The Malaiyamans of Tirukkoyilur in South Arcot district were the feudatories of the Cholas from the time of Kulottunga I. They were also known as Chedirayas, Kovalarajan (or) Kovalaraiya, Malaiyan and Malaiyakularayans.1 There were several Malaiyaman families. Some of them ruled from Tirukkoyilur and other from Kiliyur in the same taluk.2
Puvan Marudan (alias) Alvanangara Malaiyaman of Kiliyur in Tirumunaippadi made a gift of 1,650 kulis of land as tax-free devadana for offerings and lamps at the service of tiruppallieluchchi of the god Tiruppulippagavadevar of Sirringur at Kurukkaikkurram.3
An inscription dated in the 10th regnal year of Vikrama Chola records the gift of land by Nanurruvan (alias) Malaiyan Rajendrasola Chediyarayan of Somasipadi in favour of the Unnaligai sabha of the temple for burning 4 perpetual lamps.4 The same chief granted 2,400 kulis of land to Tirunnaligai sabha for the maintenance of 4 perpetual lamps before the Tiruvirattanam Udaiya Nayanar.5
In the same year Malaiyan Mallan (alias) Vikrama Chola Malaiyaman made a tax-free gift of wet land for the expenses of the vaikasi (May) festival to the gods Arunmolideva and Nityakalyanadeva at Tirunarungondai, Kunratturnadu of Tirumanaippadi.6
An inscription dated 7th year of Kulothunga II 1140 A.D states that on the request of Kulottungasola Chediyarayan, the emperor granted some lands for puja and for feeding Srivaishnavas in the local Vishnu temple.7
In the 15th year of Rajaraja II, the Kiliyur Malaiyaman chief Periyudaiyan Suryadevan (alias) Cholendrasinga Malaiyakularayan made an endowment in land for providing for the various requirements connected with the worship and offerings in the temple of Urbagankondaruliya Nayanar at Iraiyanaraiyur on the days of festival in the months of panguni (April) and purattadi and also on other important occasions.8
Malaiyaman Attimallan Sokkaperumal (alias) Rajagambhirach chediyarayan of Kiliyur in Tirumunaippadi made a gift of 4 velis of land in Marudur for food offerings to the Tiruppulippagadevar of Sirringur. This inscription is dated in the 19th regnal year of Rajaraja II.9 The same chief made a tax-free gift of 2 velis of land by purchase from the assembly of Tirukkovalur to the temple of Tiruvidaikali Nayanar for offerings and daily worship to the Tiruvidaikali Alvar.10
An inscription dated in the 4th regnal year of Rajadhirajadeva, registers the tax-free gift of one and half a veli of land for the maintenance of 30 twilight lamp to burn upto the time of ardhajama puja before the Tiruvirattanamudaiyar at Tirukkovalur by Malaiyaman Periya Udaiyan Iraiyuran (alias) Rajarajachediyarayan of Kiliyur.11
The Malaiyaman chief of Kiliyur namely Kulottungasola Chediyaraiyn made a gift of one and a half veli of land through the assembly of the village to meet the expenses of taking in procession on every Sunday the god Tiruppalliyarai Aludaiyar in the temple of Tiruvirattanam Udaiyar of Tirukkovalur.12
Rajaraja Chediyarayan purchased a veli of waste land from the village assembly reclaimed it for cultivation and made a gift of it to the temple for the expenses of feeding Srivaishnavas who came to worship the god on the festival days.13
This line of Malaiyamans adopted 2 titles Chediyaraya and Kovalaraya. The power of this group of feudatories centred round Koval, Tirukkovalur in South Arcot district.14 Kulottungasola Vanakovaraiyan made a gift of land to the temple of Tiruvegambam Udaiyanayanar at Tadavur in Mel-gangapadinadu of Arrukurram in Maladu for worship, repairs and festivals. The same chief made another gift of land to the same temple.15 Malaiyakularajan of Kiliyur for constructing in stone, Tiruppu mandapam and Tirukkakalli of the temple.16
In the 6th regnal year of Kulottunga III Malaiyaman Periya Udaiyar (alis) Rajaraj Chediyarayan made remission of all taxes on the village Ariyur to meet the expenses of daily worship and the karthigai (November) festival of the god Tiruvirattanam Udaiyanayanar.17
An inscription dated in the 9th regnal year of Kulottunga III records a gift of 5 veli of land in the Kudipparru in Sirringur to provide for food offerings during the ardhajamam and the waking up services in the temple of the god Tiruppulippagavadevar by Malaiyaman Suriyan Nirerran Edirikanayan (alias) Rajaraja Malaiya Kularajan of Kiliyur in Tirumunaippadinadu as Kudinikka devadanam.18
A gift of land by Kiliyur Maliayman Kulottungachola Chediyaraiyan to Virattanesvara temple, Kilur.19 Rajagambhira Chediyarayan, the Malayaman chief of Kiliyur made an endowment of a wet land as devadana to the temple of Tirukkapalisvaram – Udaiyar at Sanbai (alias) Virarajendrapuram in Vanagoppadi a division of Rajaraja Valanadu.20
There is an inscription found on the walls of the Arunachalesvara temple, Tiruvannamalai records a gift of land by Malaiyan Narasimhavarman (alias) Karikalachola Adaiyurnadalvan.21
Kulottungasolan Kiliyur Udaiyar made a gift of some land in Kiliyur for worshipping the images of Viprasabhapatisvaram Udaiyar which he had setup in the temple of Somanathadeva at Somanathamangalam in Tirukkudamukku.22 Another inscription records a gift of one and a half veli of land in Tiraimur by Vanakovaraiyan Malaiyaman to the same temple.23 An undated inscription of Kulottunga III records a gift of land to god Tirunagesvaramudaiya Nayanar of Tiruppalai Pandal, Cuddalore taluk, South Arcot district by Kiliyur Malaiyaman Suriyadevan Nilaerraperumal Ediriganayan (alias) Solangadevan.24
As regards the Malaiyaman’s patronage of Jainism, there are a few records. An inscription of Kulottunga I records a gift by Rajendrasola Chedirayan to the Jain temple at Tirunarungondai, a Jain centre in the South Arcot District.25 Thus the Malaiyamans supported Saivism, Vaishnavism and Jainism in many ways.
Sambuvarayas
Sambuvarayas, one of the important Chola feudatories exercising their swy over the portions of South Arcot, North Arcot and Chingleput districts. They showed their subordination from 11th century.26
An inscription in the 4th regnal year of Rajaraja II registers a gift of additional land for sandal paste to the temple of Tiruvagnisvaramudaiya Mahadeva at Kulattur in Tennarrurnadu of Palakunra Kottam, a district of Jayangondasola mandalam by Sengeni Ammaiyappan Attimallan (alias) Rajendrachola Sambuvarayan.27 Another inscription of the same king registers a gift of the village Tiruvirunchuran as devadana with all its taxes to the temple of Vallittunainayanar by Sengeni Virasani Ammaiappan Alagiyasolan Palavayudavallavan.28
During the period of Rajadhiraja II the Sengenis and Kadavarayas are strongly represented in the region of the Arcot districts and else where.29 Sengeni Ammaiyappan Sambuvarayan made an assignment of some local taxes and dues to the temple30 of Tiruppulivaran towards the expenses of worship, offerings and repairs in the temple. He is mentioned in the Kanchipuram record31 as Edirilisola who granted the village of Arapakkam as ekabhoga iraiyili to Umapatideva (alias) Nanasivadeva for his celebrated worship of Siva and prayers to him.32 Other chieftains of the same dynasty was Ammai Appan Pandi (alias) Rajaraja Sambuvaraiyan who granted land as archana visesham to god Tiruttantonri Aludaiyar of Sevur in Uttamasola Valanadu in Jayangondasola mandalam.33
An inscription of Kulothunga II dated 6th year 1139 A.d. described Sengeni Ammaiyappan Nalayiravan as sivalayasandolan (one who brings happiness to Siva temples).34 He may be identified with Sengeni Nalayiravan Ammaiyappan (alias) Rajendrasola Sambuvarayan, who founded a Siva temple called Tirukkotisvaram Udaiyar at Peruvelur South Arcot district and endowed 12 velis of land for worship offerings and for festivals there in and another 12 velis of land for the maintenance of ten bhattas versed in the Vedas and sastras and a sivacharya.35
Irugambur, the Southern hamlet of Vikrama Chola chaturvedimangalam was granted as tiruvidaiyattam to Varadaraja Perumal temple, Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram taluk, to meet the expenses of daily worship and services by Sola Pillai (alias) Alagiyasola Sambuvarayan.36
An inscription found on the South wall of Airavattisvara temple. Maruttuvakkudi, Kumbakonam Taluk, Tanjore district records the formation of village under the name Kulottunga sola Nyayaparipala chaturvedimangalm by growing the several lands purchased from the surrounding villages to the extent of 6 velis by Edirili Solan (alias) Irungolan of Sendamangalam in Nenmalinadu presented to the temple tirunamattukkani and ur iraiyili for providing for worship and repairs in the temple.37
An inscription of Vikramachola dated 11th year in 1129 A.D. records the endowment by the residents of Uttamasola Valanadu of the village of Sittiramelinallur as a devadana to the temple of Ammai vinnagar Tiruvirundalvar and his consort built by Sengeni Sambugarajan Nalayiravan Ammaiyappan (alias) Rajendrasola Sambugarajan on the Tiruvedimalai at Vayalur.38
There are few records about Sambuvaraya patronage of Jainism. An inscription of Rajadhiraja II dated 10th year in 1173 A.D. records a gift of land as pallichchandam by Pandinadukondan (alias) Sengeni to the Jain temple at Sirramur in South Arcot district.39 Another epigraph from Perumandur, South Arcot district dated 14th year of Kulottunga III in 1192 A.D. records the construction of the temple of Jain dess and endowment of land by Rajaraja Sambuvarayar (alias) Kondan Suriyan in the local Jain temple.40
Yadavarayas
The Yadavarayas were another feudatory figuring in Imperial Chola records from the time of Vikramachola. They ruled over portions of Northern Tondaimandalam round about Kalakkasti.41 The inscriptions of Yadavarayas record their gifts to temples Siva and Vishnu.
Vikramasola Karupparudaiyan, a feudatory of Vikramachola converted the Parasuramesvara temple at Gudimallam in North Arcot district into a stone temple and made gifts of land for the merit of his father Naranadeva alias Kulottungasola Karupparudaiyan.42
Narasinga Tirukalattideva, Yadavaraya chieftain made a gift of land to the Siva temple at Takkolam in North Arcot district in the 17th year of Kulottunga III in 1195 A.D.43
Tirukkalattideva Yadavaraya made a gift of a village to lord Venkatesa at Tirupathi in the reign of Kulottunga III and his son Singapillai (alias) Virarakshata made a gift of land to the Vishnu at Tirupathi.44
Yadavarayas patronised both Saivism and Vaishnavism and they were deeply attached to the temples of Kalakhasti and Tirupathi. Thus the contributions of the feudatories to the temples in Tamilnadu are also not negligible one.
The local chieftains of Tamilnadu extended their financial support for the cause of Temple building activities and its maintenance. It is fond in the inscriptions that their services to religion was praise worship. In this paper an attempt was made to findout the meritorious services of chieftains to Temple culture.
– N. Sumathi
Ph.D. Research Scholar in History, SDCE, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
References
1. Annual Report on Epigraphy (Here in after referred to as A.R.E.).
2. M.S. Govindasamy, The Role of Feudatories in Later Chola History, Annamalai Nagar, 1979, p. 168.
3. South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. XXVI, No. 403; A.R.E., 382/1909.
4. South Indian Temple Inscriptions, Vol. I, No. 1, 112.
5. Ibid., No. 44.
6. S.I.T.I., Vol. I, No. 73; A.R.E., 310/1939-40.
7. S.I.I., Vol. VII, No. 136; A.R.E., 124/1900.
8. S.I.I., Vol. XXII, Part I, No. 140; A.R.E., 140/1906.
9. S.I.I., Vol. XXVI, No. 432; A.R.E., 411/1909.
10. A.R.E., 322/1921.
11. S.I.I. Vol. I, No. 46.
12. S.I.I., Vol. VII, No. 913; S.I.T.L., Vol. I, No. 41.
13. A.R.E., 341/1921.
14. K.A.N. Sastri, The Colas, p. 405.
15. A.R.E., 461, 462/1913.
16. A.R.E., 345/1925.
17. S.I.I. Vol. VII, No. 874.
18. S.I.I. Vol. XXVI, No. 421; A.R.E., 400/1909.
19. A.R.E., 290/1902.
20. S.I.I., Vol. XXII, Part I, No. 102; A.R.E., 102/1906.
21. A.R.E., 538/1902.
22. A.R.E., 294/1927.
23. A.R.E., 295/1927.
24. S.I.I., Vol. XVII, No. 172; A.R.E., 152/1904.
25. A.R.E., 301/1939-40.
26. M.S. Govindasamy, Op.cit., p. 37.
27. A.R.E., 238/1919.
28. A.R.E., 181/1939-40.
29. K.A.N. Sastri, Op.cit., p. 373.
30. A.R.E., 393/1923.
31. A.R.E., 7a/1893.
32. A.R.E., 20/1899.
33. S.I.I. Vo. XVII, No. 244; A.R.E., 222/1904.
34. A.R.E., 163/1915.
35. A.R.E., 512/1937-38.
36. S.I.I., Vol. IV, No. 849; S.I.T.I., Vol. I, No. 424.
37. S.I.I., Vol. XXIII, No. 393; A.R.E., 393/1907.
38. A.R.E., 422/1922.
39. S.I.I., Vol. VII, No. 820, A.R.E., 202/1902.
40. S.I.I., Vol. VIII, No. 846; A.R.E., 219/1902.
41. M.S. Govindasamy, Op.cit., p. 212.
42. S.I.I., Vol. VIII, No. 511.
43. S.I.I., Vol. V, No. 1379, A.R.E., 16/1897.
44. M.S. Govindasamy, Op.cit., p. 222.