That was strange because up to Narttamalai (near Vijayalaya Chozhiswaram) there is Pallava presence on almost all the temples in the Pudukkottai-Karaikudi-Tiruchy belt. In fact Pallava hegemony is reflected in their inscriptions at the Tiruvellarai temple, plus the Rockfort temple in Tiruchy plus also the Pancharanga temples in and around Tiruchy, but there again very strangely, no recorded Pallava presence (rather than avering that no Pallava presence is recorded or available) at the Sri Ranganathaswami temple at Thiruvarangam.

Your take.

Cheenu.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The 120 inscriptions in Kudumiyamalai, some of which are of great importance, help to trace the history of both of Kudumiyamalai, and of the region.

The musical inscription and other early Pandya (7th–8th century AD.) inscriptions take the origin of the temple and the township to the beginning of the seventh century AD.

The presence of the musical inscription of seventh century script suggests that the rock-cut Siva shrine of Melak-koil could be one of the early monuments erected after the revival of Saivism. Siva was said to be a god revelling in playing Vina and in one of his poses he is depicted as holding the instrument in hand (Vina-dhara, ). The place should have been a centre of culture and much frequented by practitioners and students of music, for this unique musical inscription to be engraved at this place.

It was not until the Imperial Chozha time that the continuous epigraphic evidence of the growth of the Temple, and the intense activities connected with the Township commences. The early Chozha inscriptions (9th-10th century AD) are either in the Melak-koil or the walls of the second prakaram, but not in the main shrine, Sikha-natha. This suggests that the shrine was remodelled. Tradition ascribes the remodelling to the time of Mara-varman Sundara Pandya I (முதலாம் மாரவர்மன் சுந்தரபாண்டியன்). For half a century from about 1215 to 1265 AD, the old mandapam-s were renovated, and additional structures were put up with the co-operation of the nadu (நாடு, territorial assembly covering number of Ur-s, ஊர்) -s, nagaram (நகரம், guild of merchants)-s, ur (village assembly)-s and padaip-patru (படைப்பற்று, cantonment)-s of Konadu (கோனாடு) as well as private persons. A quota to be paid by every person living with 24 adam-s (one league) of the village was fixed and the temple collected contributions in money and in kind.

A significant measure of support came from a deva-dasi Umaiyalvi-Nachchi (உமையாள்வி நாச்சி) also referred to as the daughter of Durgai-aandar (துர்கை ஆண்டார்) who bought some of the temple’s lands for 73,300 gold coins. This woman was clearly a philanthropist, building the Amman shrine adjoining the cave temple and consecrating the goddess Malaiya-mangai (மலையமங்கை) or Soundara-Nayaki. The temple acquired lands, gardens, and wells in the villages of Visalur (விசலூர்), Pinnangudi (பின்னங்குடி), Marungur (மருங்கூர்) or Marunguppatti (மருங்குபட்டி) and Karaiyur (காரையூர்), in addition to Melama-nallur (மேலமநல்லூர்). During this period the nadu to which Kudumiyamalai belonged seems to have been administered by Gangaiyaraya-s (காங்கேயராயர்) and Vanadarayan-s (வானதரையர்) of Bana chieftains as vassals of the Pandya kings.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The 120 inscriptions in Kudumiyamalai, some of which are of great importance, help to trace the history of both of Kudumiyamalai, and of the region.

The musical inscription and other early Pandya (7th–8th century AD.) inscriptions take the origin of the temple and the township to the beginning of the seventh century AD.

The presence of the musical inscription of seventh century script suggests that the rock-cut Siva shrine of Melak-koil could be one of the early monuments erected after the revival of Saivism. Siva was said to be a god revelling in playing Vina and in one of his poses he is depicted as holding the instrument in hand (Vina-dhara, ). The place should have been a centre of culture and much frequented by practitioners and students of music, for this unique musical inscription to be engraved at this place.

It was not until the Imperial Chozha time that the continuous epigraphic evidence of the growth of the Temple, and the intense activities connected with the Township commences. The early Chozha inscriptions (9th-10th century AD) are either in the Melak-koil or the walls of the second prakaram, but not in the main shrine, Sikha-natha. This suggests that the shrine was remodelled. Tradition ascribes the remodelling to the time of Mara-varman Sundara Pandya I (முதலாம் மாரவர்மன் சுந்தரபாண்டியன்). For half a century from about 1215 to 1265 AD, the old mandapam-s were renovated, and additional structures were put up with the co-operation of the nadu (நாடு, territorial assembly covering number of Ur-s, ஊர்) -s, nagaram (நகரம், guild of merchants)-s, ur (village assembly)-s and padaip-patru (படைப்பற்று, cantonment)-s of Konadu (கோனாடு) as well as private persons. A quota to be paid by every person living with 24 adam-s (one league) of the village was fixed and the temple collected contributions in money and in kind.

A significant measure of support came from a deva-dasi Umaiyalvi-Nachchi (உமையாள்வி நாச்சி) also referred to as the daughter of Durgai-aandar (துர்கை ஆண்டார்) who bought some of the temple’s lands for 73,300 gold coins. This woman was clearly a philanthropist, building the Amman shrine adjoining the cave temple and consecrating the goddess Malaiya-mangai (மலையமங்கை) or Soundara-Nayaki. The temple acquired lands, gardens, and wells in the villages of Visalur (விசலூர்), Pinnangudi (பின்னங்குடி), Marungur (மருங்கூர்) or Marunguppatti (மருங்குபட்டி) and Karaiyur (காரையூர்), in addition to Melama-nallur (மேலமநல்லூர்). During this period the nadu to which Kudumiyamalai belonged seems to have been administered by Gangaiyaraya-s (காங்கேயராயர்) and Vanadarayan-s (வானதரையர்) of Bana chieftains as vassals of the Pandya kings.

the above was taken from the website http://www.pudukkottai.org.

But interesting, very interesting, Pallava Presence is there on most of the temples including Narttamalai (close to Vijayalaya Chozhiswaram) on the Pudukkottai-Karaikudi coastal belt. But not in Kudumiyanmalai. In fact, I wanted to mention Vijay about Malaiyadipatti Siva-Vishnu temple. The Kumudam Bhakti Special (tamil) mentions that the Malayadipatti was commissioned by Nandivarma Pallavan around 717 AD.

Thanks.

Cheenu

thanks for pointing out - have amended.

rgds
vj

அதே சமயம் குடுமியான் மலைக்கும் பல்லவ மகேந்திரருக்கும் உள்ள தொடர்பை யாரும் இன்னமும் உறுதி செய்யவில்லைதான். ஒரு சில கல்வெட்டு எழுத்துக்களை தொடர்பு காட்டி இது மகேந்திரர் காலமாக இருக்கலாம் என்று ஊகம்தான் செய்ய முடியும்.

கட்டுரை, சிலைகள் அனைத்தும் அருமை!
திவாகர்

இவர் பல்லவன் மகேந்திரவர்மனின் ஆசானாக இருந்தவர் எனக் கேள்விப் பட்டிருக்கேன். ஆகவே பல்லவ காலத்தைச் சேர்ந்ததாய் இல்லை என்பது வியப்பாய்த் தான் இருக்கிறது.

//‘பரிவாதினி’ //
இந்த வீணை அல்லது யாழ் வாசிப்பதில் மகேந்திரன் கைதேர்ந்தவன் என்பதும் படித்திருக்கிறேன்.

//ராகங்கள் 7ம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சேர்ந்த தேவாரப் பண்களிலும் காணப்படுகிறது தற்காலத்தில் வழங்கிவரும் ராகங்களிலும் இதன் கூறுகளைக் காணமுடிகிறது//

இது பற்றி தற்போதைய கர்நாடக சங்கீத வித்வாம்சினி ஆன திருமதி செளம்யா அவர்கள் நீண்ட ஆய்வு மேற்கொண்டு, பழம்பண்களையும் அவை இப்போது என்ன, ராகங்களில் வழங்குகின்றன என்பதையும் எடுத்துக்காட்டி ஒரு அரிய நிகழ்ச்சி அளித்தார். ஜெயா தொலைக்காட்சியில் மார்கழி மஹோத்ஸவத்தின்போது அது ஒளிபரப்பப் பட்டது. அருமையான நிகழ்ச்சியாக இருந்தது. இதைப் பற்றிய ஒரு சிறு விமரிசனம் இங்கேhttp://sivamgss.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_20.html பார்க்கவும், விரிவாய்ப் பார்க்க http://jeevagv.blogspot.com/ சிலப்பதிகாரம் முதல் சிவன் வரை என்ற பதிவைப் பார்க்கலாம்.