Vidya Vineetha Pallava
Parameswarar Temple, Kooram – Kooram Copper Plate Inscriptions
The Copper plate Pallava grant was found in possession
of village head and brought by the Government. The grant is engraved on seven
copper plates, each of which measures 10 1/8 by 3 ¼ inches. The plates were
in very bad state of preservation. An elliptic ring, which is about 3/8 inch
thick and measures 4 by 4 ¾ inches in diameter is passed through a hole on the
left side of each plate. The seal is about 2 ½ inches in diameter
and bears a bull, which is seated on pedestal, faces the left and is surmounted
by the moon and a Linga.
The language of the first 4 ½ plates of the inscription
is Sanskrit and the remainder is written in Tamil. The Sanskrit portion
opens with three benedictory verses, of which the two first are addressed to Lord
Shiva and the third mentions the race of the Pallavas and the mythical
genealogy of Pallavas. This grant mentions about Narasimha Pallava I,
Mahendravarma Pallava II and Parameswaravarma Pallava I.
It vividly describes about the exploits of
Narasimhavarman Pallava I battle with the Pulikesi II of Chalukyas and the
sacking of Vatapi, the then capital of Chalukyas. This grant talks about the
gift Parameswara Mangalam Village to the Kooram Shiva Temple. This temple was
called as Vidya Vineetha Pallava Parameswara Griham in the grant. The temple
was built by Vijaya Vineetha Pallava, a relative of Pallava King. The grant
further talks about provision of water & fire to a Mandapam in Kooram, reciting
of Bhagavatham in this Mandapam and donation of the Brahmins.
