The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been involved in copying important stone inscriptions on the walls of two temples at Srirangam and Manachanallur taluks in Tiruchi district. It has also recently completed a similar exercise at two temples at Periyakulam taluk in Theni district.
Inscriptions in Tamil on the walls of Mattrurai Varadeswarar Temple at Thiruvasi in Manachanallur taluk, and Agneeswarar temple at Periya Karuppur village in Srirangam taluk in Tiruchi are being copied, B. Charumathi, Assistant Epigraphist, said. These are copied onto maplitho papers — where the exact imitation of the inscription will be obtained. The inked paper will be used for further study.
The preliminary reading of the inscription at Thiruvasi temple revealed that it belonged to Kulothunga Chola period. The exact year would be ascertained only after further analysis, Ms. Charumathi added.
She further said that the inscriptions at Periya Karuppur date back to the Vijayanagara Kingdom of the 14th Century, and had references about donations made to temples.
In Theni, copying of the inscriptions on the walls of Mayapandieswarar temple and Varadharaja Perumal temple at Melmangalam in Periyakulam taluk were completed recently.
Official sources said these inscriptions were discovered by a team of experts from the ASI, including Amarnath Ramakrishna, Superintending Archaeologist, Temple Survey Project (South Zone); M. Prasanna, Assistant Archaeologist, Chennai; and J. Veeramanikandan, Assistant Epigraphist, Chennai.
Mr. Veeramanikandan said these inscriptions date back to the 12th Century, and had references to Pandiya king Sundarapandiyan and Devadana (land donated to temples).
The team also recently found inscriptions on nearly 30 pillars at Moolanathaswamy temple in Sholavandan taluk in Madurai district.
