Later Chola Temples
by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam | 1979 | 143,852 words
This volume of Chola Temples covers Kulottunga I to Rajendra III in the timeframe A.D. 1070-1280. The Cholas of Southern India left a remarkable stamp in the history of Indian architecture and sculpture. Besides that, the Chola dynasty was a successful ruling dynasty even conquering overseas regions....
Appendix 2: Inscriptions in the Airavatesvarar temple at Darasuram
ARE 16 of 1908: On walls of the central shrine basement: inscribed sculptures of the Tamil Nayanmars (corresponding to Sundarar’s Tiruttondattogai).
17 of 1908: East Wall, 1st prakara: 21st year of Tribhuvana Chakravartin Rajaraja (II?) (« a.d. 1167).
18 of 1908: East Wall, a fragment; Rajadhiraja II, Kadal Sulnda introduction.
19 of 1908: East Wall, unfinished; 12th year of Rajadhiraja II (a.d. 1175).
20 of 1908: South Wall, 8th year of Parakesari Tribhuvanachakravartin Kulottunga (III; a.d. 1186); gift of land for repairs and gilding the sikhara of the temple of Rajarajesvaram Udaiya Nayanar at Rajarajapuram. It is likely that the Amman Temple for Deiva Nayaki was built at this time.
21 of 1908: South Wall, Pandyan: 3rd year of Maravarman Tribhuvanachakravartin Vira Pandya Devar.
22 of 1908: Inner gopuram, Saka 1408 = a.d. 1486, gift for worship and offerings to the temple of Trarasuram’.
23 of 1908: Maravarman Sri Vallabha devar—provision for repairs and festivals in the temple of Trarasuram Udaiya Nayanar’. Note: The names given in ARE 22 and 23 of 1908 are almost the same as the modern name of Darasuram.
24 of 1908: This inscription is at the base of the dvarapala image brought by Vijaya-Rajendra (Rajadhiraja I) after the sacking of Kalyani and the celebration of a virabhishekam around a.d. 1054. It reads: ‘Svasti Sri Udaiyar Sri Vijaya Rajendra devar Kalyanapuram erindu kodu vanda dvarapalar’.
This war-trophy must have been deposited in some temple or palace at the then Chola secondary capital of Palayarai. It was discovered located on the front platform on the outer (eastern) side of the inner gopuram of the Darasuram temple, and is now housed in the Tanjavur Art Gallery. Rajaraja II ruled about a century later (a.d. 1146-73) than the expedition to Kalyani of Rajadhiraja I’s. It is thus contrary to historical accuracy to conclude, as some have, that Rajaraja II built this temple out of the spoils of an expedition to Kalyani. It is fully Chola in style and follows the course of the natural evolution of the cathedral-type temples whose forerunner was the great Rajarajesvaram at Tanjavur.
25 of 1908: On the walls of the outer gopurmt labels of the names of the deities whose sculptures were once installed in the niches at the basement of the stone gateway; almost ail the sculptures have now disappeared, and only the labels remain.
26 of 1908: A part of the historical introduction of Kulottunga I is inscribed on two stones in the court-yard of the temple.
27 of 1908: On a (third) stone in the court-yard, near the outer gopuram, with the text:
Igai Muvendaraiyar tiruk-gopuram—this gopuram was built by Igai Muvcndaraiyar.