சிவன் கோவில்,கலவை, வேலூர்

The modern village Kalavai, in Arcot taluk of North Arcot district, Tamil Nadu, situated about 100 km from Madras is a village of historic importance from the time of the Pallavas in the 8th century. Ancient relics and inscriptions relating to the village are found in the local Siva temple named thirukkaraesvara temple. Probably the temple was built by one Thirukkarai and hence the name Thirukkaraesvara (on anology with Rajarajeshvara). If so the history of the village could be traced to the Sangam age. The area was under the control of the Malaiyamāns of Thirukkoiyilur where ruled the famous chiefain Malaiyamān Thiru-mudikkārai who has been sung by eminent Sangam poets like Auvaiyār, Paranar, and Kapilar. It is not unlikely that Thirukkarai of this family built the Siva temple after whom it came to be called Thirukatisvaram. The Sthala purāna of the village seems to support this antiquity. Its close link to Malaiyanur may be seen in the sequence.