• Dr.Anand B

The Arunachaleswarar temple seems to have grown around a spot where a divine power was felt in the hoary past but particularly by the 7th century CE. It is situated at a equi- distance to the west of Gingee, south of Takkolam, east of Sengam and north of Polur. This place occupies a position favourable to a continuous urban development. The very location of this place between the hill and plain was considered conducive for the later day military operations at least from the 15th century upto the end of the Mysore wars. The present day temple of Arunachaleswara had its origin in a small shrine, obviously the earliest part of the temple. A number of inscriptions found around the basement of this shrine confirm that it is the oldest structure in the temple. After some ten centuries of construction and enlargement, the temple today forms a large rectangle, 465 metre long and 225 metre wide. The 100 – and more inscriptions found in the temple attest to the fact that it was patronized by the Pandyas, Cholas, the later Pallavas, Banas and the Rastrakuta rulers. However, the role played by the Cholas in the reconstruction and renovation of the temple is largely known from most of the inscriptions. The earliest Chola inscription is found on the west wall of the central shrine of the Arunachaleswarar temple. It belongs to the Chola ruler Parantaka I datable to CE 9221 . Following this, another inscription of Krishna III, a Rashtrakuta ruler is found on the south Wall of the same shrine. It indicates their short sway over this area. However, both these inscriptions throw light on the donation of sheep and cows respectively to the temple, for its maintenance. In the south wall of first prakara (enclosure) of the temple, one could see an inscription of King Rajendra I dated CE 10302 . Another inscription of the same ruler dated 1031 CE is found on the same place and records a gift of land, gold and 336 sheep for the purpose of lamps to be burnt around the Srivimana at night3 . These two inscriptions bring to light the completion of the first prakara and vimana of the temple by CE 1031 under the rule of Rajendra I.

Temples, Inscription, Chola’s Rules, architecture and sculpture.

"ARUNACHALESWARAR TEMPLE AT TIRUVANNAMALAI (TAMILNADU) – AN INSCRIPTIONAL STUDY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 5, page no.95-97, May-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1805A16.pdf

"ARUNACHALESWARAR TEMPLE AT TIRUVANNAMALAI (TAMILNADU) – AN INSCRIPTIONAL STUDY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 5, page no. pp95-97, May-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1805A16.pdf