temple, made for the merit of a servant f the temple named Ganavadi Nambi Aruran who is said to have sacrificed his life for the service of the deity. The exact nature of the sacrifice and the necessity for it are not given in the inscription.  The former land is stated to have been left in charge of the Rudraganap-perumakkal for being reclaimed.  This may belong to Rajaraja I to whose inscription (No. 219 of 1906) on the same wall it bears a close resemblance in writing.

No. 132.

(A.R. No. 268 of 1906.)

Tirumalpuram, Arkonam Taluk, North Arcot District.

On the south wall of the central shrine, Manikanthesvara temple.

This records a gift of 20 cows for the supply of milk for the early morning service of the deity in the temple of Tirumalperu-Udaiyar, by Madirantakan Gandaradi[t*]tan.  This is evidently a record of Rajaraja I  in whose records this donor largely figures.

No. 133.

(A.R. No. 215 of 1907.)

Tiruvidaimarudur, Kumbakonam Taluk, Tanjore District.

On thenorth wall of the central shrine, Mahalingasvain temple.

This is evidently an inscription of Rajaraja I.  It states that queen [Pancha]van-Madeviyar paid a visit to the temple of Tiruvidaimarududaiyar to offer worship to the deity, when she was waited upon by Sirrayiludaiyan the temple manager, the devakarmis, the sabha and the nagaram (merchant guild ?) of Tiruvidaimarudil.  She is also said to have visited the big flower-garden (presented to the temple by ?)Sembiyan-Madevi, and this occasion seems to have been marked by some gift of land for the upkeep of the gardener.  At this portion the record is damaged.

No. 134.

(A.R. No. 322 of 1907.)

Tiruvisalur, Kumbakonam Taluk, Tanjore District.

On the north wall of the central shrine, Sivayoganathasvamin temple.

The characters are similar to those in No. 135 below.  This records a provision made for a lamp in the temple of Tiruvisalur-Perumal by Narayani Sani, the wife of Aridan Nilakantan Kadan of Korrangudi in Peravur-nadu (s.a. Kottangudi in the Mayavaram taluk).

No. 135.

(A.R. No. 323 of 1907.)

On the same wall.

This is a slightly damaged record, registering some provision made by a native of Paiyur-kottam for burning a perpetual lamp in the temple of Tiruvisalur-Alvar at Amaninarayana-chaturvedimangalam.  Avaninarayana was a well known title of Pallava Nandivarman III (S.I.I. Vol. XII, p. 28).  Paiyur-kottam seems to have roughly comprised the present Ponneri taluk of the Chingleput district (See A. R.  No. 252 of 1912).

No. 136.

(A.R. No. 571 of 1908.)

Tiruppalatturai, Trichinopoly Taluk, Trichinopoly District.

On the north wall of thecentral shrine, Adimulesvara temple.

The inscription is badly damaged.  It probably records the setting up of the image of the dvarapalaka on the southern side of the entrance by (two) persons whose names are lost.

No. 137.

(A.R. No. 117 of 1911.)

Tiruvaramesvaram, Mannargudi Taluk, Tanjore District.

On the south wall of the central shrine, Ramanathesvara temple.

This is incomplete and damaged.  It seems to register the exemption granted by the mahasabha of Madanamanjari-chaturvedimangalam a brahmadeya  of Nenmalinadu to the temple of Tiruviramisvarattu-mahadeva at the village from the payment of taxes on one (veli) and a half of land endowed after purchase by Tirumanjanappichchar, a servant (karmi) of the temple, in consideration of a lump-sum received by them from the donor.

No. 138.

(A.R. No. 127 of 1914.)

Tiruverumbur, Trichinopoly Taluk, Trichinopoly District.

On the south wall of the central shrine, Pipilikesvara temple.

This records an agreement given, in consideration of a lump amount received from the donor, by the perunguri-sabhai of Srikantha-chaturvedimangalam who had assembled in the (hall called) Tiruchchitrakudam at the village, remitting the payment of the tax due on 4 ma of land endowed by a resident of the village named Tirupper Balasiriyan Madhavan Subrahmanyan for the daily feeding of a Brahmana versed in the Vedas in the feeding-house attached to the temple of Tiruverumbiyur-Alvar on the hill.  This is one of the 6 inscriptions of the place assigned to Aditya I  on the basis of which the dates have been calculated by the late Mr. L. D. Swamikannu Pillai (M.E.R. for 1915, appendix F) with five possible English equivalents in the period of his reign.  But it has been shown above under No. 110 that they may, with greater probability, be referred to the reign of Gandaraditya or Sundara-Chola.

No. 139.

(A.R. No. 130 of 1914.)

On the same wall.

This also like No. 138 above, records an agreement by the perunguri-sabhai (of the village) after their deliberation in the (hall) Tiruchchitrakudam, exempting from tax six ma of land endowed (to the temple) by Mappani Kari Nakkan of Valavur, a resident of the village, for the daily feeding of a Brahmana versed in the Vedas in the feeding house attached to the temple of Tiruverumbiyur-Alvar on the hill, in consideration of a lump-sum received by them from the donor as irai-dravyam.  This donor has been mentioned in No. 51 above.  Possible equivalents of the date given here are discussed by Swamikannu Pillai in M.E.R.  for 1915, page 72, on the assumption that the record was on of Aditya I.  This may also, like No. 138, be assignable to Gandaraditya or Sundara-Chola.

No. 140.

(A.R. No. 131 of 1914.)

On the same wall.

This registers a sale of land tax-free, by the perunguri-sabhai of Srikantha-chaturvedimangalam to Vedivelan, evidently the donor mentioned in No. 51 above of the 3rd year of the king, for forming a madaivilagam (street round the temple. Among the boundaries is mentioned a piece of land granted to the devotees who recited the Tiruppadiyam hymns.

No. 141.

(A.R. No. 349 of 1918.)

Palur, Trichinopoly Taluk, Trichinopoly District.

On the north wall of the central shrine, Sundaresvara temple.

This records an endowment of ten ma of land made by Siriyan Parantakan of Karaikkudi in Vilattur-nadu for the maintenance of two persons singing the Tiruppadiyam  hymns during the three services (every day) in the temple of Paramesvara.  Being engraved in the same characters as Nos.117 and 118 of the king’s 5th year published above, this might be assigned also to the same king (Gandaraditya).

No. 142.

(A.R. No. 357 of 1918.)

On the south wall of the same shrine.

This is much damaged and seems to record a gift of land to the temple of Paramesvara at Paluvur in Vilattur-nadu.

No. 143.

(A.R. No. 359 of 1918.)

On the same wall.

This records the reclamation of an old plot of devadana waste land, 2 ma in extent, by Uran Arangan for the maintenance of a person making flower-garlands to the deity.  Among the boundaries of this plot is mentioned a land belonging to the priest.  This is perhaps the one referred to in No. 339 below of the same king (date lost).

No. 144.

(A.R. No. 444 of 1918.)

Tiruvenkadu, Shiyali Taluk, Tanjore District.

On the north wall of the central shrine, Svetaranyesvara temple.

This is evidently an inscription of Rajaraja I which registers in detail the stock of several gifts made to the temple at different times.  These comprised copper-vessels for the sacred bath of the deity presented in the 4th year of Uttama-Chola by queen-mother Parantakan (or Sembiyan)-Madeviyar ; a gold kolgai set with gems presented by her in the 6th year of the same king ; a golden pot for pinnacle over the temple presented by her in the 3rd year of Rajakesarivarman, evidently Rajaraja I ; another set of rich presents made in the same year by the same lady, consisting of a golden image of Chandrasekharadeva with a gold–plated copper pedestal and silver aureole and ornaments set with gems, besides a silver plate for offerings to the same deity ; a silver pot and some gold ornaments by Sorabbaiyar Tribhuvanamadeviyar, the queen of Uttama-Chola presented in the same year, and a gold flower by the same queen presented in that year in lieu of land gift for the Sivasraddha of her husband ; some gold ornaments made with the money presented to the temple by Parakesarivarman (evidently Uttama-Chola himself) in his 10th and 11th years ; a gold plate (pattam) presented in the 4th year of Uttama-Chola by Koyirpillaiyar to the god, 2 lamp-stands by Parantakan-Madevi and 2 by Madhurantaka  (king) ; lastly 400 kasu given by Parantakan-Madevi in the 2nd year of (her husband) Gandaradityadeva alias Mummudi-Choladeva  towards the Sankranti bath of the deity every month  and which was now, in the 6th year of Rajakesarivarman, converted into a land-endowments by the assembly of Nangur.  At the end is recorded another gift of 125 kalanju presented by the same queen for feeding a Brahman in the temple for the merit of her servant (adiyal) Ilaichchiyan Malapadi for which the same assembly sold a land to her for endowment.

No. 145.

(A.R. No. 28 of 1920.)

Tirumalavadi, Udaiyarpalaiyam Taluk, Trichinopoly District.

On the right wall of the Ganapati shrine, Vaidyanatha temple.

This records a gift of 10 kalanju of gold for a salver (kolgai) for the Sribali offerings (in the temple) by Ayiravan Padaiyalan, the headman of Purisai of Parivadatturai in Arkattuk-kurram on the southern bank (of the Kaveri ?) out of the amount that had been in his charge.

No. 146.

(A.R. No. 585 of 1920.)

Udayargudi (Near Kattumannarkoyil), Chidambaram Taluk, South Arcot District.

On the north, west and south walls of the central shrine, Anantisvara temple.

This records an endowment, tax-free, of ten plots of land after purchasing them from their several owners by Sekkilan Araiyan Sankaranarayanan alias solamuttaraiyan of Merpaluvur in Manaiyir-kottam of Tondai-nadu, who left them for charitable purposes in charge of the assembly of Viranarayana-chaturvedimangalam, called the Sasanabaddha-chaturvedibhatta-perumbadi-sahasradana-perumakkal.

No. 147.

(A.R. No. 601 of 1920.)

On the north wall of the same shrine.

This records a gift of 15 ˝ kalanju of gold (tulaippon) for a perpetual lamp in the temple of Tiruvanantisvaram-Udaiyar at Viranarayana-chaturvedimangalam by Jnani Kalan Annurruvan of Kumaramangalam in Vilattur-nadu.

No. 148.

(A.R. No. 603 of 1920.)

On the same wall.

A gift of 16 kalanju of gold left in charge of the mahasabha, for a perpetual lamp in the temple, by Karambichchedu Vengai Posar Vishnutaliya Dasapuriya Somayaji of Panditavatasalachcheri (quarter) of the village.  Panditavatsala was a surname of Parantaka I (S.I.I.  III, Intr. P. 13).

No. 149.

(A.R. No. 79 of 1921.)

Little Conjeevaram, Conjeevaram Taluk, Chingleput District.

On the west wall of the Durga Shrine, Kachchisvara temple.

This is evidently an inscription of Rajaraja I.  It records a gift of 900 sheep for the maintenance of ten perpetual lamps to be called ‘Rajarajan’ after the name of the king, in the shrine of Ainjandi-Durga-Bhattarki at Kachchippedu. The royal order was communicated by the king’s officer Kon Vidividangan alias Villavan Muvendavelan of Uttarangudi in Arvala-kurram of Sola-nadu, who arranged for the supply of ghee by certain individuals to whom the sheep were distributed.  These sheep are stated to have been captured by Kurukadi-Kilan Paraman Malapadi alias Mummudichcholan on the occasion of his overthrow of Sippuli-nadu and Pakkai-nadu (Paki-nadu).  Of these two region the former is known to have been subjugated by a general of Parantaka I (M.E.R. 1913, II. 8) who is also said to have destroyed Nellore in the course of the same campaign.  By Nellore this Pakkai-nadu should have been meant in particular.  They must have been subsequently lost to the Cholas till they were recaptured in the reign of Rajaraja.

No. 150.

(A.R. No. 80 of 1921.)

On the same wall.

This is probably an unfinished original of No. 149 above.