Thiruvotriyur temple inscriptions replete with history

 

Most of those visiting temples hardly take a second glance at those spots containing certain lines or inscriptions, but Pradeep Chakravarthy, an expert on ancient temples, says the writings on the walls explained elaborately about the life and times of the people under the Chola kings. 

 

“The Thiruvotriyur temple, though located in a busy area now, is still scenic. It is one of the largest and most wealthy temples and some of the inscriptions found at the temple date back to the 7th century,” he said on Monday evening while taking a motley group of students and heritage buffs down memory lane at a lecture held at the Press Institute of India as part of the Madras Week celebrations.

 

“The streets around the temple were clearly laid. Each street could be identified by the persons who lived such as artisans, shepherds, temple servants and the affluent. The raging debate then was: should the agricultural lands be taxed or not. Finally the king exempted agricultural lands from tax. The Vadagaperuvazhi or East Coast Road as we call today,was developed then,” says.

 

The temple had a huge door embossed in gold then. The Pandya king who visited the temple constructed the doorway to the temple. One inscription noted that the Kavanur village near Redhills was gifted to the temple and another said that one Thiruvotriyur  Ammai made phenomenal gifts and even instituted rituals at the temple.

 

An interesting inscription at the temple (Sri Thiyagrajaswamy – Vadivudai Amman) explained about how the Kings dealt with “Shivadrogis.” A judicial enquiry was even ordered to punish wrongdoers. Punishment was even given to a temple staff for erring in overseeing the deposit of grains for the temple. When a headman from Korattur fled without paying 

taxes, the king’s men arrested him and his property was auctioned to obtain the dues. The temple even extended loans at high rate of interest to augment its income.