Neerpazhani is a hamlet in Kulattur taluk of Pudukkottai district, is credited with a Chola period Siva temple known in the name Valarmathi Iswaram. The temple lies in the outskirts of the village on its northern side in the midst of the paddy fields. It is a single prakara complex with main shrine consists of a three tier vimana, mukha mandapa, maha mandapa and porch in the center, surrounded by sub-shrines of various deities viz., Goddess Subatranayagi, Bairava, Ganesa, Subrahmanya, Chandeswara. The temple complex has a gopura in the south.
The temple is rich in inscriptions, nearly twenty inscriptions were copied during early twentieth century and published in the Inscriptions of Pudukkottai State volume. Among the inscriptions of this temple complex, the earliest being Pandya Maranjadaiya (a) Varaguna (765-815 C.E.), the inscription is found inscribed on a slab stone. Inscriptions of Cholas, Pandyas of Second Empire are also found. During field exploration, inscriptions were verified, other than the copied inscriptions around five inscriptions were identified as uncopied and nearly twenty fragment inscriptions were identified found scattered in the compound walls, mandapas and Nandi mandapa. The uncopied inscriptions probably belongs to Chola peirod and among the new inscriptions two are described.
An inscription found on the kumuda near the eastern entrance records the gift of Sandhi lamp by one Maniyan Velan, a native of Nirpazhani. He endowed 10 kasu for alighting the lamp. The responsibility was undertaken by the Sivabrahmana of the temple Nambiyudaiyan (a) Pazhaninayaga bhattan. The inscription belongs to Kulottunga Chola deva but the regnal year is damaged. It mentions the village as Nirpazhani in Uraiyur Kurram.
Another inscription found on the eastern jamb of the gopura entrance records the gift of door jamb (nilaikaal) by one Ilamaiyar, a Kanmi of this village. The inscription has sacred beginning but King name and regnal year are absent.
An inscription found on the gopura on its northern side kumuda has a late C.E. 19th century inscription ‘Mathurai Nayagam’. An incomplete inscription of Rajendra Chola deva belongs to third regnal year, it mentions simha nayiru, avarabaksham…
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