PUDUKKOTTAI: Renovation of the noted Kasi Viswanatha temple near Aranthangi in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukkottai district has unexpectedly thrown up two new inscriptions that throw light on two erstwhile local rulers who also perhaps sought to spread the virtues of ‘nila dhaanam (land gifts for charitable purpose as part of a humane social order)’.
Eminent epigraphist and historian, Dr. A. Chandra Bose has discovered the new inscriptions of the two erstwhile kings, Ekaperumal Tondaimanar and Raghunatha Tondaimanar of Aranthangi from the Kasi-Vishwanatha temple, as it was getting a facelift at a feverish pace last week. The ‘Visuvanathapuram (hamlet)’ belonged to the Edaiyankottai village in Arantangi taluk of Pudukkottai district.
Dr. Bose, who is History professor at the H.H. The Rajah’s college, Pudukkottai, told DC that of these two new inscriptions,the first one is dated saka year 1440 (1440+78=1518 AD) of Ekapperumal Tondaimanar, erstwhile king of Aranthangi. It was found written on both sides of the doorframe, which has been removed from the temple and kept on the floor due to the ongoing renovation works.
As stated in the inscription, seven ma (a measure) of lands as Tirunamattukkani (tax-exempted land donated to Siva temple) were donated from Kandamangalam-Singa Seermai in Araiyarkulam Patru (division) to the Aludaiya Paramasuvami temple of Tirupperunturai known as Avudaiyarkovil.
This epigraphical record talks about a land grant made to the temple at Avudaiyarkovil by Arantangi Tondaiman, he added. The Shiva temple at Avudaiyarkovil goes back to the 9th century when it was first proposed by the great Tamil poet-saint Manickkavasagar and completed later by the Ara nthangi rulers known as ‘Thondaimanars’, he pointed out.
Dr. Bose said that the second inscription, dated to the Pingala year is engraved on a smaller doorframe kept on the floor in front of the temple at Visuvanathapuram. This incomplete stone record also refers to the Tirupperundurai Avudaiyar temple and an Arantangi king Raghunatha Tondaimanar. Paleographically, it belongs to 16th century AD, he added.
Dr Bose reasoned these two inscriptions should have logically been in the Avudaiyar Kovil temple, as there was no apparent connection between the stone inscriptions found in the Kasi Visuvanatha temple premises now and the shrine itself.
Quoting from oral traditions, Dr. Bose said after the construction process was over in the 16th century AD at Tirupperundurai Avudaiyarkoyil temple, the excess stone pieces could have been taken to several places around Avudaiyarkoyil. This fact has been confirmed with the help of stone inscriptions now found at Visuvanathapuram hamlet, he added.
