PAZHIYILEESWARAM TEMPLE.

Pazhiyileeswaram is another rock-cut cave temple with a siva linga inside a small sanctum sanctorum with two beautiful dwarapalakas. The inscription at the base of the temple is an extremely interesting piece that belongs to the period of the Pallava king (Nripatunga Varman 855-896 A.D).

The inscription says that the cave temple was built by the Mutharaya king. Mutharayan and his son Sathan had built the mukhamandapam , Nandimandapam and the Balipeedom at the temple. This inscription helps to read the lineage of Mutharayar kings who were the vassals of the Pallava kings.

The rock-cut cave temple is dedicated to siva and located opposite to the Vijayala choleeswaram temple about 30 feet south of Samanar- Kudagu .

This Siva cave temple was excavated in the seventh year of the Pallava king Nripatunga (862 A.D.) by a Mutharayar chief, Sattan Pazhiyili, son of Videl- vidugu Mutharayan, which is where the temple gets the name. An inscription on the basement, states that the temple is excavated by Pazhiyili. It is also states that his son built the front mandapam and installed a Nandi, while his daughter Pazhiyili Siriyanangai made a gift of land to the temple.

Pazhiyili was a Mutharayar king, who ruled in 857 A.D in Narthamalai region. Pazhiyili figures in the inscription found near Pudukkottai-Narthamalai  in 857 A.D. pazhiyili practiced Jainism and donated lands to Siva temple and named it as Pazhiyileeswaram. Pazhiyili as the contemporary chieftain under Pallava rule in Kodumbalur region and deviating from his predecessors practiced Saivism and made a rock-cut temple.