Siva temple, Trailoki, Tamil Nadu

Sivalokanatha temple, Gramam,Tamil NaduThe Shivalokanatha temple was originally called Tirumundisvaram in the period of the Tamil saint Appar and Mouli-gramama in the days of Prantaka I (907 - 954 CE) but now is simply called Gramam. The old Siva temple was rebuilt by Vellangumaran, a Keralite general of Rajaditya – in Parantaka I’s thirty-sixth regnal year – 943 CE. Gramam was the headquarters of Rajaditya who maintained an army there against a threat from the Rashtrakutas. Earlier inscriptions, ranging from the twenty-third to the twenty-ninth year of Parantaka seems to have been re-engraved. Architecturally this temple does not show any advance on the temples if the reign of Aditya or those of the earlier part of Parantaka I's reign. References: D. Barrett, 1973, pp. 76-77, S.R. Balasubrahmanyam 1971, pp. 60-63, M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky, 1963, p. 172

The Somesvaram Udaiyar temple at Somur is a temple from Parantaka I's time (907 - 954 CE) in the old Kongu country (western Tamil country). The temple is perhaps datable to the sixth year of Parantaka I and positively existed before his fortieth year that is 947 CE. The inscriptions on this temple reflect the conquest of the Kongu country by Aditya I and Parantaka I. This temple does not have great architectural significance. References: M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky 1963, p.173 and S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1971, pp. 44-45.

Palayari was once the celebrated secondary capital of the Pallavas. Under the Cholas, it resumed its importance during the Middle Chola period. The Pandyas sacked Palayarai after the defeat of Kulottunga III (1178–1218 CE) in the closing years of the reign and much of the damage here and the absence of niche figures would be ascribable to this sack. Appar and Sambandar knew these sites as "Tiru Arai" (holy city on the river); it was the place where Amarniti Nayanar, one of the sixty-three Saiva saints flourished. The inscriptions of the Pallavas and the Cholas refer to this place by the names Palayarai, Ayirattali or other alternative names after their own titles. The place abounded in temples – Ayirattali literally means “the place of thousand temples”. The Sri Somanadasvami temple, now in a neglected state of architectural merit. It has been equated to a lesser version of the Airavatesvara temple - resembling in plan and other architectural features though isn't as richly ornamented. With no inscriptional material on its walls, it is speculated that the temple belongs to the time of Vikrama Chola, which presumably got embellished or completed by Rajaraja II. In any case, it would definitely be a monument built during 1130 – 1160 CE, some additions and accretions taking place in the subsequent periods. According to Periyapuranam (a Tamil poetic account depicting the lives of the sixty-three Nayanars), the central shrine of the then Shiva temple was obscured by a new superstructure (vimana) put up by the Jainas. Appar caused a new vimana to be built. The extant complex stands on a raised mound, perhaps on the site of an earlier temples constructed in the time of Rajaraja II as the Airavatesvara was also a substitute in stone for an earlier example. References: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1979, pp. 199-203 and M.W. Meister and M.A. Dhaky 1963, pp. 309 - 311.

The earliest inscriptions on the Sri Visamanglesvarar temple are from Gandaraditya (949 - 957 CE) though this temple has been ascribed to the age of Aditya I (871 – 907 CE). An interesting feature of this temple is the image of Saraswati in one of the divinity niches (devakoshtas). Sarasvati is found in the temples of Rajaraja I (985 -1014 CE) and Rajendra I (1014 - 1044 CE) so this is probably the earliest representation in a Chola temple. References: S.R. Balasubrahmanyam, 1971, p. 218.

Subrahmanya-svami complex, Vriddhachalam, Tamil Nadu