SPS wrote earlier on 9.5.2005 re THIRUNALLAM :: /reposted - edited /
There is a Vallam village near Thanjavur - which I mistook as the Village from where Vandhiyathevan hailed - when I visited the place about 10 - 15 yrs back. This was MUTHARAYARs town as mentioned in earlier mails. Two years back I came to know that it is THIRUVALLAM - located near Ranipet / BHEL Township - from where Vandhiyathevan hailed. Kundavi & Vthvn ruled together from this place after their wedding. MELPADI (Western Command) is hardly 10 Kms away -where in his 30th Rgnl Yr - RR constructed Arinjayeswaram (Pallippadai) in memory of his grand father Arinjayan - probably the LAST of the temple he constructed in his 30 yrs span of Rule. Most of RR's inscriptions in Big Temple denote his 29th Rgnl Yr.
In the Thiruvallam temple, inscriptions mention of one MADURANTAKA KANDRADITHAN (who is supposed to be the son of Uthama Chozha.)His inscriptions are not found after 997 AD (according to Sethuraman). He was incharge of auditing the temple accounts in RR's Rule and had the authority to punish those who mismanaged the temple funds / affairs.
At the entrance of the sanctum, statue of a person is seen in the sitting posture with both his hands NAILED to the floor!
Inscriptions mention that he was punished by MADURANTAKA KANDRADITHAN on behalf of the Emperor - for having misused temple funds!
There are similar instances in Suseendram, Nagerkoil etc.