MADURAI: A stone inscription found by a history enthusiast in a Madurai village reveals land grants and formation of a trust for a temple that does not exist now. It mentions Vitta Meenakshi temple in Sorrikkampatti near Chekkanurani, 24 kilometres from Madurai city.
S Arunchandran from Madurai, a bank employee and history enthusiast, found the five-foot-long and three-foot-wide stone inscription at S Perumalpatti village. On his request, R Udhayakumar of Pandya Nadu History Research Centre in Madurai along with epigraphist T Muthupandi took an estampage of the inscription and studied its contents, which were further verified by retired archeologist C Santhalingam, the centre's secretary.
Udhayakumar said the stone inscription dates back to AD 1665 which has been mentioned as Salivagana Sahaptha Aandu 1587. The contents say that a grant, possibly a land grant, was provided and trust formed during the reign of Chokkanatha Nayak (1662-1682). The village is mentioned as Sorikamanpatti, currently known as Sorikkampatti. The grant mentioned in the inscription was meant for Vitta Meenakshi Temple. "We have enquired, but no such temple was found. It could have disappeared in the course of time," said Udhaykumar.
