A brief study on Chola-built temples in Sri Lanka

[virarajendra]

Author - Virarajendra

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A brief study on Chola-built temples in Sri Lanka

(1) Rajarajaeswarem Temple

The region of Mathottam in Mannar alias Arunmolideva Valanadu was renamed as Rajarajapuram, and a Siva temple was constructed by Nallur Kilavan Taalikkumaran a Chola Officer in Sri Lanka during this period, and was named as Rajarajaeswarem. He also made arrangements to celeberate the annual festival of Vaikasi Visakam elaborately at this temple every year in the month of May.

(2) Thiruraameeswarem Temple

During this period Cholas built another Siva temple at Rajarajapuram alias Mathottam the present Mannar district and named it as Thiruraameeswarem.

(3) Vaanavanmaathevieswarem Temple

A Siva temple was built at Jananathamangalam also known as Jananathpuram the present Polonnaruwa in the province of Nigarili Cholavalanadu alias Pulainari, and was named as Vanavanmadevi Iswarem after the queen of Raja Raja - 1

(4) Ravikulamaanikkaeswarem Temple

They built another Sive temple at Padaviya in the Anuradhapura disctrict and named it as Ravikulamaanikka Iswarem after one of the titles of Rajaraja. Many Chola officials and traders around fifteen of them have made endowements to this temple, and Chenkulavan Katampan being one of them made donations in the year A.D.1005.

(5) Uthama Cholaeswarem Temple

There was yet another Siva temple constructed at Atakade in the Anuradhapura district and named as Uththama Chola Iswarem after the Rajarja's predecessor to the Chola throne.

In the year A.D.1040 a Chola officer Arankan Ramesan had made an endowment of 50 coconut trees for lighting five Santhi Vilakku (temple premises lamps) at Uttama Cholaeswarem at Teliyalperu of Kallai at present Attakada, and further donated three Veli lands with fence and 20 cows for the lighting of a Nontha Vilakku (a sacred lamp within this temple -daily).

(6) Panditha Cholaeswarem Temple

During this period another Siva temple which was built and named after one of the titles of Rajendra Chola namely Panditha Cholan as Panditha Choliswarem at Matalakiri, which was renamed as Nittavinodapuram the present Medirigiriya.
In A.D.1037 a Tamil devotee Amuthan Chatan alias Kayavahu Kodi made donations of 10 cows and 10 oxen and ghee for lamp