Narthamalai, Pudukottai
Narthamalai, a cluster of small hills, is 25 km
from Trichy on the Trichy - Pudukottai highway in the state of Tamil
Nadu, India. Here can be seen some of the oldest rock cut cave
temples, as well as the longest rock-cut edicts, similar to Asokan edicts and extremely rare in the south of
India. The town houses Vijayalaya Choleeswaram built during the 9th century. The two rock – cut temples
are classic examples of how temple architecture styles were fusing in different
parts of the country.
Narttamalai is one of the sites of national renown.
There are two rock-cut temples, Pazhiyili Isvaram and Samanar kudagu, and one
magnificent structural temple called Vijayalaya Chozhisvaram, which is a
marvellous piece of art, on the hill. There is a famous living temple of
Mariamman. The Kadambar temple at the foot of a hill nearby is another
beautiful temple. The natural cavern of Aluruttimalai contains polished stone
beds and other Jaina vestiges.
There is a thin forest surrounding south-east part of
the region and hence it comes under the forest reserve area. As per a
mythological legend when Hanuman was
carrying Sanjeevani hill, few shrubs fell over this part of region
making it famous for a variety of magic shrubs. A legend stated in Perungalur
Sthala Puranam states that the name Narthamalai is derived from the
sage Narada, and calls it Naradar malai.
Narthamalai, which at present is a very small village,
was a sprawling trading center in olden days. The name Narthamalai is
probably derived from Nagarattar malai where Nagarattar refer to
a mercantile community, also known as Nattukkottai Chettiyars. As per
a Chola inscription, a Nagarattar sold a land for conducting
daily worship in the larger cave temple.
Narthamalai is referred as Annavayil-kurram, a
sub division in Keralantaka valanadu alias Konadu during
the regime of the Chola king Rajaraja I. Later this region is
referred as Irattappadi kondachola valanadu during the regime of
the Chola king Kulottunga I. The region is referred
as Telingakula kalapuram alias Kulottungacholapattinam during
the Pandya rule.
Before the advent of the Pallavas, Narthamalai would
have been under the early Cholas or early Pandyas. From the
time of the Pallavas, from 7th to 9th century CE, it was under the sway of
the Muttaraiyars who were the vassals of the Pallava kings.
Once Pandyas were on rise, Muttaraiyars changed their loyalty
from the Pallavas to Pandyas.
In the last decade of the ninth century CE, the Cholas washed
out the Pallavas completely and took over the control over the vast area
of Tamilnadu. Within the span of hundred years, they also wiped out
the Pandyas and became the sole sovereignty of the southern part of
India, mostly Tamilnadu.
Narthamalai Village
Narttamalai is the name given to a group of low hills
and a village that lies nestled at their foot. The hill group consists of nine
hills, they are listed as below;
1. Melamalai
2. Kottaimalai
3. Aluruttimalai
4. Kadambar Malai
5. Paraiyanmalai
6. Uvachchanmalai
7. Manmalai
8. Bommadimalai
9. Ponmalai.
Melamalai or Western hill is also called Samanarmalai
and sometimes Sivan malai. To the southeast of the village is a reserved
forest.
Etymology
There are at least two mythological stories currently
connected with the name of the village. A legend declares that the group of the
hills is actually fragments of the Sanjiva Parvatam that fell here when Hanuman
flung it back from Lanka. The Narttamalai hills are said to contain many rare
medicinal herbs - which fact explains the currency of the story. The Perungalur
Sthalapuranam derives the name Narttamalai from the sage Narada, and calls it
Naradar malai.
More probable is that the name was derived from the word
Nagarattar malai, or the hill of the Nagarattars. Nagarattars is the name of
the mercantile community called Nattukkottai Chettiyars, or simply Chettiyars.
It was a centre of the ancient south Indian merchant guild - the Nanadesi 500 -
and was a nagaram or a mercantile centre.
The Chettiyars, also known as Nagarattars of the present
day are their lineal descendants, and they inhabit now, what is known today as
Chettinad, an area beginning from Pudukkottai and extending southwards till
about Sivaganga.
Historical Background
These hills were in early times the abode of Jaina
ascetics. The natural cavern at Aluruttimalai, one of the Narttamalai group has
traces of 'beds' similar to those at Ezhadippattam in Sittannavasal, where
Jaina monks practiced austerities. More of such Jaina caverns and Jaina
vestiges are to be found on the southern flank of Kudagumalai. Kudagumalai is
in front of Aluruttimalai, on the east across the high road and nearer the
railway track.
Melamalai with its caverns and caves is, in fact, also
known as Samanarmalai ('hill of the Jainas). Narttamalai appears to have been
an important Jaina centre with temples and monasteries and also a mercantile
centre (Nagaram) as attested by inscriptions. The local merchants were
Silayachettis, according to the inscriptions.
During the 7th to 9th centuries Narttamalai was part of
the Pallava Empire, but was directly administrated by Muttaraiyars. The cave
temple known as Pazhiyili Isvaram appears to have been excavated during the
time of the Pallava Nandi Varman III (about 826 – 849 AD) by a Muttaraiyar
chief Sattanpazhiyili, son of Videlvidugu Muttaraiyan as stated in the
inscription on this temple dated in the seventh year of the Pallava emperor
Nripatunga Varman (about 849 – 875 AD). This region was apparently been
disputed by the Pandya-s and the Chozhas till about the middle of the 9th
century when Vijayalaya Chozha incorporated it in the Chozha empire after
defeating the Muttaraiyar.
During the reign of Raja Raja I (about 985 – 1014 AD)
Narttamalai was called Telungakulakalapuram after one of the titles of the
king. The Kadambarkoil was built about the close of the 10th century. There are
inscriptions here of the reigns of Rajendra II and Kulottunga I. During the
last years of the reign of Kulottunga III, Narttamalai came under Pandya rule.
Rajendra III probably recovered it, since there is an inscription of his reign
relating to this temple building, activities, but very soon it again passed
into the hands of the Pandyas.
Narttamalai could have come under the rule of the
Madurai Sultans for about 50 years in the 14th century until the Vijayanagara
dynasty re-conquered the south. The only Vijayanagara inscription here,
however, is dated 1431 AD and is in the reign of Devaraya II. Narttamalai came
later under the direct rule of the Madurai Nayaks.
Akkalraja, a Vijayanagara nobleman was persuaded on his
way to Rameswaram to settle in this tract and put down the lawless Visenginattu
Kallars. He lived in a fort on the Narttamalai hills. We hear of Akkachi, a
Pallava rayar princess, employing a Kallar warrior of the Kachiran sect to slay
Akkalraja and bring his head. When Akkalraja was thus killed, his seven wives
committed sati by throwing themselves into a pyre prepared near Nochikkanmai by
the side of the Narttamalai hills. The decedents of these Nayaks or Raja
settlers live in the adjoining place called Uppilikkudi, even today and are
called Uppilikkudi Rajas.
The Tondaimans acquired Narttamalai from the
Pallavarayars. Owing to its natural advantages for defence it was for long used
as a military station, and traces new exist of fort walls and citadels.
Local Assemblies (Nagarams)
The earliest references to local assemblies are in the
period of 7th - 9th centuries. The Nagaram of Narttamalai
came into prominence in about the 10th century, and, as a unit of local
administration, it flourished for many centuries. It controlled the temples,
received and managed gifts for them, controlled taxation, effected sales and
other modes of conveyance of land, exempted land from tax, distributed among
its members the revenue – survey and accounts work of the village and
functioned through an executive body of its own creation. Silayachettis, who
often bore the names of Chozha or Pandya kings, seem to have been the chief
mercantile class in this.
The Vishnu shrine in the Melamalai cave is called
Padhinen bhumi Vinnagaram, evidently after the ‘eighteen towns’ of the
‘Ainnurruvar’ (assembly of five hundred), and we may conclude that this Nagaram
was associated with or affiliated to the great corporation of Ainurruvar. By
14th and 15th centuries, from the inscriptions mentioning only about Ur or
village assembly, it is possible that the mercantile community had at that time
migrated from this place.
Tourism
Narthamalai is located 11 miles Northeast West of
Pudukottai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The cave temples of Narthamalai
have stood the test of time. Its beautifully carved pillars and statues will
never give away that these temples date all the way back to the early medieval
era. Narthamalai has six large, skillfully carved of Lord Vishnu in the central
hall. A life size portrait of Lord Vishnu will leave the visitors speechless
with the levels of skill, effort and the time taken to create it.
The vijayalayacholeswara temple here is the most
beautiful structure in Narthamalai hills. There is another Historical event
occurred here, The Thanjai Periya Kovil was built with the stones taken from
this mountain only, during Chola's Empire.
There are many monuments of interest & interesting
places at Narthamalai are listed as below;
Aluruttimalai, Narthamalai
Bommadimalai, Narthamalai
Thiru Vanaikkaaveesvaram, Narthamalai
Kadambar Malai Temple Complex, Narthamalai
Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, Narthamalai
Kottaimalai, Narthamalai
Muthu Mariamman Temple, Narthamalai
Melamalai, Narthamalai
Paraiyanmalai, Narthamalai
Pazhiyileeswaram Temple, Narthamalai
Uvachchanmalai, Narthamalai
Connectivity
Narttamalai is situated on the western side of the
Tiruchirappalli – Pudukkottai highway. One can reach the Narttamalai village by
taking a diversion from the Tiruchirappalli – Pudukkottai highway at
Narttamalai bus stop. The village is about 2 kilometers from the highway, on
the western side.
Narttamalai village is 17 kilometers from Pudukkottai
and 14 kilometers from Kiranur which is an important junction in
Tiruchirappalli – Pudukkottai highway.
Narttamalai also has a railway station where the metre gauge
passenger trains running in Tiruchirappalli - Karaikudi route have a stop.
It is well connected by road also from Trichy & Pudukottai. Nearest airport is Trichy which is also a major railhead.
It is well connected by road also from Trichy & Pudukottai. Nearest airport is Trichy which is also a major railhead.