The Adavallisvarar temple, one of the later Chola temples in Munnuru in Villupuram district, is in bad shape and the sanctum sanctorum has started leaking.
Villupuram MP D. Ravikumar, who has adopted the village under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), has asked Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister P.K. Sekarbabu to take steps to preserve the temple.
“The last time kumbabishekam performed was in 1968. Vegetation has grown on the mandapam over the sanctum sanctorum, and it is in a dilapidated condition. It is leaking inside during rain. There is no adequate air or light in the mandapam in front of the sanctum sanctorum,” Mr. Ravikumar said in his memorandum to the Minister. There are more than 50 stone inscriptions, and one of them talks about Kidaram Konda Cholan Salai, where food was regularly served. It belongs to the period of Rajendra I.
Historian S.R. Balasubrahmanyan, in his book, Later Chola Temples, had said the earliest inscription found on the wall of the temple relates to the 11th year of Rajakesarivarman alias Tribhuvanachakravartin Kulottunga Deva whose prasati (praise) begins with the introduction ‘pu mevu valar’. He is thus identified with Kulotunga II.
The MP said the people in the village had started building a wall around the temple, and they could not complete the work because of encroachments on one side. “The stagnant water in the temple tank has turned green,” he added.
Urging the HR&CE Minister to remove the encroachments and carry out renovation works, Mr. Ravikumar requested him also to launch the Annadhanam Scheme in the temple as it was practised in the temple a thousand year ago.
