Saluvankuppam- A Historical View

                      Saluvankuppam-  A Historical View 

Located about 60 km from Chennai on the Chola Mandala coast, in the village of Chaluvankuppam, there is a pre-Pallava era Murugan temple built of bricks. This temple was uncovered during the tsunami in 2004. However, there are different opinions among historians about this temple. Some say that it is a Sangam era temple, while others deny it. Therefore, it is generally called a pre-Pallava era temple. Chaluvankuppam was previously known as "Shanaankuppam". Chanankuppam means a place where cattle herders lived, which later changed to Chaluvankuppam. 

There are references in the Mackenzie inscriptions that Kurumbars lived here. There is doubt whether it was originally built for Murugan. Because the stone vel outside the Arthamandapam was built during the Pallava or Chola era. This temple is the oldest Murugan temple in Tamil Nadu. Although there is no mention of this in Sangam literature, it is mentioned in the inscriptions as "Thiruvilchi". 

There is an inscription of the later Chola king Kulothunga I and the Rashtrakuta king Krishna on the rock here. Also, a coin of the Chola period has been found. This temple is built with bricks. It has a sanctum sanctorum and an artha mandapam and a prakaram. And there is a Pali pedestal. 

In 2006, an excavation was conducted under the leadership of the Archaeological Survey of India, Satyabhama Badrinath. In this, three cultural periods were identified.
Cultural period-1 Early Pallava period- 6th century AD
Cultural period-2 From the 6th century AD to the 8th century AD
Cultural period-3 Chola period

Antiquities  Findings in Excavation

1) hearth

2) Terracotta Ring Well

3)  Terracotta plaque  

4) Terracotta elephant Head

5) Terracotta Ganesa

6) Terracotta Nandhi

7)  Terracotta Lamps

8)  Beads

7) Terracotta Roofing Tiles

9)  Copper Object

10) Iron Object

Archaeological evidence indicates that there was also a residential area at this location.

A Pallava Ruler Rajasimha Era- Adhirana Chanda Rock-cut- Temple

Near Chaluvankuppam, there is a Kudaivara temple from the time of Pallava King Rajasimman. It is in the style of his predecessor Mahendravarman I. It has a sanctum and an artha mandapam. The sanctum has a 16-bar "Tara Lingam". This type of lingam was very popular during the Pallava period. There are Grantha inscriptions. Near this, a mandapam with 5 tiger heads is built. The locals call it "Pulikkugai". It was used as an art hall during the Pallava period.

Conclusion
It is very rare to find brick-built temples from the Sangam period in Tamil Nadu.



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