Chola-era inscription found in Tiruvannamalai

The stone found under a peepul tree near Kovil Poraiyur village between Manalurpet and Melmalayanoor towns in the region bordering Villupuram district is worshipped by locals as their village god Muniappasamy.

The stone was originally a sluice in a waterbody and inscriptions on it state that Korra Nangi of Ganeya Uttama Nallur set it up in the local irrigation lake. The stone belongs to the period of Rajaraja Chola I and was set up in his 24th regnal year, which corresponds to 1009 AD. Professor S Rajavelu of Thanjavur University and R Sekar and S Sethu of the Centre for Historical Research, who discovered the stone, said such stones were widespread in Tondaimandalam, revealing how villages took care of their waterbodies.

Stating that the stone, over a period of time, had shifted to its present location due to drought, Rajavelu said residents in Tiruvannamalai, Chengam, Dharmapuri and Tirupattur usually worshipped such stones as their village deities. “It makes us happy to note that our culture has been preserved through such worship,” Rajavelu said.