Source: TW
A month ago, there was an argument on whether Shivaji Maharaj had indeed reconsecrated Arunachala temple as claimed by his minister, Raghunath, in the Rajya Vyavahara Kosha (RVK). Some Tamil devotees who were uncomfortable abt accepting desecration of this temple denied this. Some popular handles also butted in with arguments like Sonachalapati is not Arunachala (no inscriptional evidence for such name), supposed lack of architectural evidence for the claim, discrediting corroboration in Karnataka Rajakkal Savistara Catritram by Narayana Pillai.
These flimsy arguments do not negate the evidence given by Raghunath who was Maratha governor of Gingee under Chhatrapati. ‘Meenakshi’ is not found in inscriptions till 18th century but the name is used in literature much before 18th century. But logic was given a bye. It was pointed out that Krishnadeva raya’s Kamalapur copper plates call the temple as Sonasaila. Apart from that, Achyuta Nayaka’s inscription (ARE 425/1929), the place is called Sonadri and Sonacalesa-pura. Thus the name is corroborated by inscriptions as well.
As for architectural evidence, Karnataka Rajakkal Savistara Caritram (KRSC) mentions that a Vishnu temple in Samudram village near TV Malai was also desecrated by Muslim invaders & that stones from Vishnu temple were used by the Marathas to repair the Siva temple. Vishnu temple of Samudram was moved to Arunachala temple. Priests, trustees and servants of the temple were also moved to the new Vishnu shrine in Arunachala temple. This new temple is the Venugopala shrine which is located behind Arunachala garbhagrha. Pichard & L’Hernault record that the murtis of this Venugopala shrine belong to around the 18th century (which fits the last decades of 17th century - when Marathas claim to have reconsecrated the temple). Thus, we have clear architectural evidence.
Unfortunately, where the locals remember that a Vishnu temple was destroyed and that the murti has been shifted to this temple now, they attribute it to some Saiva-Vaishnava schism. Thankfully RVK and KRSC state that Bijapur had desecrated the temple and Marathas set it right. It is clear that the locals have failed to keep proper memory of these events. This temple doesn’t have any modicum of record maintenance (unlike Koyil-Ozhugu of Srirangam which itself is not perfect record and has some mistakes). An example for dangers of forgetting history.
Absence of such historical records and memory has lead to fanciful stories (where Vira Ballala III is claimed to be son-less while his battle with Madurai Sultanate is forgotten and Samudram temple desecration has been attributed to Cholas punishing Vaishnavas)!! In essence, it is clear that the temples of TV Malai were desecrated by Bijapur similar to how Jalakandeswara of Vellore was desecrated. Marathas reconsecrated these temples. RVK specifically mentions temples of Arunachala, Srimushnam, Vriddhachalam & Chidambaram.
Of these, Arunachala is one of the 5 bhuta sthalas of Siva & Srimushnam is one of the 8 svayamvyakta sthalas of Vishnu. The news abt desecration of such temples will be painful for the faithful. But that shouldnt make us negate the historical facts. Post the setting of Vijayanagara empire in 1650s, these grand temples of northern TN faced a lot of desecration. The advent of Marathas saved these temples. Tamils owe a great debt to Hindavi Swarajya of Shivaji Maharaj for saving their temples & ending slave trade by Dutch.