Woman power 1,000 years ago: Inscription records Velachery woman building a temple

Fourteen out of 18 inscriptions in Velachery confirm that Velachery belonged to Puliyur Kottam, ancient Chennai, while many of the inscriptions provide details about the functioning of assemblies called aalungunam right from the tenth century.

Interestingly, Nańgai Saani, the wife of one of the managing members (aalunganattar) of the Velachery village, is recorded as having built a Singaperumal temple.

Another inscription of 1018 AD records a gift of 90 sheep for a lamp to the Dandisvarar temple of Velachery by the same Nangai Saani.

Another inscription states that Nangai Saani sold farm land, received 20 pazhankaasu, and handed over the amount for remuneration to the sthapathi for the construction of the Singaperumal temple.

Inscriptions at the temples in Velachery also refer to places like Thiruvanmiyur, Taramani etc over 1,000 years ago.

Following are the details of the inscriptions at temples in Velachery:

Inscriptions of Velacheri in Puliyur Kottam

1. On the south wall of the Chelliamman temple. Chola-Uttamachöla r.y. 4. (974 A.D.) Records a gift of land as manjikkam (land not used for agriculture) by the sabhã of Velichcheri in Puliyür-köttam for the maintenance of a perpetual lamp and for offerings during the two services in the temple of KaaLaa-Pidaari.

2. On the south wall of the central shrine in the Dandiśvara temple. Chola – Madurai Konda Koviräjakesari (Parantaka-Il:Sundara Chöla) r.y. 5 (962 A.D.) Records that one Dēvakumara-Kramavittan of Tennür, one of the members of the administrative assembly (aalunganam) of Velichcheri donated 96 sheep for a perpetual lamp to the temple of Dandiśvara at Velichchěri in Köttür-nädu a sub division of Puliyur-köttam.

3. On the west wall of the central shrine in the Dandlśvara temple. Chola Madurai konda Köviräjakesari (Sundara chöla) r.y.7 (964 A.D.) Registers a gift of land by purchase from the sabha of Velichcheri in Puliyür-köttam by two vellala brothers of onpadirruvēli in Ārkattuk-kürram İn Cholanadu to the temple of at Tiruttandiśvaram at Velichchěri. The gift was to be used by the sivabrähmanas of the temple for maintaining a perpetual lamp and for providing food offerings to the deity Ganapathi consecrated in the temple by donors.

4 On the south wall of the Chelliamman temple. Chöla – Parthivěndraädhipativarman r.y. 10 (966 A.D.) Records that the mahasabha of Velichcheri in Puliyur-kottamremitted taxes in a land granted for daily offerings in the shrine of Saptamaätris in the village by Tiruvetpur-  Udaiyan Tevadigal of Tiruvetpur in Mala nadu, a  sub division of Chola nadu.

5. On the south wall of the Dandisvara temple, Chola-Rajakesari Mummudi Chöla (Rajaraja I) r.y. 10 (995 AD), Records gift of land for offerings and lamps to the temple of Taramani Mahadeva in the hamlet of Velichcheri in Kottur-nadu, a sub division of Puliyur Kottam.  Mentions Amudag Pichchan alias Sembiyan Kila-nattukon, a native of Vaigaavarchcheri in Kilaar –kurram which was a district of Chölanädu.

6. On the south wall of the central shrine of the Dandiśvara temple. Chola Rajaraja l ry, 9 (1004 A.D.) Records gift of 90 sheep for a lamp to the god Tirukkarali-Mahadeva in the temple of Tiruttandiśvaram at Velichcheri of Puliyur Kottam by Naräyana Bhattan son of Pathangi Chaturvedi Bhattan, one of the aalunganam of the village.

7. On the west wall of the Dandiśvara temple. Chola-Köparakésari Sri Rajendrachola déva (Rajendra I) r.y.3 (1015 AD). Records gift of 90 sheep for a perpetual lamp by Pathangi Kaala Kumara Kramavittan, one of the managing members (aalunganam) in the village of Velichchěri, a brahmadeyam in Kottur-nadu, which was a sub-division of Puliyür-köttam in Jayangondanchola mandalam to the temple of Tiruttandiśvara déva.

8. On the west wall of the Dandiśvara temple. Chola-Köparakesari Sri Räjendrachola deva (Rajendra I) r.y. 3 (1015 AD). Records gift of 90 sheep for burning a perpetual lamp to the temple Tiruttandiśvara Mahadeva at Velichchěri of Köttür-nada in Puliyür-kottam, a sub-division of Jayańgondachola mandalam.

9. On the north wall of the Dandiśvara temple. Chola – Räjendra I r.y. 6 (1018 A.D.). Records gift of 90 sheep for a lamp to the temple of Tiruttandiśvaramudaiya-Mahadeva at Velichcheri, a brahmadeya, in Puliyür-kottam in a sub-division of Jayangondacholamandalam by a Nańgai Saani, the wife of one of the managing members (aalunganattar) of the village.

10 Records that the Singapperumal temple was constructed by Nangai Saani, wife of Pathangi Devanatha Bhattan of Velichchéri. She sold farm land to one Pathangi Aaraav amudhu Battan, received 20 pazhankaăsu and handed over the same to the sthapathi as remuneration for undertaking this temple construction.

11 On the north west and south kumudha of Dandisvara temple Chöla Rajendra-I r.y. 10 (1022 A.D.). Records that the assembly of Velichcheri, a brahmadeya in Köttur-nadu of Puliyür-köttam,
sold 1500 kuzhi of land to the temple of Tirutandiśvaram udaiya Mahädeva and receiving 300 kaasu made the land tax free. Records also that 23 kaäsu were presented for a perpetual lamp by one of the managing members (aalunganam), Pathangi Narasinga Kramavithan,  of the village.

12. On the north wall of the Dandísvara temple. Chöla Kulottunga-111. r.y. 25 (1203 AD), Records gift of 10 veli land by Sediraayadeva to the matha of Thirunävukkarasu at Tiruvänmiyür in Kulöttunga-chöla Vala-nadu in Jayańgonda chola mandalam. The land granted was situated in Velichcheri alias Jinachintämani Chaturvedimańgalam.

13 On the west wall of the Dandiśvara temple. Kulöttunga-III r.y. 25 (1203 A.D.). Records agreement made by sivabrahmanas of the Tiruttandlśvara temple at Velichcheri in Puliyür-köttam, a sub-division of Jayaigondachöla mandalam, to burn two twilight lamps in the temple for some amount received by them from Pattangi Satta Bhatțan.

14. , On the south wall of the central shrine in the Dandiśvara temple. Late Pallava . Kõpperujinga deva-II  r.y. 18 (1261 AD.) Registers gift of nine panam for burning a twilight lamp for seven naaligai in the temple of Tiruttandiśvaramudaiya Nayanär at Velichcheri alias Jinachintămani Chaturvědimangalam by Marududaiyan Söran Ariyayadanan of Klrangudi in Chola magdalam.

15.  On the west wall of the Dapdiśvara temple. Chola Rajäräja II  r.y. 7 (1153 A.D.) Records gift of money for two lamps by the karanattaan of Velichcheri alias Jinachintamani Chaturvedimangalam in Kottur Nadu of Puliyur Kottam  alias Kulottunga chöla Valanadu in Jayankondachola mandalam to the temple of Tiruttandisvaram udaiya Nayanär.

16. On the south wall of the Dandisvara temple. Chola – Tribhuvana Sri Rajaraja deva (Rajaräja lII)  r.y 22 (1238 AD). Records gift of one madai for a twilight lamp to the image of Nayanar Tiruchchirambalam-Udaiyar (Nataraja) set up in the temple Tiruttandisvaram-Udaiya Nayanar by Uttamapriyan Alvar Pillai of Velichchèri alias Jinachintamani Chaturvedimangalam of Kottur-Nadu in Puliyür-köttam alias Kulottungachola Valanadu a sub division of Jayangondachola mandalam.

17.  A slab built on the ceiling of the Vedanäryanap perumal temple. Chola RajarajaI r.y. 24 (1009 A.D.,) Records an order of Rajaräja I to the village administration that income from the lands and taxes may be utilized for offerings.

18. On the ceiling of the Vedanáryanap perumal temple. Chola-Rajendra-l r.y. Nil. Fragmentary Inscription. Records the gift of sheep for burn a lamp to the temple of Tirumèrrali of Avur by Nangai, a brahmin lady. (The word Puliyur is found in the inscription).