page_title: Narthamalai
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Narthamalai / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Narthamalai, Pudukkottai, Tamilnadu, Vijayalaya Choleeswaramதமிழ்: நார்த்தாமலை, புதுக்கோட்டை, தமிழ்நாடு, விஜயாலய சோழீச்வரம்
context_page_description: Narthamalai, a cluster of small hills, is 25 km from Trichy on the Trichy-Pudukottai highway in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Here can be seen some of the oldest rock cut cave temples, as well as the longest rock-cut edicts, similar to Asokan edicts and extremely rare in the south of India.
  The town houses Vijayalaya Choleeswaram built during the 9th century. The two rock-cut temples are classic examples of how temple architecture styles were fusing in different parts of the country.
context_section_description: Narthamalai was ruled from the 7th to 9th centuries by the Mutharaiyars, who were feudatories of the Pallavas. The region was later captured by Medieval Cholas. Though the temple is called Vijayalaya Choleeswaram, the temple was originally built by Muttaraiyar lieutant, Sattan Paliyili, during the seventh regnal year of Pallava king Nripatungavarman during 862 CE. As per some accounts, the temple is believed to have been built by the first king of Medieval Cholas, Vijayalaya Chola (848- 891 CE), but the view is highly debated. As per the inscriptions, immediately after the construction, the temple was damaged by rains and lightning. The restoration work was carried out by Tennavan Tamiladirayan.
  In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by archaeological department of India as a protected monument.
  The place was called Telinga-kula-kala-puram in the 11th century during the times of Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola I.
caption: Image of pilasters on the lower part of the vimana
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