Women on the Temple Walls: Recovering the Forgotten Voices of Female Patrons in Medieval Tamil Nadu

Abstract

This paper re-evaluates the history of medieval Tamil temples by shifting the focus from dynastic kings and monumental architecture to the ongoing institutional participation of women. Drawing on epigraphic evidence carved into temple walls, the author highlights women omitted from conventional royal chronicles who actively managed property, donated gold and land, and supported ritual life. The study nuances the retrospective categorization of temple-affiliated women (often broadly grouped as devadāsīs) by showing their diverse roles as independent donors and economic actors, while framing their involvement through historical agency—their ability to allocate resources within existing social structures—rather than modern concepts of gender resistance. Ultimately, the paper argues that integrating these inscriptional records into traditional art and architectural histories provides a more complete and complex understanding of female agency in medieval Tamil Nadu.