Nithyakalyana Perumal Temple, Thiruvidandai – History
The
temple was built during the Pallava regime in 7th century. Kanchipuram, was the capital of the Pallavas who ruled the region
during the 6th to 9th centuries. They had Mamallapuram and Thiruvidanthai as their port towns and the two towns emerged as
strong ports for the Empire. The temple is believed to have been built along
with the monumental temples in the region. The temple has inscriptions dated
959 CE from the Pallava times. There were later additions from the Chola kings as indicated from an inscription during the
35th regnal year of Rajadhiraja
Chola during 1052
CE.
Raja
Raja Chola, is believed to have
commissioned the Panguni Uthiram festival during 1003 CE. Raja Raja Chozha is
said to have celebrated a 7day festival during the Tamil calendar month of
Aavani and a 9day festival for Panguni Uthiram. He is also said to have fed a
number of Brahmins here. Vijaya Rajendra Chozha is said to have donated this
entire village to the Thiruvidanthai Lord.
There
are inscriptions indicating benevolent contributions from Kulothunga Chola I during 1115 CE. The temple is a declared
monument of the Archaeological Survey of India on account of the inscriptions
in the temple. It is maintained as a monument under the Chennai circle and
Mamallapuram sub circle of the institution. The temple has a palanquin
made of ivory, the one of its kind for any Hindu temple.