PANCHAVARNEESHWARAR TEMPLE – WORAIYUR – TRICHIRAPALLI DISTRICT - TAMILNADU Uraiyur or Tirumukkeeswaram, was one of the oldest capitals of the early Chola kings (3020 BC to 245 CE) as noted by the Greek traveler Ptolomy in the 2 nd CE. The 7th century Shaiva canonical work Tevaram by Tirugnanasambandar mentions the place as "Tirumukeechwaram”. Uraiyur is an area of Tiruchirapalli in Tamilnadu , sometimes spelt as Urayur , this location is also known as Thirukkozhi , Nikalaapuri , Uranthai , and Kozhiyur . It has a history dating back to before 200 BCE There is definite mention of the Cholas, and their capital in Ashokan inscriptions in Orissa pushing back the antiquity of the Cholas as well as Uraiyur to 272–232 BCE, which was the period of Ashoka (ca. 304–232 BCE) who was ruler of the Maurya Dynasty of Patliputra (modern Patna ). Inscriptions and rock edicts of Ashoka and the Satavahana describe Urayur as "the citadel and
TEMPLES OF THE WORLD