Kulasekhara Azhwar (9th Century CE) spent many years here and died here Rajagopalaswamy Mannarkovil. The inscriptions on the shrine for him here mentions that the temple was consecrated in his memory by Vasudevan Kesavan of Mullappalli, Malai Mandalam (present-day Kerala).
Rajagopalaswamy Mannarkovil was built up during the rule of Rajendra Chola I (regnal years 1014 – 1044 CE) by the Chera King Rajasimha with the permission and support of the former. Rajagopalaswamy Mannarkovil has several inscriptions mentioning significant contributions by Chera, Chola, Pandya, and Nayak Dynasties. Rajendra Chola made large contributions to this temple and was called then as Rajendra Vinnagaram.
There are numerous inscriptions of Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (regnal years 1250 – 1268 CE) found on the outer (southern, western, and northern) wall base of the Ashtanga Vimaanam. The dates of these are during the various years of his rule, mentioning about
* the existence of Temple Mahasabha empowered to register all the land grants from monarchs
* decisions taken in the meeting of the assembly held in a hall of the ambalam about the land and houses granted to the gardeners, drummers, potters, garland makers, torch bearers, and temple dance girls
* the order about the gift of taxes on the land in a village called Manabharana Chaturvedimangalam,
* the details of land sale by the sabha of Rajaraja Chaturvedimangalam to the temple
* the sale of the village Manabharana Chaturvedimangalam, a brahmadeya in Mulli Nadu, which was the property of two brahmanas of Nigarilisola Chaturvedimangalam named Govindan Madhava bhattan and Govindan Tiruvikraman, to the temple. The brahmanas had originally obtained the village as the gurus of the ruling dynasty
* the sale by the sabha of Rajaraja Chaturvedimangalam to the temple, gift of land to 12 brahmins who had settled down in the village from towns such as Thirukurungudi, Tirukurugur (Azhwar Thirunagari), and Thirumaliruncholai (Azhagar Koil), in recognition of their recitation of the ‘Thiruvaimozhi’ in the Thiruvaimozhi Mandapam,
* the Mahasabha accepting the legacy of land from two widows only after their male relatives had agreed to the land being gifted to the temple
and more.
Chera King Rajasimhan has donated several pieces of Land to Rajagopalaswamy Mannarkovil. Jatavarman Chola Pandya and Nayak Kings have also made contributions. There are some inscriptions on the floor at the entrance.
This is the birthplace of Vaadhi Kesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeer who provided a detailed explanation and description (Panniraayira Padi) of the Divya Prabandham. In recent times Shri.Narasimha Gopalan Acharya, hailing from the Periya Nambi ancestry, took single-handed effort to renovate the temple from a dilapidated state. He also sowed seeds of Shenbagam trees, considered as one of the 12 favorite flowers of Lord Vishnu, and this is seen in plenty in the campus on the northern side today.
