Pallava Architecture, Part I (MASI 17) c2.83

c2.83

An account of the inscriptions found in this temple is published in the Annual Report for Epigraphy, Southern Circle, for the year 1908-1909, pages 73 and 76. At first sight, the only inscriptions visible were a number of Dutch signatures of the 17th century, recording the visit of a party of Dutch officials from the neighbouring port of Sadras. These signatures filled every available space on the walls and pillars. Closer examination, however, revealed an early Tamil record engraved on the capital of one of the pillars in the back row. The beginning of this record is damaged, but from the end of it, which is fortunately in a good state of preservation, it appears that the inscription was never completed for reasons which are not apparent. However, the name Vātāpikonda Narasingapōttarasar, which occurs towards the end, clearly shows that the record belongs to the reign of Narasimhavarman I, the son of the great Mahēndravarman I. It will be remembered that it was Narasimhavarman I who defeated the Western Chālukyas and captured in 642 A. D. their capital Vātāpi, i.e., Bādāmi in the Bombay Presidency. This conquest of Vātāpi secured for Narasimhavarman I, the Tamil title Vātāpikonda, i.e., "who took Vātāpi." Unfortunately, the inscription does not tell us who excavated the temple or in fact anything about the temple, but the style of its architecture clearly denotes that it was excavated in the reign of Mahēndra though it is possible and, indeed, extremely probable, that the figures of Brahmā and Vishnu were added during the reign of the latter's son, perhaps at the same time as the inscription.