Asthrapureeswarar Anoor

Asthrapureeswarar Anoor was originally built by Pallava King Vijaya Kamba Varman (Nandivarman III?, 7th Century CE) and father of Aparajitha Varman, the last ruler of the Pallava Dynasty. After the Pallavas, Asthrapureeswarar Anoor received the patronage and support of Chola, Nayak, and Vijayanagara Kings. An inscription on the lintel over the entrance mentions that during Kulottunga Chola I’s reign, there was a sale of land by the village assembly of Adiyur (ancient name for Aanur) for a perpetual lamp and for offerings at the temple. The Inscriptions also indicate that the Asthrapureeswarar Anoor temple received patronage from Paranthaka Chola, Raja Raja Chola, Kulottunga Chola I, and Raja Raja III. There are inscriptions on the sanctum wall belonging to the 6th to 7th Century CE Pallavas, 9th Century CE Cholas, and 16th Century CE Vijayanagara periods. One of the inscriptions of the Rajaraja Chola period mentions the contributions of musical instruments and the playing of the same here at Asthrapureeswarar Anoor.