TIRUCHY: A team of history enthusiasts researching inscriptions at Samavedeeswarar temple at Thirumangalam stumbled upon a Chola-period inscription at a temple in Lalgudi which they said mentions the latter to actually be the spot where a 11th century ‘Ayotthiyalvar temple’ once stood.
R Akila, Assistant Professor, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri, and Dr M Nalini, Head, Department of History, Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Tiruchy, while working on the inscriptions of Samavedeeswarar temple came across information on a mahasabha that convened at the courtyard of ‘Ayotthiyalvar temple’ during Chola emperor Kulothunga I’s reign.
The duo then held enquiries on the ‘Ayotthiyalvar temple’ with Samavedeeswarar temple staff. The latter expressed ignorance of such a temple but pointed to a Varadharaja Perumal temple nearby. With the help of Gopalakrishna Madavan, the priest at Varatharaja Perumal temple, the team identified two stone records inscribed on the inner walls of the shrine.
While the one on the northern wall was damaged, the other on the south wall bore a stone slab 1.30 m long and 40 cm wide. R Kalaikkovan, Director, Dr M Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, who examined the inscriptions, said one-third portion of the upper part of the slab had several emblems of a mercantile group with equipment like plough, sickle, etc.
The lower portion of the slab had nine lines engraved in Tamil. All the letters are legibly carved and it may date back to 11th century CE on paleographical grounds, the team said. The record identifies the venue as Thiruayotthi Emperuman Thirumurram and mentions the donor as Pakavirukarar. It is not clear whether the name points to an individual or a group but it shows that the spot housed the ancient Chola-period Ayotthiyalvar temple once, the team said. The finding has been informed to the authorities, they added.