Cholas link with Srirangam Temple
  • source of this article from
    http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/temples/srirangam/


    Parantaka I (907 - 955 AD), was an ardent devotee of Lord Ranganatha.
    During his reign, the temple received many benefactions. A gift of 30
    pieces of gold for a permanent lamp, 40 for camphor, one for cotton
    wick and a silver lamp were received by the Sabha of Tiruvarangam
    which managed these endowments.

    A hundred Kalanju of gold was made for performing the Tirumanjanam of
    the Lord with a "Sahasradhara" gold plate (1000 holed). Provision for
    cake offerings to the Lord on the Ekadasi day during the Panguni
    festival was made through a gift of two plots of land.

    The Anbil plates of Parantaka II (Sundara Chola 956 - 973 AD) record
    the grant to Srinatha, a native of Anbil (Premagriha). This Vaishnava
    teacher was an ardent devotee of Lord Ranganatha and is identified
    with Nathamuni, the first of the Sri Vaishnava acharyas. He organised
    regular classes in which he expounded the import of the "Nalayira
    Divya Prabandham" and continued the festivals organised by Tirumangai
    Alvar and made arrangements for the recitation of the 'Nalayiram'.

    The contents of the Anbil plates also convey the very strong
    Vaishnava feelings of Aniruddha - the minister of Parantaka II (955 -
    985 AD). He himself recited these hymns, illustrating them with
    appropriate gestures during the Tirumoli and Tiruvoimoli festivals
    and trained his two nephews, Kallaiyagattalvan and Melaiyagattalvan
    to sing and dance during the festivals.

    During the regime of the greatest of the Cholas, Raja Raja I (985 -
    1014 AD), a gift of gold and a gift of one hundred cows to the temple
    for daily supply of four 'Nali' of milk to the deity by one of his
    officers was recorded. It also provided for cattle sheds and grazing
    fields.

    The second Prakara is known as Rajamahendran Veedhi, a prince of the
    chola dynasty. He is said to have gifted to the Lord a serpent couch
    with precious gem set. There are in all 105 Chola inscriptions in the
    temple. Of these, 65 are assignable to Kulottunga I and 14 to the
    reign of his son, Vikrama Chola between the years 1070 and 1125 AD.
    Vikrama Chola is also said to have built a gosala and a shrine for
    Krishna in the North East of the fifth Prakara. He also built a
    shrine for Rama in the South West and for Nachiyar in the North West.
    The huge Garuda in the Periatirumandapa fourth enclosure known
    as "Alinadan Tiruveedhi" was installed during his reign. He was also
    known as "Akalanka". The fifth enclosure - Akalankan Tiruveedhi was
    paved during his reign.

    It is significant that during the acharya-ship of Sri Ramanuja,
    numerous benefactions accrued to the temple. Ramanuja completely
    overhauled the administrative system and saw to it, that great care
    was exercised in the matter of control of temple affairs and for this
    purpose - the office of the Senapathi Durandhara was created and
    charged with the specific duty of superintendence of the temple.
    Mudali and his descendants held the office with great distinction for
    almost two centuries.

    Kulottunga III and Raja Raja III also continued to bestow care and
    interest in the temple affairs. They appointed royal personnel as Sri
    Karyams. Thirteen Srikaryams are mentioned in the inscriptions.

    During Raja Raja III's reign (1216-1257 AD), the Odras of Orissa were
    in occupation of the temple for about two years between 1223 and 1225
    AD. They were ultimately expelled by the Pandyan force under Mara
    Varman Sundara Pandya.

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