MADURAI: A 13th-century inscription belonging to the Pandya era was found in a dilapidated temple at Pothanathi village by archaeologists from the Pandiyanadu Cultural Foundation.
Alerted by Pothanadhi Panchayat President Vinayagamoorthy, a team led by Pandiyanadu Cultural Foundation Archaeological Field Inspector and Assistant Professor of History D Muneeswaran and comprising archaeologists Ananthakumaran and Karuppasamy, inspected a 700-year-old Shiva temple in ruins. They found the sanctum sanctorum, mandapam and the tower of the brick temple in a dilapidated condition.
"Pillars of the temple's mandapam that withstood the test of time bear sculptures of guards. It is learnt that the village gained its name from Pothan, who reigned the western bank of Kousika river in ancient times. The inscription stone found at the temple was three-feet long, two-feet wide and has eight lines written in Tamil," Muneeswaran said. Estampages were taken with the help of retired assistant director of Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department C Santhalingam, as many words were not legible due to wear and tear.
"The inscription dates back to the period of Pandya King Maravarman Sundara Pandian- I who ruled from 1216 to 1239 AD, and the estampages obtained from the temple reveals that the temple was known as Thiruvalavuyadar Shiva temple. Also it says that the temple land was donated to carry out temple rituals," Muneeswaran added.