It is another rock-cut cave temple, dedicated to Siva, opposite to the
Vijayalaya Chozhisvaram (விஜயாலய சோழிஸ்வரம்) temple, about 30 feet south
of Samanar-kudagu (சமணர் குடகு).
This Siva cave temple was excavated in the seventh year of the Pallava
king Nripatunga (நிருபதுங்கன்) (862 AD.) by a Muttaraiyar (முத்தரையர்) chief,
Sattan-pazhiyili (சாத்தன் பழியிலி), son of Videl-vidugu Muttaraiyan (விடேல்விடுகு
முத்தரையன்), whence the temple gets the name. An inscription on the basement,
states that the temple was excavated by Pazhiyili (பழியிலி). It also states
that his son built the front mandapam and installed a nandi, while his daughter
Pazhiyili Siriya-nangai (பழியிலி சிறிய நங்கை) made a gift of land to the
temple.
The Pazhiyili-isvaram cave temple.
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It has a garbha-griham, measuring 8 feet x 7½ feet, and about 7 feet
in height, cut out of the rock. There is a lingam inside with a cylindrical
yoni-pitham (யோனி பீடம்).
A dvara-palaka
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Two dvara-palaka-s, belonging to this temple, have been excavated
from the site and now placed on the platform.
In front of the garbha-griham (கருவரை) is a moulded basement of a
mandapam referred to in the foundation inscription. On the basement,
above the kumudam (குமுதம்), is a frieze of dancing bhutha-gana-s (பூதகணம்).
There is a fine sculpture of Nandi (நந்தி) placed on the basement.
The nandi and the beautiful bhutha-gana frieze
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