Pavilion, hall
As you move towards the main temple you notice a long hall in front of the main tower. This hall called the Mahāmaṇḍapa was originally two storeyed and was as high as the first floor of the main tower. The upper storey has disappeared. Stop about the middle of the Maṇḍapa. Look carefully. It is in two parts the rear part near the main tower and the front part towards Nandi. The rear part has its sides closed with a number of deities in the niches. The front part was originally open on the sides supported by pillars. The front part was rebuilt in the 18th cent when the sides were enclosed with walls.
The base of this long Maṇḍapa carries a long inscription running from one end to the other. The inscriptions record the orders the endowments of a large number of beautiful precious jewellery to the bronze images, by Rājarāja his queens and others. They speak of tens of thousands of pearls, precious gems, and several thousand sovereigns of gold which were utilized for making them. There were hundreds of jewels, and for each jewel are recorded in minute detail, information about the quantum gold used, the number of diamonds, emerald, sapphire, ruby, corals etc. used, the total weight of the jewel, the cost of making it and the person who made it and so on.
