more-in Two later Chola-period inscriptions recording the vows of bodyguards of kings and another belonging to Krishnadevaraya period have been discovered at the Sri Chandrasekara Temple at Tiruchendurai near Tiruchi. Field studies undertaken by M. Nalini, Head, Department of History, Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, and R. Akila, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Aringar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri, at the temple led to the discovery of the inscriptions recently. The temple, situated off the Tiruchi-Karur highway, was built in the fag end of the 9th century by Poodhi Aditha Pidari, queen of Arinchaya Chola. R. Kalaikkovan, Director, Dr. M. Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research said that already nine inscriptions have been copied from the temple on two earlier occasions by the scholars of the Centre and the present study of the abandoned mandapa which was covered with bushes has revealed the two later Chola records and one belonging to the period of the Vijayanagar king Krishnadevaraya. The two Chola inscriptions, dating to 12 the Century C. E. record the vows taken by two bodyguards of a local feudal ruler, Mikaman. “Bodyguards protected the kings from their enemies at all times even if they had to sacrifice their own lives. Living after the death of their benefactor was looked upon as a sin by the society then. Hence when a bodyguard accepts the job, he vows in front of the God declaring that he will not live after the demise of his lord,” Dr. Kalaikkovan said. One of the bodyguards, Ammaiyalvan Thiruppila Marayan alias Azhakiya Seman, while making the pledge, declared that if he lives after the king he may be treated as a person who had committed incest with his sister. Such inscriptions recording the vows of bodyguards are also found at Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam, Dr.Nalini said. The inscription of Krishnadevaraya engraved in the 1517 C. E. reveals the royal order of the king remitting certain taxes on the lands of both Siva and Vishnu temples of the Cholamandalam. Since the inscription is not continuous, details of the names of the temples and the tax amount remitted were not available. Dr. Kalaikkovan appreciated the support extended by the temple priest Shanmugasundaram in finding the inscriptions and said that the find has been reported to the Department of Archaeology.

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