Purpose of Grants and Growth of Temples

Abstract

The land grants to temples were made directly to the temple treasury with the mentioning of purpose for which the donation was to be spent and with the conditions to maintain the specified services in the temple. There was an immense variety of purposes for which the land grants has been made. It led to the growth of temples. The period of the Pallavas saw the revival of Hinduism and the nayanmars and alvars played a dominant role in the building of temples. The contribution of the Cholas to temple architecture was more than that of the Pallavas and the Pandyas. Under the patronage of the Cholas, the building of temples entered on a process of gradual expansion and adaptation. A proper study of the records proves that the people attached great importance to various activities of the temples. The subsistence of a temple was related to various gifts made by philanthropists.