The royal history of Mutharayar
people of south India is to be identified with that of Mutharayar kings in and
around Thanjavoor in Tamil speaking land in South India. The population of
Mutharayar people is quite considerable even today in the areas of Thanjavoor,
Pudukkottai, Narthamalai. The fact is that the ancestors of
Muthurajas/Mutharayars lived in and around in Tamilnadu. We should also
remember that Thanjavoor was the capital city of Mutharayar kings and they were
the first kings to build temples and fort in that region.
Historians believe that Mutharayars/ Mudirajas are the
descendants of Kalabhras and Kalabhras were the people of great warrior race.
The Mutharayars of Kondubalur (8 th -11 th century A.D) are believed to be the
descendant of the mighty warrior race of Kalabhras.
The various names used to refer these people of "Raja/ Raya/
Racha/ Rasa/ Arasu. There is a reference to "Perimbidugu
Mutharayan11" who attended the coronation of Nandi Varmman Pallava
malla.
One of the Titles of the Mutharayar was "Lord of Thanjavoor".
Vijayala Chola who conquered Thanjavoor from a Mutharayan in the 9
A.D was Pallava feudatory.
A vindication of a law of nemesis is discernible in the victory of
Chola chief over a descendant of the kalabhras who had over thrown the earlier
Chola kingdom.
Narthamalai.
Narthamalai is a place of historical importance to these
people.
Narthamalai has some of the oldest structural stone temples, built
by Mutharayars. this temples has six large skillfully carved structures of Lord
Vishnu in the central hall. A 9 th century Pallava cave temple dedicated
to Lord Shiva lies to the south, and in front of this is the Vijayala
Choleeswaram. temple. This temple is a structural stone temple, circular in
shape built by the Mutharayars. Vijayala was the first of the later Cholas and
as such this Shiva temple is one of the earliest Chola creatons. Besides the
structural stone temple built by Mutharayars, there is the life size sculptures
carved out of the rock during the Chola king Vijayalayan. How ever glimpse of
artistic greatness that was still to come can be seen the beautiful figures of
the dancers in front of the vimana, elegantly carved Dwara Palakas and the
figures of other Gods.
Narthamalai came under the sway of the MUTHARAYARS from 7 th-9 th
century who were the vassals of the Pallava kings of Kanchi and Pandya kings of
Madurai and was later conquered by the Cholas of Thanjavoor.
The two rock-cut temples a top melamalai besides the
Vijayaleeswara choleeswaram temples tucked under idyllic settings are extremely
informative and a classic example of the fusion of different styles of temple
architecture prevailing in different parts of the country. One can not but
marvel how in that distant past the Mutharayars whose contribution to the
temple architecture and local government were not given due recognition and
importance has become master builders.
The temple Vijayala Choleeswaram is a marvelous piece of art built
by a Mutharayar chief Ilango Adi Arayan/ Ilango adi mutharayar(alias)
Chathambuthi. This is inferred from an inscription under one of the Dwara
Palakas.
The inscription says that the temple was originally built by one
Sambudi,also called Ilango Adi Arayan, and that is suffered damage by heavy
rains and the same was repaired and rebuilt by one Mallan - Viduman
/Mallan-Vithuman Mutharaya king also called Thennavan Tamil Adi Arayan in 886
A.D.
The Mutharayars according to available information had their head
quarters at Nemam near Thirukattupally and held their sway over Thiruchi,
Thanjavoor and Pudukkottai regions untill the emergence of the mighty Cholas of
thanjavoor.
During the 7 th centuries narthamalai was the part of the pallava
empire, but was directly administrated by Mutharayars.
Pazhiyileeswaram is another rock-cut carve temple with a
sivalinga, inside a small sanctum sanctorum with two beautiful dwara Palakas.
The carve temple known as pazhiyili iswaram appears to have been
executed during the time of the Pallava Nandi Varmman 111.(about 826-849 A.D.)
by a Mutharayar Chief Sattan-Pazhiyili, son of Videl-Vidugu Mutharayan as
stated in the inscription on thos temple dated in the 7 th year of the Pallava
emperor Nripatunga Varmman (about 849-875 A.D./ 855-896 A.D. This region was
apparently been disputed by the Pantyas and the Cholas till about the middle of
the 9 th century when Vijayala Chola incorporated it in the Chola empire after
defeating the Mutharayar. The inscription says that the carve temple was built
by the Mutharaya king. mutharayan and his son Sattan had built the Mukha
mandapam, Nandi mandapam, and Beli peedom at the temple. This inscription helps
to read the linage of the Mutharayar kings, who were the the vassals of the
Pallava kings.
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