Srirangam Temple inscriptions - part 3

1.The most imp inscription at Srirangam, to be saved for posterity is the one etched on eastern exterior wall of rAjamahEndran corridor. This 1371 CE one is a sanskrit poem which gives details abt historic return of namperumal after his 48 yr exile following the islamic invasion

2.The sloka speaks abt the valour of kOpannarAya, who was instrumental in retrieving the mUrti from tirmala to srirangam after a brief stay at gingee.

3.A 1373 CE inscription speaks abt the reclamation of temple lands by a certain apparAju with the help of bukkarAya. This period saw the reconstruction of the temple and its coffers.

4. An inscription in the front mandapa of chakkarathAzhvAr shrine mentions the construction of the shrine by virUpAksha, the grandson of rAmabhUpati and son of harihararAya II.

5.The 1000 pillared hall has been repaired by the temple stAnIkam sounDappar. He has also built a shrine for krishnA as viTTalanAtha. The golden sheets over the rangavimAnam was also repaired during his time.

6.A 1413 CE inscription speaks abt the institution of bhoopaty tirunAL concluding with a chariot festival on the punarvasu star of the month of thai(jan-feb) by srivIrabhoopati mahArAjA.

7.The bronze icon of garuDa that we see today in the chandana maNDapam today was installed by sri chakrarAya in 1405 CE.The inscription also mentions the old icon,that has been there since chOla time being destroyed during the islamic invasion(the inscription calls it a kalaham)

8.sri chakrarAya also rebuilt the kulasEkaran corridor and installed annamUrti and the kambaththaDi hanumAn.

9.A 1428 CE inscription mentions the vijayanagara minister annappA's son sripati covering the door frame of the shrine of ranganatha with silver.

11. A late 15th CCE inscription mentions the suicide committed by 2 jeeyars and an EkAngi by jumping from the vellai gOpuram to register their inability to fight the local ruler kOnErirAyAn who stopped the daily rituals and the endowments created for the festivals.

12. One of the most expensive endowment created is from the year 1514 CE by kanDAdai mAdhava bhaTTan. This covered the expenses of srijayanthi, ugADi & mahAnavami festivals.

13. krishnadEvarAya visited srirangam on the 16th feb,1517 CE and made huge donations comprising of gold, precious stones, ornaments, silk and several villages.

14. Inscriptions post 16th CCE are lengthy and are mostly abt donations made and endowments created for celebrating various festivals and daily poojas.

15. There are several inscriptions abt various food offering made in lareg quantities during various occasions.

16. The content, language and information changes a lot post 18th CCE.

17. A 17th CCE inscription abt cooking and offering large quantity of rice and veggies when namperumal is taken to ellaikarai manDapam interestingly speaks abt a part of food offering reserved for the person put in charge of shooing crows when the food is cooked.