Sundarasvara temple complex, Nangavaram, Tamil NaduNangavaram has an ancient Shiva and a Pidari temple. It is said that the daughter of a Chola king of Uraiyur was born with the face of a jackal and by her devotion to the Lord of this place she came to have normal human features. Hence this place is called Mangai-varam or Nangai-varam whose corrupt form in Nangavaram. The date and authorship of the Sundarasvara temple need further examination. It has been proposed that a Paluvettaraiyar chief of Paluvur, Kumaran Maravan built the temple sometime in the late ninth or early tenth century. Another scholar has suggested a date about 910 to 920 CE. According to another explanation, the Irrukuvels are the founders of the temple. The temple could either be a foundation of Irrukuvel Maravan himself or his son or of a family member meant to commemorate Maravan’s name or merit so it predates Aditya Chola (871 – 907 CE) or at most have been built very early in the Chola monarch’s reign. The deity of this temple is now called Sundaresvarar was known in the past as Tiru Maravanisvarattup-Perumal. There are two inscriptions - one of the tenth regnal year and other of the fourth year of Parantaka I (917 and 911 CE). There are two early Chola lion pillars standing outside the temple. Four of the original stone sub-shrines survive: two have around the neck (griva) and crowning cupola (sikhara), one containing the original Saptamatrikas is in the form of a sala while the fourth containing the original Ganesa, has an interesting apsidal roof (panjara). The sub shrine of Kartikkeya is late and contains a late image. References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, pp.139-140, S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1971, pp. 40-43, D. Barrett, 1974, p. 72.