Saturday, March 19, 2016

Uppiliappan Temple, Thirunageshwaram – History

Uppiliappan Temple, Tirunageswaram – History
It is not clear from the inscriptions and records as to when the temple was initiated, but there are inscriptions from the Medieval Cholas period indicating generous gifts to the temple. There are two inscriptions recorded from the Naganathar Temple in Tirunageswaram. The epigraph numbered 211 of 1911 on the northern wall of the central shrine indicates gift of gold jewel worked in gems and pearls to the temple from the Chola king Parakesarivarman alias Rajendra Chola I (1012–44 CE). The second inscription numbered 218 of 1911 on the southern wall of the same shrine indicates a gift of land to the temple in the fourteenth year of the Chola king Rajaraja Rajakesarivarman I.
The tradition in many ancient temples in Tamil Nadu including the one in the temple is that the original image of the presiding deity is made of wood and replaced later with stone. There were lot of additions made to the temple by Govinda Dikshitar, the minister of successive Nayak rulers, Achuthappa (1560–1614) and Raghunatha Nayak (1600–34). Inscriptions here refer to the temple as Thiruvinnagar – Tirunageswaram and Uyyakondar Valanaadu. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.