No. 93 to 94 natural cave at Vedal & Silaiyamman, Airavatesvara temple

No. 89 to 92 Ghritasthanesvara temple & Jnanaparamesvara temple

No. 93.—  ON A SLAB SET UP IN FRONT OF THE SILAIYAMMAN TEMPLE AT NERKUNAM.[1]

This inscription, dated in the 24^th year of Rajakesarivarman, registers a grant of land for the upkeep of a tank at Nerukunram on the eastern side of Singapura-nadu by the Nambiyamallanar, son of Nripatungamangalapperaraiyan.  The name Nripatungamangalapperaraiyan and the achaic characters of the inscription make it very probable that the record is one of Rajakesarivarman Aditya I.

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the 24^th year of (the reign of) king Rajakesarivarman, the (following gift of) erippatti (viz., the fields), Marudancheruvu, Kodumadi and Kaluval was made by Nambiyamallan, son of Nripatungamangalapperaraiyar, declaring these to be tank-land (erippatti) for (the maintenance of) the tank at Nerkunram on the eastern side (kilvali)[2] of Singapura-nadu. If we, the villager, assert our occupancy rights (kudimai-sey) (in such a way) as to reduce this (charity), we shall enter the hell lower than the seventh hell.  He who reduces the erippatti  shall also enter the hell lower than the seventh hell.  The feet of the person who protects and perpetuates this shall be on my head.

(L. 27.) Nambiyamallan, gave, solely for (the benefit of) the tank, every kind of duty levied by the assembly (manrupadu) including anavay-dandam[3].  Whose reduces this shall also enter the hell lower than the seventh hell.  We, the villagers, also shall enter the hell lower than the seventh hell, if we assert our occupancy rights so as to reduce this (charity).  The feet of him who protects and perpetuates this shall be on my head.

No. 94.—  ON THE NORTH WALL OF THE CENTRAL SHRINE IN THE AIRAVATESVARA TEMPLE AT NIYAMAM.[4]

The record belongs to the 24^th year of the early Chola king Rajakesarivarman and has to be assigned to Aditya I on palaeographical grounds.  It registers a gift of gold by Adigal Gandan Marambavai[5], queen of Nandippottaraiyar of the Pallavatilaka race.  The fact that this Pallava queen made a grant in the reign of the Chola king suggests that the Pallavas had been completely subdued by this time, as stated in the Tiruvalangadu grant and that Nandippottaraiyar, the husband of Marambavai, was also dead.

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! . . . . . . . . king Rajakesari[varman]. . . . . . . .  .. I, Adigal Gandan Marambavaiyar, the great queen of Nandippottaraiyar of the Pallavatilaka-race, deposited[6] five kalanju of pure gold (urkarchemmai-pon)[7] . . . . . . . . . assigning five nali of ghee, milk and curd for sacred offerings . . . . . . . to (the god)Mahadeva (Siva) on the equinoxial days (Vishu) in (the months) Aippigai (Aippasi) and Sittirai . . . . . . . . . . . [a]lakku . . . . . . . . . for sacred offerings and sacred . . . . . . . . one padakku and four nali of rice for sacred offerings to (other gods) including the subsidiary (deities) ; again for sacred offerings . . . . . . . and other required food of the gods (avisu), so that on those days twenty Brahmanas may take food and boys (manigal)⁴ [and the devotees] (devaradiyar) who do service in this temple may be fed.

(L. 7.) And I, Isvarakkarani Vamadevan Tiruvenkanda, the priest (pattudaiyan) of this temple, received the gold (assuring the donor) that from the gold, (viz.,) half kalanju and one-eighths at each pu (crop) accruing as interest at (the rate of) one-eighth every pu  (crop) on each kalanju, I shall maintain (the charity) thus (described) on these days (This gift is placed under) the protection of (the assembly of) All Mahesvaras.