50%. branch of this Mutt at Narasimhapuram near Kumbakonam. The Maratha Rajahs expended their patronage to the Heads of Ahobila Muttaleo-okoł871 the Jiyar cf Ahobila Mutt paid a visit to the palace and Kanakabhishekam and Pada puja (worshipping the feet ) were performed in 1829 and 1849, While Serfoji II was at Benares, the Ahobila Mutt Jiyar blessed the king. It may be noted here that Srimukhams (letters) from the Heads of Mutts were received with all respect and honour by the Maratha rulers, The Big Mutt at Kumbakonam : This is a Veera Saiva Mutt and it is one of the oldest of Mutts at Kumbakonam. A complaint was lodged by an employee of the Mutt to the “Sircar” in 1844. Other Mutts: The “Sircar.” Mutt at Tiruvannamalai, Meru Swamigal Mutt at Mannargudi, Sivapuja Mutt at East Alangam, Thanjavur, Goswami Mutt, Uttaradi Mutt and Vyasaraya Mutt were some of the Mutts known to us from the Modi records. = There were also Tambirans (Saiva Ascetics) belonging to the Dharmapuram and Tiruvavadutural Athinams, attached to seme of the temples under their control in the Maratha principality. At Tirubhuvanam and Waitheeswaran Koil, there were Tambirans of Dharmapuram Athinam. At Tiruvidaimarudur and Tirupperunthurai, there were Tambirans belonging to Tiruvavaduturai Athinam. 32. Promotion of Tamil Learning Many Tamil Scholars were patronised by the Maratha Rajahs. Some of the Rajahs were also polyglots and the authors of some Tamil operas. Sahaji was the author of a Tamil play called Kaveri Kalyana Natakam. This is one of the five Tamil operas published by the Saraswathi Mahal Library. The other four plays are Vishnu Saharaja Vilasam, the Chandrika hasa Vilasa Nataka, the Bhooloka Devendra Vilasa and the Kuravanji by Muttu Kavirayar and these were written under the patronage of Sahaji. All the five operas were written in Tamil but in the Telugu script. Another Kuravanji called the Tyagesar Kuravanji was also written during the reign of Sahaji on Tyagesar, the presiding deity at Tiruvarur Siva Temple. This Kuravanji was enacted in the Panguni Uttaram festival at Tiruvarur. The author of this book is not known. o The Kumbakonam Puranam of Sokkappa Navalar was presented before the learned audience in the court of Sahaji.
