One ‘Vattezhuthu’ and eight Tamil inscriptions estimated to be more than 1,100 years old were found on the walls of Thaleekeeiswarar Temple at Kovilpalayam near Koduvai in Tiruppur district by a research team.
According to the Tiruppur-based Virarajendran Archaeological and Historical Research Centre, one was ‘Vattezhuthu’ and the rest Tamil inscriptions.
The team director S. Ravikumar and member K. Ponnusami said the temple was made of ancient granite stone. The research was undertaken after information about the inscriptions was passed on to the research team by Alagumalai Panchayat Union president Thuyamani.
The team found the inscriptions on the four walls of the presiding deity Thaleekeeiswarar.
Kovilpalayam, situated 14 km southeast of Tiruppur on the Avanashi- Avanashipalayam Highways, falls on the ancient trade route of ‘Kongapperuvazhi’ connecting the Western Coast town of Musiri with Poompuhar in the Eastern coast via Vellalore, Sulur, Kangeyam and Karur, Mr. Ravikumar said.
The ‘Vattezhuththu’ inscription, he said, was a form of Tamil writing script that was prevalent from 5th Century Common Era (CE) to 12th Century CE.
The 12 lines of ‘Vattezhuthu’ inscription found on the ‘Arthamandapam’ of the Thaleekeeiswarar Shrine was deciphered by Historian Y. Subrayalu. It reads: ‘Swasthi Sri Kokkandan Viranarayayanarkkuch Chella Nindra Aanda ...Panava... Karudapaazh.’
The team has surmised that it means the temple was built by the Medieval era Chera ruler Kokkandan Viranarayanan who ruled the middle part of the Kongu region in the 9th Century CE.
The inscriptions state that the temple constructed by the ruler should be protected at any cost and that the entire descendants of the person who damages will undergo severe sufferings and perish.
Among the eight Tamil inscriptions was one by Kongu Chola Ruler Virarajendran (1207-1256) and the rest were by his grandson Vikrama Chola (1273-1305 CE).
The inscriptions indicate that the village falls in the ‘Pongalurkanadu’ of the ancient Kongu Nadu.
Legend has it that a girl from the village, Palanchelagai, gave ‘Achu Kasu’ (ancient coin) to the temple treasury and it was used to light the perpetual lamp in the temple.
The village also has a 1000-year-old Ayyanar deity worshipped by the ancient merchant guilds. The team had also found Cairn Circles along with the wavey lines of red and black ware pottery, small earthen stands, and iron-ore dust of the Megalithic period.
