No.
123 to 125 Madhuvanesvara, Mahalingasvamin, Varaha-Perumal temples
No.
126 to 127 Chandrasekhara & Ghritasthanesvara temples
No.
128 Madras Museum plates of Uttama-Chola
No.
129 to 133 Nagesvarasvamin, Umambesvara, Adimulesvara temples
No.
134 to 137 Virattanesvara, Ujjivanathasvamin, Nagesvarasvamin
temples
No.
138 to 141 Mahalingasvamin, Vatatirthanatha, Nedungalanatha temples
No.
142 Manikanthesvara temples at Tirumullaivayil
No.
143 to 147 Adhipurisvara, Apatsahayesvara, Umamahesvara temples
No.
148 to 150 Sivayoganathasvamin, Siddhanathasvamin temples
No.
151 Umamahesvarasvamin temple at Konerirajapuram
No.
151-A On the east and north walls of the same shrine
No.123.—
ON THE SOUTH WALL OF THE CENTRAL SHRINE IN THE MADHUVANESVARA
TEMPLE AT TIRUKKALAVUR
This
record which is dated in the 16th year of
Parakesarivarman, registers a sale of land by the village assembly,
for the maintenance of a lamp in the temple of Siva at
Tirukkarugavur. The
inscription may be one of king Parakesarivarman uttama-Chola on
account of its high regnal year, if not one of Parakesarivarman
Parantaka I.
(Line
1.). Hail ! Prosperity
! In the 3rd year of (the reign of) king
Parakesarivarman, (to the god) Mahadeva (Siva) of
Tirukkarugavur.
(L.
3.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the 16th year of (the reign
of) king Parakesarivarman, we the great men of the chief
assembly (mula-parudai) of this village gave the following
land free of taxes till the moon and the sun (endure) to this
god Mahadeva (Siva) of Tirukkarugavur.
(L.
7.) Two ma of our land of Sabhaikuttuvan in the northern kandam
of the land belonging to the sacred interior and one ma (of
land) to the west of the southern kandam,—
in all, three ma of land comprised of two tadi
; and one kani of land (called) Sundaikuli in (the
field called) Sabhaikuttuvan which being a mania is
cultivated and is yielding crop; —
together, three ma and (one) kani of land
including excess and deficiency (in measurement), (we)
have sold and received thirty-one kasu of palavavu.
Having received these thirty-one kasu we the great men
of the chief assembly sold this land (viz.,) three ma
and kam
to (the god) Mahadeva (Siva) of Tirukkarugavur and
exempted it from taxes, it being tax-free already, as long as the
moon and the sun (endure).
This (shall be under)the protection of (the
assembly of) all Mahesvaras.
No.
124.— ON THE NORTH
WALL OF THE CENTRAL SHRINE IN THE MAHALINGASVAMIN TEMPLE AT
TIRUVIDAIMARUDUR
This
inscription is dated in the 4th year of Parakesarivarman
and registers that the assembly of Tiraimur, the merchants of
Tiruvidaimarudil (the modern Tiruvidaimarudur), the trustees
and other officers of the temple assembled in the theatrical hall of
the temple and made up an account of the gifts of gold made for
maintaining lamps in that temple.
It is stated that the stones which bore the original
inscriptions regardings these gifts were placed in underground
cellars and when the temple was renovated, true copies were made of
them and that from these copies the documents were re-incised on the
stone walls of the renovated temple.
One such gift was that made by Kadupatttigal
Nandippottaraiyar for burning a lamp called Kumaramartandan.
The
acting of dramas in temples is mentioned in a Tanjore inscription of
the time of Rajaraja I. The
present record contains, though incidentally, an earlier reference
to dramatic performances by introducing the term nadagasalai in line
1. The inscription
gives us also an idea of how the important documents of a temple
were engraved on stones and preserved in underground cellars and how
when the temples had to be renovated they were copied over and
re-engraved.
Kadupattigal
Nandippottaraiyar may possibly be Nandivarman Pallavamalla of the
Udayaendiram grant.
(Line
1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the 4th year and [3]25th
day of (the reign of) king Parakesarivarman, there being
present in the theatrical hall (nadagasalai) of the god at
Tiruvidaimarudil, the assembly of Tiraimur whose business it was to
regulate the temple affairs (srikaryam) of this god, the
merchants (nagarattar) of Tiruvidaimarudil, the trustees of
the sacred temple, the temple-accountant Marudan Piramakutan, and
the temple manager (srikaryamarayginra) Pusalankudaiyar, an
account was made up of the lamps maintained from the interest (on
money)deposited for (the benefit of) the god.
(L.
2.) All the documentary stones of (i.e., relating of) (investments
on) interest (by the temple) having been copied over and kept as on the stones
which were placed below in the underground cellars, prior to the
renovation of this temple (srikoyil) in stone, it was ordered
that in the same manner as the transferred copies were made before (from
the originals) (they) may now be re-engraved on the
stones of the sacred stone temple; and (the following) (copy)
was thus engraved on the stone:—
Kadupattigal Nandippottaraiyar gave 60 kalanju of gold for a lamp
called Kumaramarttandan.
One lamp (has to be maintained) from (one) uri
of ghee to be measured (daily) by the (members of the)
assembly of Tiraimur who received this sixty kalanju of gold.
No.
125.— ON THE NORTH
BASE OF THE CENTRAL SHRINE IN THE VARAHA-PERUMAL TEMPLE AT
TIRUVADANDAI
The
record is dated in the 6th year of Parakesarivarman and
registers a gift of gold for a lamp to the Manavala-Perumal temple
at Tiruvaidavandai situated in Paduvur-nadu, a subdivision of
Amur-kottam.
(Line
1.) Hail ! Prsperity ! In the 6th year of (the reign
of) king Parakesarivarman, we the villagers (urom) of
Tiruvidavandai in Paduvur-nadu, (a subdivision) of
Amur-kottam signed (the following deed) : -
(L.
2.) (Whereas) we have received thirty kalanju of gold
from the hands of Nakkan Enadi, the headman of Innambar on the
northern bank (of the Kaveri) in the Chola country (So-nadu),
(we affirm that) we have received this gold and agree
to measure 90 nali of oil (as interest) on this 30 kalanju
of gold, at (one) ulakku of oil every day, for (burning)
one perpetual lamp in (the temple of) Manavala-Perumal of
this village. We (thus)
agreed and received the gold and shall measure for this gold and (quantity
of) oil (agreed upon) as long as the moon land the sun (endure).
We the villagers (also) agree that we shall not pay
gold and say (that it is for) interest.
If we fail (to do) this, we shall submit (to a fine of)
four and a quarter kanam for each day (of default), in
a court of justice after producing the undigai and pattigai
(effects ?) and we
shall also pay as manrupadu (one) manjadi of
gold for every day (of default), to the then-reigning king.
And paying this fine and the manrupadu, we the
villagers (still) agree to measure out without (further)
default to (the persons of) the tiruvunnaligai-variyam this (stipulated
quantity of) oil for burning (the lamp).