Indian Antiquary Vol 58

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 268

32
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
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( FEBRUARY, 1929
Tirumoli, (II, 6. 3). On the suggestion made above that in the relief in the Dharmaraja Ratha the two-handed figure (Plate 7) is that of Narasimhavarman, it is just possible there are other figures which may very likely represent other sovereigns of the Pallava dynasty. This, however, requires a very careful and quite a detailed examination of all the reliefs in the place.
One further point of very considerable importance is that the cave contains an inscription of Nandivarman Pallava Malla's 65th year, his latest regnal year so far known. The occurrence of this inscription in the cave, taken along with the others to which reference has already been made, shows that the place was one of considerable importance in his reign. This was already inferred from the reference to the locality in the hymns of Tirumangai Alvar, who was a contemporary of this sovereign. This Alvar's reference to the place as still possessed of long streets cannot be regarded as a description of an obscuro village or a place in ruins.
We may conclude that the various details given above would justify the inference that the place was one of some importance, and known by the Tamil native term “Mallai," other. wise, “Kadal Mallai". When it assumed a certain degree of importance, it probably w&s called “Mâmallai" or "MAmallapuram "60 to distinguish it from other villages of the name. It seems probable that Narasimhavarman I took it into his head to beautify the already considerable place in his own way, possibly in imitation of what his father did in various other places. In so doing, he followed the practice of Indian sovereigns by renaming the place with one of his titles, the most striking of which perhaps was at the time Mahamalla." Hence the place enjoyed the alternative designation "Mahamalla", which, written in Tamil, would assume the form "Mamallapuram" and is identical with the previous Tamil name. There is no need, therefore, to make any effort to derive the one name from the other, being, as they are, two different names historically, though by chance they assume the same form finally,
60 See p. 28, 1. 43, ante.