Thirumittacode inscription explained

Thirumittacode inscription (c. 1028 AD) is an early 11th century Chola inscription from Thirumittacode, near Pattambi (opposite to the Palghat Gap, on south bank of Bharathappuzha), in central Kerala.^[1] The old Malayalam inscription in Vattezhuthu script (with some Grantha characters) is engraved on the obverse side of a single granite block in the door frame of the Thirumittacode temple. The inscription is one of the rare Chola records found in Kerala proper.

• The inscription, dated in the 8th regnal year of Chera Perumal king Ravi Goda (fl. 11th century AD), relates to the rule of Chola emperor Rajendra (r. 1012–1044 AD) in Kerala.
• It records the gift of gold equal to forty "pazhankashu" to the Thirumittacode temple by "Chola Mutharaiyan" named Chekkizhan Shakthinjayan from Kavanur, Melur Kottam in Thondai Nadu, who was carrying out the royal orders of emperor Rajendra Chola.
• The same donor is mentioned in one other inscription which records an agreement given by the temple servants [patipddamulattar] to burna perpetual lamp in the temple of Mahadeva at Tiruchchorrutturai (odanavaneswara temple) in Kilar-kurram, for 25 kalainju of pure tested gold received by them from Sekkilan Sattimalaiyan alias Solamuttaraiyan of Kavanur in 'Melur-kbttam in Thondaimandalam.^[2] The reignal year of the Rajendra I mentioned in the record is three which means that the inscription falls in the year AD 1015. It is interesting to note that the Chola feudatory native of Kavanur near Tanjavur in AD 1015 ends up in Pattambi with in a decade. Its the only record of a Malaiyan or Malayarayan feudatory in the state of Kerala.
• Itis suggested that the Kshatriya captain concerned was the one who accompanied Rajendra Chola when the latter captured Tiruvanchikulam early in the llth century A.D.^[3] He might have been insrtrumental in giving rise to Kodungallur Kingdom and its branches at Ayiroor Sarkara and Ayiroor near Aranmula.
• The record mention the old Malayalam name of the temple as "Thiruvitruvacode". It also notes the so-called "Agreement of Muzhikkulam".

References

1. Book: Index to Cera Inscriptions (Perumals of Kerala) M. G. S. Narayanan . English.

   https://archive.org/details/1_20200409_20200409_1359

2. 2. South Indian Inscriptions Vol 19 Page 40 https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533818/page/n68/mode/1up?view=theater&q=sattimalaiyan
3. 3. A Survey of Kerala History, A. Sreedhara Menon, https://pdfcoffee.com/survey-of-kerala-history-pdf-free.html