This thread is about Inscriptions from Azhagar kovil (திருமாலிருஞ்சோலை), Madurai. One of my favourite temples.

#Heritage_for_21_days

1. One of the oldest temples of TN referred to in silapaDigAram.
2. Sanctified by several verses of the alwar saints, the temple as we see it today was majorly rebuilt during the 12-13th CCE.

3. No early pAnDya inscriptions are seen here, probably lost during renovations around 12th CCE.
4. Oldest is a fragmentary inscription from the times of Rajaraja Chola I.

5. The main deity is referred to as paramaswAmi and the temple as tirumalirumchOlai.

6. A 13th CCE fragmentary pAnDya inscription describes the deity enjoying songs of kOdai - kOdai pAttu when he is housed in munayadarayan manDapam.The beauty is in the fact that the inscription is documented as command of deity Himself and he refers to AnDAL as nam kODai(my kODa)

7. 17th CCE fragmentary inscription speaks abt the renovation of the temple under the maDurai nAyaks. It details the various tasks, the individual responsible to each of the task, his remuneration and individual duties. A very detailed document this is.

8. A 17th CCE maDurai nAyak inscription speaks abt the 10 day grand annual festival celebrated in the month of ADi (july-august) and the list of villages that were endowed to meet out various expenses for the same. Interesting to note a few villages (1/2)

(maruDur agrahAram, kadhiyAn kuLam etc) completely endowed with its agricultural fields to remunerate the vaishnavAs appointed to chant the nAlAyira divyaprabandham during the festival. (2/2)

9. 13th CCE later pAndya inscription details the celebration of monthly new moon day. Large qty of puLiyOdharai, vaDai, paniyAram, pAnakam, cooked veggies, pickle etc., were offered and deity was brought out in procession & spent the day in a mandapam built for this exclusively.

10 . A 13th CCE inscription refers to azhagar kOil as the tirupati of south. That is an age old tradition of the south Indian srivaishnavAs. The deity is called as appan tiruvEnkatamuDaiyAn.

11. "tirunADuDaiyAr mutt" that existed here around 13th CCE was endowed with a few villages to feed triDanda sanyAsins and ekAnGis. The town in almost all inscriptions is called as tirumAlirunchOlai and the deity as paramaswAmi.

12. 13th CCE inscription speaks abt a certain rAman kannapirAnAna kalikaDindha pAnDya dEvan establishes a garden to offer 100 garlands and one grand garland to adorn the shoulder of the deity. (1/2)

An endowment created by depositing 100 kAsu (denomination unit) was handed over to venDru kizhi aruththa thAdhar, a srivaishnavite residing in the town (2/2)

13. It is interesting to note the names of officials involved in the above said inscription. venDru kizhi aruthAn directly refers to periyAzgvar, who spent his last days here at azhagar koil maintaining a garden to offer garlands to the deity. (1/2)

After several centuries an official by same name is put incharge to do the same service.Moreover the deity is referred to the one with broad handsome shoulder,sunDara bAhu.Isnt it appropriate to mention a grand thOL mAlai,a garland to adorn the deity's shoulder exclusively? (2/2)

14. The columns in the garuDa mandapam is inscriped with the name of the donors of each column, along with the name of their native village. Some of the names include poRkAzhi karunAkaran from kuLathoor, veLLALan koothan aththiyoorAn from tirumAlirunchOlai etc.

15. The oldest inscription of this temple is from 1011 CE, RRC I. Fragmentary inscription seen in a column that has been used later in 13th CCE to build a new manDapam.

16. A 13th CCE inscription mentions about a high raised fortified wall built around the temple complex called kODanDarAman tirumaDil and a village endowed to carry on periodic repair works. The inscription also bears the authorised signature of the pAnDya officers.

17. A 15th CCE inscription found at the tonDaimAn gOpuram mentions the construction of the said gOpuram by tirumAlirunchOlai ninDrAn mAvali vAnAdi rAyan.

ஆண்டாள் அருளிச்செய்த நாச்சியார் திருமொழி

சந்தொடு காரகிலும்
சுமந்துதடங் கள்பொருது,
வந்திழி யும்சிலம்பா-
றுடைமாலிருஞ் சோலைநின்ற,
சுந்தரனை, சுரும்பார்
குழல்கோதை தொகுத்துரைத்த,
செந்தமிழ் பத்தும்வல்லார்
திருமாலடி சேர்வர்களே

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