and encroachment of water resources gifted to the brahmadeya settlements. Commonly owned village tank was called enkalkulam (our tank). Land transaction in the form of donation and endowment were accompanied by water rights as well. For the periodical and seasonal maintenance and repair of the irrigation tanks, rendering free labour was in practice.
Vetti and amanji were the forms of free labour related to public works at the village level. Kavinattu Kanmai with Chola inscription Village assemblies under the Cholas collected a tax called eriayam, which was utilised for repairing irrigation tanks. Sometimes local leaders like araiyan repaired and renovated irrigation tanks destroyed in a storm. There were instances of the water from a tank shared by villagers and the temples.
Special groups known as talaivayar, talaivay-chanrar and eri- araiyarkal were in charge of releasing the water through the head channel and sluice from the rivers or tanks. A group of people who were in charge of kulam was called kulattar. In later period, temples were entrusted with the upkeep of the irrigation sources. XI History - Lesson - - Later Cholas and Pandyas The devotion of Chola rulers to Saivism became a strong passion in due course of time.
Kulothunga II, for instance, exhibited such a trait. The theological tussle was fierce between state religion, Saivism, and Vaishnavism so much so that Vaishnavism was sidelined to the extent of its apostle Sri Ramanujar leaving the Chola country for Melkote in Karnataka. Builders of Temples The Cholas built and patronised innumerable temples. The royal temples in Thanjavur, G a n g a i k o n d a Chozhapuram and Darasuram are the repositories of architecture, sculpture, paintings and iconography of the Chola arts.
The temples became the hub of social, economic, cultural and political activities. The paraphernalia of the temples including temple officials, dancers, musicians, singers, players of musical instruments and their masers headed by the priests worshipping the gods reflect the royal court. In the initial stages, architecturally, the Chola temples are simple and modest. Sepulchral temples (pallip-padai) also were built where the kings were