14th Century inscription shows deity named after land tax

Madurai: An inscription that had been found near Thondi in Ramanathapuram district states that a 14th century AD temple deity was called Puravuvari Vinnakara Peruyan, with Puravuvari referring to land tax.

V Rajaguru, president, Ramanathapuram archaeological research foundation, said that they had discovered the stone inscription pertaining to 1329 AD when renovation work was taken up in the sanctum sanctorum of Garudhazhvar in the Uthipootha Perumal temple in Thondi in Ramanathapuram district.

He said that the stone inscription contains 35 lines of which the first and last lines have been erased. It was carved during the 15th regnal year of Sri Parakrama Pandiyan, who ruled this region between 1315 and 1334 AD.

The inscription says that Thiruvarangarayan from Malai Mandalam had donated money for purchase of land in Sathi Yeri village to provide for the daily pooja of this temple. The land was declared tax free as it was donated to the temple. There is no village called Sathi Yeri now but there is a mention of such a name in another 1201 AD stone inscription found near Thiruvadanai in the district.

Rajaguru said that the name Vizhuparayan may be the name of the person who sold the land. Though the temple is now called Unthipootha Perumal Temple, it is referred to as Thirumerkoyil. The presiding deity was called Puravuvari Vinnakara Peruyan according to the inscription.

Usually, a temple for the deity Vishnu is called, Vinnakara. But, Puravuvari refers to the land tax imposed by the king and the deity has been named so.


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