No. 15 to 16 on the Cholesvara shrine

No. 17 to 19 Cholesvara & Somananathesvara shrine

No. 15.- On the base of the Cholesvara shrine

This inscription is dated in the 29^th year of the reign of Chola king Rajaraja I. and opens with the usual historical introduction, where, however, this inscription and No. 16 read Tadiga-padi instead of Tadigai-padi or Tadiya-vali.[1]

The inscription records that the citizens of Merpadi granted to the Arinjigai-Isvara temple 5,136 ½ kuli of land, which was bounded in the east by the river Nuga, and in the north by the Cholndrasimhesvara temple.  Nuga is evidently the original name of the river Niva (or Ponnai), on the western bank of which Melpadi is situated, and Cholendra-simhesvara is the ancient designation of the Somanathesvara temple.[2]

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity !  In the 29^th year (of the reign) of the glorious king Rajaraja-Kesarivrman, alias Sri-Rajarajadeva, who, (in) his life of growing strength, during which, - (in) the belief that, as well as the goddess of fortune, the goddess of the great earth had become his wife,- (he) was pleased to destroy the ships (at) Kandalur-Salai and conquered by (his) army, which was victorious in great battles, Vengai-nadu, Ganga-padi, Nulamba-padi, Tadiga-padi, Kudamalai-nadu, Kollam, Kalingam, Ila-mandalam, (the conquest of which) made (him) famous (in) the eight directions, and seven and a half lakshas  of Iratta-padi,- deprived the Seliyas of (their) splendour at the very moment when Udag[ai], which is worshipped everywhere, was (most) resplendent ; - we, the citizens of Merpadi, alias  Rajasrayapuram, in Tunadu, (a subdivision) of Perumbana-padi in Jayankonda-Sola-mandalam, gave land to the god Mahadeva (Siva) of the holy Arinjigai-Isvara (temple) – which the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva had been pleased to build in our city as a resting-place (? Palli-padai) for the king who fell asleep[3] at Arrur, - for the sacred temple, for the temple enclosure,[4] for the temple court, for the temple garden, and for the environs of the temple.[5]

(L. 2.) The (four) boundaries of (this land are) to the west of the river called Nuga; to the north of the limit, eighty-seven rods (in length), of the high-road which, at a breadth of two rods, leads westward from the Nuga river along the northern extremity of the west land of the garden of the merchant (vyaparin) Achcheruman Vayiramegan, (who resides) in the high-street of Mummadi-Sola in this village ; to the east of the street which leads up northward from this limit to Mattavanachcheri, (the quarter) of the dancing-girls of the god of the Solendrasimhisvara (temple) ; and to the south of the high-road which, at a breadth of four rods, leads eastward to the river called Nuga along the southern extremity of the temple garden on the south of the temple of the lord Solendrasimhisvara.  The land enclosed within these four great boundaries, (which measures) five thousand none hundred and thirty-six and a half kuli by the rod of eighteen spans, by which our village is measured and divided, we gave to this god as tax-free temple land.  The channel, a quarter rod in breadth, (which flows) through this land from the river called Nuga (and) supplies water to this land and to the iluppai[6]  field of this god, shall (continue to) supply water to this land and to the iluppai field of this god.

(L. 3.) Thus we, the citizens of Merpadi, alias Rajasrayapuram, having engraved (this) on stone, gave (this land) as tax-free temple land.  At the bidding of these citizens, I, the accountant (karanattan) of this city, Narayanan Adaikkalavan, wrote (this).  This is my writing.  This (gift is placed under) the protection of all Mahesvaras.

No. 16.- On the base of the Cholesvara shrine

The date of this inscription is the same as that of No. 15.  The inscription records that the citizens of Merpadi granted to the Arinjigai-Isvara temple the hamlet of Pulikkunram on the west of the river Nuga, on the north of Kukkanur, on the east of Tenkolli, and on the south of Palainellur.  Pulikkunram itself is not found on the map ; but its southern boundary, Kukkanur,[7] is situated on the road from Tiruvallam to Melpadi, and its western and northern boundaries, Tenkolli and Palainellur, are probably the modern tempalle and Sripadanellur.[8]

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity !  In the 29^th year (of the reign) of the glorious king Rajaraja-Kesarivarman, alias Sri-Rajarajadeva, who, etc.,[9] - we, the citizens of Merpadi, alias Rajasrayapuram, in Tunadu, (a subdivision) of Perumbana-padi in Jayankonda-Sola-mandalam, gave the following land as temple land for the expenses (nibandha) required by (the god) Mahadeva of the Arinjigai-Isvara (temple) which the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva had been pleased to build in our city as a resting-place for the king who fell asleep at Arrur.  The eastern boundary of Pulikkunram, - (which is one) among the villages that were acquired and belong to our village as hamlets (pidagai), which is not divided into house-sites (manai)[10] and which is the common property of city,- (is) to the west of the river called Nuga ; the southern boundary (is) to the north of the boundary of Kukkanur ; the western boundary (is) to the east of the boundary of Te[n]kolli ; and the northern boundary (is) to the south of the boundary of Palainellur.

(L. 2.) (The village of) Pulikkunram, enclosed within these four great boundaries, the whole land of this Pulikkunram, including wet land, dry land and jungle, (and) not excluding the cultivated land, - we, the citizens of Merpadi, alias Rajasrayapura, gave for the expenses required by this god, as tax-free temple land, having engraved (this) on stone.  At the bidding of the citizens, I, the accountant of this city, Narayanan Adaikkalvavan, wrote (this).  This is my writing.  This (gift is placed under) the protection of all Mahesvaras.