Munnur temples as the Public Record Offices

The royal orders, state their deeds and documents were engraved on stone walls.^[1] The documents related to the purchase^[2] and gift of lands to the temples were deposited in the temples.^[3] The rulers paid adequate attention to the preservation of these records. Royal orders issued to this effect were communicated to the temples executives.^[4] The records engraved on the walls of this temple are long lasting as they could withstand minor natural calamities. They throw light on the important deeds of the Kings, the day to day administration of the kingdom, the economic, social and religious life of the land and other public benefactions. Besides, the temples acted as the record office, archives in the modern sense of the land. Several records found engraved and preserved on the outer walls of the vimanas, the mandapas and prakaras prove this. This shows the historical sense of our ancients in preserving the past by way of engraving their deeds on the face of 'stones of ages’. The records carry different details of taxes levied by the government and other agencies.^[5] Several records register the types of crimes and nature of punishments given to the criminals and offenders of this period.^[6] The socio-religious, politico-economic and cultural condition of the people, partially at least, is also referred to in these inscriptions. The relations and their natures with the neighbouring countries^[7] are also referred to in these records. The administrative arrangements, the duties discharged by various officials and the effective functioning of the village assemblies are also attested to by these records. When this temple preserved the history of the land, it is not wrong to call them record offices.