Chola Temples

 

Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, Narthamalai, Pudukkottai District Rebuilt by Vijayalaya Chola

Muvar Koil, Pudukkottai District, Paranthaka II

Srinivasanallur, Koraganathar Temple, Trichy District Paranthaka I

Darasuram Airavatesvara (Raja Rajeswaram) Temple , Kumbakonam - Rajaraja Chola II

Pullamangai Brahmapurirswarar, Thanjavur District, Paranthaga Chola I

Cholas built many temples all over Tamil Nadu.I am trying to map these temples with the Chola kings who built or rebuilt these temples based on the available inscriptions.

EARLY CHOLA PERIOD

Aditya Chola

1. Thirupparaithurai Tharugavaneswarar, Trichy – Aditya Chola
2. Kumaravayalur Tirukattrali Parameswarar, Trichy – Aditya Chola
3. Thiruvidaimaruthur Mahalingar, Kumbakonam – Aditya Chola
4. Nemam Airavateswarar, Thanjavur – Aditya Chola
5. Thillaisthanam Neyyadiappar, Thanjavur – Aditya Chola
6. Thiruchottruthurai Othavaneswarar, Thanjavur – Aditya Chola
7. Thirupponthuruthi Pasbavaneswarar, Thanjavur – Aditya Chola
8. Thiruvedikudi Vedapureeswarar, Thanjavur – Aditya Chola
9. Thirupazhanam Abathsahayeeswarar, Thanjavur – Aditya Chola
10. Kudanthai Nageeswarar, Kumbakonam – Aditya Chola
11. Thiruvayaru Panchnadeeswarar, Thiruvaiyaru – Aditya Chola
12. Thirukattalai Sundreeshwarar, Pudukottai – Aditya Chola
13. Thirukattupalli Agneeshwarar, Thiruvaiyaru – Aditya Chola
14. Keelayur Thenvayil Sreekoil, Nagapattinam – Aditya Chola
15. Lalgudi Sapthareeshwarar, Lalgudi, Trichy – Aditya Chola
16. Thirupurambiyam Satchinathar, Kumbakonam – Aditya Chola
17. Thiruerumbiyur Erumbeeswarar, Thiruverumbur, Trichy – Aditya Chola
18. Thiruchendurai Chandrasekarar, Trichy – Aditya Chola
19. The Ranganatha Temple at Srirangapatnam, Mandya district, Karnataka - Aditya Chola I
20. Nageswaran Temple, Kumbakonam - Aditya Chola I
21. Thirukadambatturai Udaiya Mahadevar (Matsyapurisvarar temple), Tudaiyar, Trichy - Aditya Chola I
    
     Paranthaka Chola I 

1. Uyyakondan Thirumalai Ujjivaneeswarar, Trichy - Paranthaga Chola I
2. Nangavaram Sundareeswarar, Trichy - Paranthaga Chola I
3. Andanallur Thiru Alanthurai Mahadevar or Vada Tirthanathar, Trichy - Paranthaga Chola I
4. Sithalingamadam Viyakrabatheeswarar, Villupuram - Paranthaga Chola I
5. Thiruvettriyur Adheepureeswarar, Chennai - Paranthaga Chola I
6. Madhuranthagam Sivan and Visnu koil, Kanchipuram - Paranthaga Chola I
7. Thiruvamathur Abirameswarar or Nandieswarar, Villupuram - Paranthaga Chola I
8. Kattumannarkudi Viranarayana Vinnagar, Chidambaram - Paranthaga Chola I
9. Erumbur Kadamabavaneeswarar, Cuddalore - Paranthaga Chola I
10. Cholapuram Sivan Koil, Perambalur - Paranthaga Chola I
11. Pullamangai Brahmapurirswarar,Papanasam, Thanjavur - Paranthaga Chola I
12. Thiruchennampoondi Sadayari, Thanjavur - Paranthaga Chola I
13. Thirunamanallur Tiruthondeeswarar, Tiruvannamalai - Paranthaga Chola I
14. Thiruvaduthurai Komuktheswarar, Nagapattinam - Paranthaga Chola I
15. Alambakkam Kailasanathar, Trichy - Paranthaga Chola I
16. Thirukandiyur Virattaneswarar, Thanjavur - Paranthaga Chola I
17. Thirupalthurai Adimuleswarar, Trichy - Paranthaga Chola I
18. Srinivasanallur Koranganathar, Musiri, Trichy - Paranthaga Chola I
19. Valikandapuram Valikandeswarar, Veppanthattai, Perambalur - Paranthaga Chola I
20. Thiruvalanchuzhi Temple, Tanjore District, Near Kumbakonam - Paranthaga Chola I
21. Tirumalpur, Vellore – Paranthaga Chola I
    
    
    Sundara Chola / Uthama Chola

1. Ponsei Nalthunaieswarar, Mayiladuthurai - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
2. Perungudi Agastheeswarar, Trichy - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
3. Konerirajapuram UmaMaheswarar, Mayiladuthurai - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
4. Thirukodikaval Sivan Koil, Mayiladuthurai - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
5. Karunthittaikudi Vasisteshwarar, Thanjavur - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
6. Anangur Sivan Koil, Namakkal - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
7. Thirunaraiyur Sithanathaswamy,Kumbakonam - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
8. Courtallam Soleeswarar, Kanchipuram - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
9. Koviladi Divyaganeeswarar, Trichy - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
10. Thodaiyur Bishamanganeeswarar,Pudukottai - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
11. Thirunageswararm Nageswarar, Kumbakonam - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
12. Sembianmadevi Kailasanathar, Thiruvarur - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
13. Thirukarugavur Sivan Koil, Thanjavur - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
14. Govindaputhur Gangasadatharar, Ariyalur - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
15. Kilapazhuvur Alandurayar, Ariyalur - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
16. Kodumbalur Thaligal, Pudukottai - Sundra Chola / Uthama Chola
    
    
    MEDIEVAL CHOLA PERIOD
    
    
    Rajaraja Chola I

1. The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur - Rajaraja Chola I
2. Masilamaneeswarar temple, Utatur(Urrattur), Padalur, Trichy - Rajaraja Chola I 
3. Parameeswarar temple, Thirumangalam, Lalgudi, Trichy - Rajaraja Chola I
4. Kuganathaswamy Temple, Kanyakumari – Rajaraja Chola I 
5. Melpadi Samathi Koil, Vellore – Rajara Chola I
6. Narasimmaswamy, Ennairam, Villupuram – Rajaraja Chola I 
7. Kamarasavalli, Ariyalur – Rajaraja Chola I 
8. Adhi Lakshmi temple, Natham, Lalgudi, Trichy - Rajaraja Chola I and Kulothunga III 
9. Virinjipuram, Vellore – Rajaraja I and Kulothunga Chola I
10. Tiruvalisvaram temple near Tirunelveli – Rajaraja Chola I / Rajendra Chola I
11. Vaidyanatha Temple at Tirumalavadi – Rajaraja Chola I / Rajendra Chola I
12. Uttara Kailasa Temple at Thanjavur – Rajaraja Chola I / Rajendra Chola I
    
    
    Rajendra Chola I 

1. The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram - Rajendra Chola I
2. Dharasuram,, Thanjavur – Rajendra Chola I 
3. Bala Subramaniyar Koil, Theni – Rajendra Chola I
4. Ramanatheeswarar koil, Esalam, Villupuram – Rajendra Chola I
   
   
   LATER CHOLA PERIOD
    
   Rajaraja Chola II 

1. The Airavatesvara(Raja Rajeswaram) Temple at Darasuram, Kumbakonam - Rajaraja Chola II
2. Apradeeswara Temple- Nagar, Lalgudi - Rajaraja Chola II
   
    

1. Karakoil at Melakkadambur - Kulothunga Chola I
2. Amirthakateshwarar Temple, Melakadambur, Chidambaram - Kulothunga Chola I
3. Kambhareeswarar Temple, Thirubuvanam, Thanjavur District -  Kulothunga Chola I
4. Tirupuvanam, Thanjavur – Kulothunga Chola I

1. Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval, Trichy - Kocengannan (Kochenga Chola)
2. Vekkaliamman Koil, Uraiyur, Trichy - Kochenga Chola

1. Agasteeswarar temple, Perungudi, Trichy - Sundara Chola
2. Nandhikeswarar, Thuriyur, Trichy - Sundara Chola

1. Achaleeswaram temple, Tiruvarur - Sembian Mahadevi, 10 the century
2. Tirunallam Temple(Gandaradityam) – Sembian Mahadevi
3. Kailasanathaswamy Temple, Sembianmadevi – Sembian Mahadevi
   
   
   CHOLA TEMPLES REBUILT 

1. Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, Naaratahamalai, Pudukottai District - Rebuilt by Vijayalaya Chola I
2. Thiruvalithayam - Padi, Chennai - Rajaraja Chola III
3. Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram - Rajendra Chola II 
4. Muvar Koil, Pudukottai - Parantaka II
5. Kampaharesvara temple at Tribhuvanam near Kumbakonam - Kulothunga Chola III
6. Kailasmudaiyar temple, Cholamadevi, Thiruverumbur, Trichy - Virarajendra Chola
7. Patteswarar Temple, Perur, Coimbatore – Karikala Perivalanam 
8. Tirunageeswaram, Tanjavur – Gandaraditya Chola 
9. Maada Kovil, Uraiyur, Trichy – Sengan Chola 
10. Tirupachur, Tiruthani, Chennai – Karikalan Chola 
11. Thiyagarajar Temple, Tiruvarur - Muchukanta Chola
12. Sri Pundarikashan Perumal Temple, Thiruvellarai - Sibi Chakravarthy

1. Annamalaiyar Temple, Thiruvannamalai - 9th century Chola king
2. Erumbeeswarar temple, Thiruverumbur, Trichy - Early Chola kings 
3. Amaleesvarar Temple, Gopurapatti, Tiruvassi, Trichy - Early Cholas
4. Vada Tirthanathar temple, Andavanallur, Trichy - Early Cholas
5. Sundareswarar temple, Paluvur, Karur-Trichy road - Early Cholas
6. Ekambareswarar Temple, Chidambaram - Rebuilt by Chola kings
7. Kasi viswanathar temple, Thirupattur, Siruganur, Trichy - Unknown Chola king 
8. Muchukondeeswarar, Kodumbalur, Pudukottai – Unknown Chola king
9. Kangeeswarar Koil, Kangaya Nallur, Vellore – Unknown Chola king
10. Tiruvakarai, Villupuram – Unknown Chola King
11. Tiruvamathur, Villupuram – Unknown Chola King
12. Thirutanthoneeswarar, Uraiyur, Trichy – Unknown Chola king
13. Sri Ranganatha temple at Srirangam- Unknown Chola king according to Legend
14. Thayinum Nalla Iswaram - Aaragalur, Perambalur District, Near Arumbavur - Vana Kovaraiyan, A Chola subsidiary
    
    Posted by Chennaitian  in Blogspot.Chennaitian on Thursday, July 7, 2011

Karakkoyil - Amirthakadeswarar Temple, Melakadambur

Karakkoyil

Karakkoyil - Amirthakadeswarar Temple, Malakadambur (early name Tirukkadambur) - 608 304, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu is known by the name Karakkoil. From Tamil literary sources we learn that there are nine categories of temple structures dedicated to Lord Shiva. They are: 'Perunkoyil', 'Karakkoyil', 'Gnalarkoyil', 'Koudikkoyil', 'Ilamkoyil', 'Manikkoyil', 'Alakkoyil', 'Madakkoyil' and 'Punkoyil.' 

Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) Thevaram mentions eight kinds of temples. They include They are: 'Perunkoyil', 'Karakkoyil', 'Gnalarkoyil', 'Koudikkoyil', 'Ilamkoyil', 'Manikkoyil', 'Alakkoyil', 'Madakkoyil' and 'Punkoyil.' 

Raja Raja Cholan I Pallipadai and Inscription Controverises

Recently the half buried slanted Shiva Lingam figured in the midst of plantain field and just behind the hut of Pakirisamy's (a farmer) in Mudikondan river bed in Udayalur, Kumbakonam taluk. (Ref. Picture and You Tube video) The site and Shiva Lingam are being claimed as Raja Raja Cholan's ashes' burial place. Both the Shiva Lingam and the inscription lead many people to link and believe the site as the pallippadai of Raja Raja Cholan - I.

Remains of Subramanya Temple of Sangam period excavated at Saluvankuppam (Mamallapuram), India.

The Pallava sea-port Mamallapuram is known for its cave temples, rock-cut monolithic rathas, open-air bas-relief and free standing structural temple. Archaeological excavations at Saluvankuppam village (also known as Thiruvizhchil) near to UNESCO monument Tiger Cave, just six km north of Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, India, have thrown light on the ruins of the brick temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya dating back to second century A.D. Archaeologists of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team excavated this site in 2005.