Throws light on the socio-economic life of the people of that time

Research scholars have found more Chola period inscriptions at the Sri Erumbeeswarar Temple situated on a hillock at Tiruverumbur on the outskirts of the city throwing light on the socio-economic life of the people who had lived there then.

The inscriptions were found by R. Akila, Assistant Professor, Department of History of Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri, and M.Nalini, Head, Department of History, Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College during studies carried out at the temple recently, according to R. Kalaikkovan, Director, Dr. M. Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research.

Though the temple dates back to 6th century C.E., the present construction belongs to 10th century C. E. and the credit of converting it into a stone temple goes to Chembiyan Vedivelan, a philanthropist who lived in the early Chola period.

Dr. Kalaikkovan, said that earlier studies by the scholars at the temple had led to the discovery of nine inscriptions of Chola, Pandya and Vijayanagar period and the present study covered almost all the fragmentary inscriptions scattered all around the outer prakara of the temple. “Nearly 40 fragments were found and all of them belonged to the Chola period. The fragments of inscriptions were found on the stones on the compound wall of the temple. The latest study has helped give a better understanding of certain older records and provided fresh details about people who lived during the Chola rule,” he said. The continuity of the inscriptions has been lost as the stones have been mixed up possibly during renovations, he added.

Information on mutts

The inscriptions that were found now throw interesting information on two Saivite mutts that had apparently existed there. One of the inscriptions states that nearly 24 ‘veli’(a measure) of land was gifted to a mutt named after Thirunavukkarasar, who had sung sacred hymns in this temple, during the 30th regnal year of Rajaraja Chola III. A royal order provided 10 veli of tax-free land to another Saivite mutt named after Sambandar that existed in the temple quarters.

Another inscription of Rajaraja III was again a royal order by which certain portion of fertile land was allotted to the Thiruvudai Maruthudai Nayanar temple that is still to be seen at Koothapar, a nearby village.

The name of the government official who had written the royal document and the names of the individuals of the revenue department who had passed the order are also recorded.

An undated Chola record reveals a sad story of the residents of two villages namely Cheppankudi and Kadalankudi who had abandoned their villages due to severe drought. “This had caused a severe setback to the temple management since the lands of these villages belonged to the temple. The barren lands were sold on auction to compensate the loss. Such auctions were common and reported in several records of Chola period,” Dr. Kalaikkovan said.

Names of villages, officials and local chieftains such as Vijayalaya Muttaraiyar and Srikanda Nayaka Piriyan, the temple accountant, could be gleaned from a few fragments. Some of them provide details on town planning.

It is also understood that literate residents of the villages helped the illiterates by signing the documents on behalf of them which was a common practice in those days. Certain details on the temple worship and offerings are also available in the records. The Department of Epigraphy has been informed about the new finds, Dr. Kalaikkovan added.