Thirumayam
Approach | Historical Background | The Origin of the name | The Monuments | The Vishnu Cave Temple | The Siva Cave Temple | The fort | Other worshipping places

OTHER WORSHIPPING PLACES

There are a number of minor shrines, which include one to Ayyanar (அய்யனார்), locally called Kaliya-perumal (கலியபெருமாள்), and another to Pidari (பிடாரி). The site where a Vaduga (Nayak) woman is said to have performed Sati (சதி) is held sacred.
The Muslim places of worship includes a mosque, with a tomb close by. Adjacent to the Pilla-mangalam (பில்லமங்கலம்) road, to the south of the mosque, is the tomb of Hazarat Quadri Ibrahim Alim. On the bank of the Thamaraik-kanmai (தாமரைக் கண்மாய்), just to the west of the fort, is the tomb of another Muslim saint at which offerings are made both by Hindus and Muslims. In the water spread of the Alan-kanmai (ஆலங்கண்மாய்) another saint lies buried.
There is also a Roman Catholic Chapel.

INSCRIPTIONS

There are nineteen inscriptions in Thirumayam, five in Siva temple and fourteen in Vishnu temple. Some of them are already mentioned.
Closer to the rock-cut shrine of Siva, on the living rock are the mutilated letters denoting music terms like shadja, Gandhara, dhaivata, etc. in the Pallava grantha script of the 7th century AD. These certainly indicate that once the entire area was inscribed with musical treatise containing notations similar to, or a replica of the famous one in Kudumiyamalai (குடுமியாமலை). But it was obliterated in the 13th century, while recording the adjudication of the dispute between the priests of Siva and Vishnu temples for the share of the produce of the temple lands, by the Hoysala general Appanna Danda-nayaka (அப்பண்ணா தண்ட நாயகா) tribunal mentioned above. It is in Tamil script.
Another copy of the same document is inscribed on the rock to the north of the Siva temple tank.
Two more inscriptions in the Siva cave temple belong to reign of Mara-varman Sundara Pandya (மாரவர்மன் சுந்தரபாண்டியன்) (13th century AD). They are regarding grants to the temple.
The earliest inscription in the Vishnu temple is on a slab, which is now placed in the western prakaram of the Sathya-moorthi (சத்தியமூர்த்தி) shrine. This slab must have once formed part of a parapet to the steps leading to the cave-temple. It may be ascribed to the latter part of the 8th century or the early years of 9th century AD. It mentions a renovation of the cave temple and an endowment by the mother of Sattan Maran  (சாத்தன் மாறன்), a Muttaraiyar (முத்தரையர்) chief (contemporary vassal of the Pallava Nandi-varman II and Danti-varman).
There are two Pandya inscriptions belonging to 14th century. Also there are four Vijayanagara inscriptions (15th and 16th century). Other inscriptions are by local chiefs.
Approach | Historical Background | The Origin of the name | The Monuments | The Vishnu Cave Temple | The Siva Cave Temple | The fort | Other worshipping places