New Light on the Cola Epigraphs from Chittamur

Summary

A. Ekambaranathan’s article ‘New Light on the Cola Epigraphs from Chittamur’ re‑examines three little‑known inscriptions from the Malainatha temple at Chittamur, a Digambara Jain centre twenty kilometres north‑west of Tindivanam in Tamil Nadu. The village contains two Jain temples – one housing a panel of Neminatha, Adinatha, Parsvanatha and Bahubali carved on a boulder, and another structural temple dedicated to Parsvanatha. These temples have been the headquarters of a matha for centuries. Ekambaranathan notes that earlier historians published the inscriptions without recognising their historical importance; the Colas’ history had not yet crystallised, and two of the epigraphs were left unattributed because they contained only royal titles. The author now identifies the donors as the Cola rulers Rajakesarivarman, Kadavarkonpavai (a queen) and Rajadhiraja II. The earliest inscription records that Rajakesari endowed a grant for burning a perpetual lamp in the Oṟṟuraikkummandapa of the Kattampalli at Chittamur; the gift was entrusted to a monk and the village assembly. This endowment, made during the seventeenth regnal year of the king, reflects the prosperity and influence of the local Jain community. A later inscription mentions Kadavarkonpavai, who revived an endowment that had lapsed; this queen’s act demonstrates the participation of royal women in temple patronage. The third epigraph describes Rajadhiraja II’s gift of land and provisions for the lamp at the same temple. Ekambaranathan contextualises these grants within the political history of the Colas, noting that the rulers used religious endowments to legitimise their authority and to support institutions that enhanced local welfare. The article also draws attention to inscriptions from Viranamur and Melsevur that contain similar references to Rajadhiraja II’s conquests in Pandya country, indicating that Chittamur’s records contribute to a larger narrative of Cola expansion. By reassessing the content and chronology of the Chittamur inscriptions, the study corrects earlier misinterpretations and highlights the continuous patronage of Jain temples by Cola rulers. The author argues that the epigraphs not only illuminate dynastic history but also reveal the active interchange between Jain monks, local assemblies and royal donors. Such interactions fostered communal cohesion and sustained religious practices in the region. The article concludes that attention to neglected epigraphs can yield significant insights into the political and religious life of South India.