Rapid Fire
800-Year-Old Shiva Temple Discovered in Tamil Nadu
- 11 Jun 2025
- 2 min read
An 800-year-old Shiva temple from the later Pandya period (1216–1345) has been discovered in Tamil Nadu, offering significant insights into the region’s historical and socio-economic dynamics.
- Inscriptions and Shilpa Sastram confirm the temple, named Thennavanisvaram, was dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- Dated to 1217–1218 CE during Maravarman Sundara Pandya’s reign, it is located in the village formerly called Attur (now Udampatti).
- Thennavan is a title used by the Pandyas, showing the temple had royal support.
- The inscriptions record the sale of a waterbody named Nagankudi for 64 kasu (coins).
- The land tax was to be paid to the God of Thennavaniswaram ensuring financial independence of the temple.
- About Later Pandyas: The early Pandyas (4th to 3rd centuries BC) lost power to the Kalabhras, regained it in the 6th century, were overshadowed by the Cholas in the 9th century, and ruled again in the 12th century as Later Pandyas.
- They had ties with the Roman Empire, Greeks, Chinese, and Egyptians, and were praised by travelers like Marco Polo (Italian traveller of the 13th century).
- Their kingdom ended in the 14th century after the Delhi Sultanate invasion, leading to their incorporation in the Vijayanagar Empire.
Temples patronized by Pandyas: Meenakshi Temple (Madurai), Aranganathar Temple (Srirangam), Vijayanarayana temple (Nanguneri), Lakshmi Narayana temple (Athur).
| Read More: Sangam Age |
