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South
Indian Inscriptions |
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INTRODUCTION
Rulers of Kongu. âThe Cholesvara temple at
Sangramanallur in Coimbatore District yielded 32 inscriptions of the
different rulers of Kongu viz., Viranarayana, Virachola,
Virarajendra, Vikramachola Virpandya. The undated inscriptions Nos.
166, 167 and 198 of Konerinmaikondan, reveal that during the period of
early Kongu rulers, privileges were bestowed on the temple officials
for the maintenance or supervision of the endowments made over to the
temples of Viracholisvaram-udaiya-nayanar and Avinasi-yaludaiyar- Nos.
166 and 167 record the setting up of the image of Tribhuvanasundarar
and goddess Nachchiyar in the former temple, for the merit of the king
(mamadi) and the grant of the village Devampadi alias Viranarayananallur
in Kavadik ka-nadu along with income from taxes for providing lamps to
the deity. The record No.166 further mentions that the samantars
and administrators (adikarancheyvargal) are not to
supervise the endowment made by the king but it must be done by the
srimahesvaras and devakanmigal of the temple. It may be
noted that the signatory of the grant Viranarayana Virasingadevan in
No. 166 figures also as a signatory in No. 167. The name of the
village Viranarayananallur and of the persons who attested the grant
named Viranarayana Virasaingadevan seem to suggest that they came to
be called after the overlord Viranarayana. Hence Konerinmaikondan may
be identified with Viranaranarayana who assumed the throne in 1139-40
A.D. The second regnal year of this king may equated with 1140-41
A.D. , which is the date of a record (No. 198) from Avanashi in the
taluk of the same name in Coimbatore District. This reveals another
interesting information regarding the colonisation of the village
Tanavasi alias Viracholanallur in Kitip-nadu, granted by the
king Rajakesari Konerinmaikondan during his 2nd regnal year
on the occasion of his coronation, for the worship of the deity
Perunkarunaichchelviyar of the Tirukkamakkottam in the temple of
Avinasiyaludaiyar. The gift was enjoined to the heirs of Madevandar
including Tiruvegambam-udaiyan who were to enjoy the income from the
taxes on this village. It further states that the devakanmigal
of this Nachchivar temple were to collect the taxes levied on the
village and the samantas should not interfere into it.
Madevandar would decide in regard to the colonising of the village in
the absence of the settlement by the rightful families and the
families thus settled should measure out oil for the goddess. Nos.
146 and 145 belonging to the reign period of Konerinmaikondan refers
to the construction of the temple of Viracholisvaram-udaiyar at
Kolumam. The one dated in the 23rd year (No. 146) of this
king engraved on the south wall of the central shrine records a royal
grant of land and some privileges to the architect (sirpachari)
named Maniyan Kayilayam alias Virachola achariyan who erected
the temple from upana to stupi and built the vimana.
It also mentions that he would arrange for carrying out the temple
repairs, for the installation of the deities in stone and metal, for
providing the paintings in the tirunadaimaligai
(circum-ambulatory passage) and the tiruv-eduttukkatti (raised
wall or coping) and for getting the donations inscribed in the
temple. No. 151 from Sangramanallur, Udumalaipet Taluk, Coimbatore
District states that during the reign period of Konerinmaikondan
Virarajendradeva, due to an invasion and destruction of Kolumam in
Karaivali-nadu, a number of temples (named) in the places in this nadu
were devastated. The king, referred to above, granted the village
Irattaiyan padi in Vaikavi_nadu as a devadana to these (temple)
including the temple of Viracholisvaram-udaiyar as prayaschitta
for the damage occurred to several temples. It is not unlikely that
this invasion must have been undertaken by the northerners (vaduga)
as it is stated in a record of this king dated in his 45th
year (1251â52 A. D.) that an old image of Aludaiyar Nittaninraduvar
(i.e., Nataraja ) in the Viracholisvaram-udaiyar temple at koluman
received damages in their war and a new image was again set up by one
Alavandan Avanasi alias Kachchivarayan. It is not unlikely that
the northerners referred to hear may be identified with the Hoysalas
in the north of the Kongu territory.
It is interesting to note that an order dated in
the 8th year of the reign of Vira-pandyadeva, relating to
the matter of colonisation of the village Sevur alias Sembiyan
Kilandinallur in Vadaparisara-nadu, a devadana village of the
god Avinasiyaludaiyar which was a kani of the said village
(No.197). It is stated that the people would settle here from the
month of Panguni during the same year and would enjoy the income from
the lands in the next year (i. e., the 9th year) but they
should pay from the year after that (i.e., 10th year) the
paddy and the income from several taxes likemel-irai, kil-irai,
ottachchu, sungavari, elavai, ugavai, tirumau-katchi, upp-ayam,
kurradendam puraadal, sirrayam, tariy-irai, tattar-pattam, yilam
punsey (tax for toddy drawing), paraikkana, tol-attu (tax
on hides and skins) tiruchchulavari, tiruvaslviniyogam,
sumai-sungam, etc., besides 10 achchu annually.
In this village the members belonging to the two
communities i. e., Vellala and Puluva issued a deed of agreement
according to which two families each from Vellala and Puluva should be
removes from the 9th year of the king from the colony of
Sevur. The record which relates to this settlement does not quote any
reason for this decision. It may be inferred that probably these four
families must have transgressed the family promise or emigrated from
out of the colony. This agreement was attested by members from
different villages (No. 196).
Hoysalas.âNo. 764 from the
Varadarajaperumal temple at Alambakkam Lalgudi Talu, Tiruchirappalli
District, which is undated, contains two sections. Of which, the first
is partly in verse and partly in prose, while the second section is in
prose. The record in verse states that the temples of Dachchina
Kailayamudaiyar and Tirumerkoyil (the temple in the west, i. e.,
Vishnu) and the Madurantakappereri were caused to be constructed by a
certain Kalakiyamudaiyan Surriy [?] Sirkondilangu Chatumaraivanan, a
palli of Nenmali This record also refers to the renovation of
these temples, when they become dilapidated in course of time, by
Vittappan, son of Aru[la]lunathan of Nellainagar, who is described as
âa person with valour and Sattiyavachakan.â
The portion in prose below this, records that
Valiya-dandanayakkan son, of [Ada}ppillai-dandanayakkan of [Aranappuram]
of Madurantakam in Tondaimandalam, who was a dandanayaka of
Narasingadevan, caused the repairs to this Sri vimana (of the
a central shrine) on which the record is engraved. The name of this
temple is not given. This general is identical with his namesake who
is mentioned as the son of Dutapillai-dandanayakkan in the Tamil
portion and as the arbhaka (son) of Duta in Sanskrit verse in
a record (S. I. I., Vol. V, No. 659, verse 1, line 1) from
Tirumalavadi in Udaiyarpalayam Taluk of the same district. It is
possible that their overlord Narasimha mentioned in these two
inscriptions is evidently the same as Hoysala Narasimha, who held sway
over this area. It may be said from the above records that his reign
period witnessed many benevolent acts including the construction of a
tank called Madurantakappereri. One the grounds of paleography
Narasimha may be considered to be identical with the second king of
that name who is known to have ruled from 1220 to 1238 A. D.
It is known from the Tirumalavadi inscriptions
(S. I. I., Vol. V, No. 659) that Ballaya-dandanayakkanâs father
was Dutappillai-dandanayakkan. So the name Adappillai is to be read as
Dutappillai and his son Ballaya-danadanayakkan was known as
Valiya-dandanayakkan in the present record.
The only dated reference to the general
Vallaya-dandanayaka is found in the inscription (A. R. Ep.,
1920, No. 39) from Tirumalavadi belonging to Rajaraja III dated in his
20th year, Karkataka, ba. Panchadasi, Monday, Pushya
corresponding to 1235 A. D., July 16, who was a contemporary of
Hoysala Narasimha II (1220-38 A. D.).
Further, this inscription reveals that the
generals of the Hoysalas are known to have made munificent gifts
during the reign period of the Cholas.
Reddis---The Motupalli pillar inscription
(No. 635) is an edict of the Reddi king Annapottu-reddi issued to the
merchants in the islands and those residing in the seashore towns,
whose interests were looked after. We have a similar instance of an
edict (assuring) safety that has been granted to traders by sea in the
regin period of Kakatiya Ganapatideva dated Saka 1166 (1244-45A. D.)
(Ep. Ind., Vol. XII, pp. 188 ff.). In the latter record, the
customs duties were levied on cargo carried by ships from one place to
another. But in the reign period of Annapottu-reddi, certain
concessions were shown to the foreign traders for the purchase and
sale of merchandise. The levy known as aputrika-dandam (levy on
those who have no issues or children) was not be imposed on
foreigners. Except on articles like gold, silver, the cloth for women,
for other items of merchandise the duty was levied as before. In a
regulation instituted by the above merchants, it specifies the
procedure that was to be followed in the anjinanpugalidam and
states that for every 100 articles imported from the south, three
articles should be given and for every 100 clothes of export, 2
clothes should be given, while for every 100 articles imported from
the north, 5 articles should be given and for export of 3 clothes,
same number of clothes should be given, and in the islands for every
100 clothes imported, on lease and export, only 3 clothes should be
given, etc. It may be inferred from this that the rate of customs was
not levied uniformly in South, North and in the islands. The South was
placed at an advantageous position as the duty levied on them was very
much lesser in ratio. The reason for this, perhaps, is not known.
Kakatiya Chief.---No. 579 from Karempudi,
palnad Taluk, Guntur District bearing the date Saka 1186, Raktakshi,
introduces the chief Gandapendara Jannigadeva with the titles
Rakkasa-Gamgabemkomdu-ganmba Ganpatideva-dakshana-bhuja-damda,
oddaraya-abhimanga-churukara mavanamkakara, brahmarakshasa, etc.
It is known that the Kayastas started their career as cavaliers under
Kakatiya Ganapati and styled themselves as maha-mankalesvara
and Gandpendara (Ep.Ind., Vol. XXV, pp. 272 ff.). He came to
be called âthe right hand of king Ganapatiâ (Ganapatideva-dakshana-bhuja-damda)
as he appears to have played an important part in his kingdom. The
title Oddaraya-abhimana-churukara indicates that he acquired
the same after defeating the oddaraya who may be identified
with Narasimha I, the Eastern Ganga king of Kalinga. (See N.
Venkataramaniah: Cuddapah Inscriptions, Introduction. pp. 109-10).
The fourth epithet mavanamkakara has been taken to mean that
Jannigadeva was associated with his uncle in his early years. The
Tripuranthakam (S.I.I., Vol X, No. 565) and Nilagangavaram
inscriptions (Ep. Ind., Vol. XXV pp. 270 ff.) state that Jannigadeva
was the son of Chandalamba or Chandaladevi, the sister of Gangeya
Sahini. The lady Cendubavi-Ammangaru mentioned in the Macherla record
(A. R. Ep., 1941-42, No. 50) as the younger sister of Gangeya Sahini has
been identified with Chandaladevi (A. R.Ep., 1939-40 to 42-43, part II,
para 76; Ep.Ind., Vol XXV, pp. 271-72). Thus these records disclose
the relationship of Jannigadeva and Gangeya Sahini namely sisterâs son
(svasur-apatyam) or the latter as the uncle (mava) of
the former. Since the Anantaram record (A.R.Ep., 1973-74, No. B 3)
dated in Saka 1181 (1259 A.D.) states that Jannigadeva was the
son-in-law (jamata) of Sri Ganga-Senapati, son of
Dasavanta-pandita and the grandson of of Danupandita, it may surmised
that Jannigadeva must have married his own uncleâs daughter i.e.,
the daughter of Ganga-Senapati. The term mava, may
therefore be taken to mean both uncle and father-in-law. It is
because that after Gangeya Sahini came his sisterâs son (udabhavat=tad-anu
dvibhujo nripa[h*] svasur=apatyam=amushya Janardanah (S.I.I., Vol.
X, No. 465, text 11. 8-9) or after his father-in-law(mava) the
latter assumed the epithet mavanamkakara.
The records of Gangeya Sahini are available as
late as Saka 1179(A.R.Ep., 1937-38, No. 233 and A.R.p., 1905, Nos. 231
and 176). Jannigadeva appears to have succeeded Gangeya Sahini
sometime after Saka 1179 as the latterâs latest inscription is dated
in that year. He held the governorship first under Ganapati till the
63rd year (1261-62 A.D.) of his reign, which date would
correspond to Saka 1184 (A. R. Ep., 1930-31, No. 289). Though
Jannigadeva is known to have issued a record independently without
referring to his over-lord in Saka [11]82 (A.R. Ep., 1941-42, No. 50),
it cannot be said that he did not acknowledge the over lordship of the
then ruling king i.e. Ganapati, for he expressed his loyalty to the
reigning king in his inscription of Ska 1180-82 from Pondallur (Ep.
Ind., Vol. XXXV, p.273, n.1), of Saka 1181 from Anantaram in Nalagonda
District (A. R. Ep., 1973-74, No. B 3) and of a Saka 1184 equated with
his 63rd regnal year from Alugurajupalle in Guntur
District. (A. R. Ep., 1930-31, No. 289). It is, therefore significant
that the record under review and Nandalur inscription (A. R. Ep., 1907,
No. 610) of Jannigadeva bearing the Saka date 1186 do not refer to the
overlord whereas his earlier inscriptions ranging from Saka 1180-84
refer to him as feudatory of Ganapati. The date given in the record
would fall in the reign period of Ganapatiâs daughter and successor
Rudrabma (accn. 1260 A.D.)[1].
But the record between Saka 1189 and 1191 (A. R. Ep., 1930-31, No. 324;
1939-40, No. 1 and 1909, No. 573) mention Rudradeva as the ruling king
and his subordinate Jannigadeva. It is only in the records after Saka
1184 and before Saka 1189, that due to the attempts of consolidation
made by the queen Rudramba, Janni-gadeva tried to assert his
independence. Thereafter, he realised the feudatory status (contra :
A. R. Ep., 1910, part II, para 46).
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Vijayanagara Rulers.- King Harihararaya-udaiyar is credited with a titile Karnnataraja in a
record at Komaralingam, Udumalaipet Taluk, Coimbatore District (No.
140). This records a royal grant of 20 ma of land on the
borders of Tiruvalanadurai along with gold and paddy towards the
payment of its tax as tiruvidaiyattam to god Kariyapiran at
Agara Kumarankabhima alias
Paridara-sahodarach-chaturvedimangalam. The first name Komarankabhima
was evidently the name of a chief whose identity is not clear. The
Hoysala records of this region containing reference to the chiefs of
Danayakan-kottai who claimed to have belonged to the Matigolayakula
and who were the feudatories of Vira Ballala III had the
characteristics title Paradarisahodara (No. 201). Hence the
name of village after the above mentioned chief vedimangalam indicates
that it was so named after the above mentioned chief who had such a
title (A.R. Ep., 1906 No. 444).
The cyclic year Khara in which the record is
dated, along with other details i.e., Adi 12 may perhaps correspond to
1411 A.D., July 10, the Saka year being 1333. The king Harihararaya
may be identified with prince Harihara III, son of Devaraya I and the
present record later by two years may be second in date to his
Madavilagam record, dated in the year Sarvadhari, Tai i.e., Saka 1331,
January. (A.R.Ep., 1920, Nos. 225 and 227)
No. 62 from Tirukkalukkunram which belongs to
Devaraya dated in the year Paridhavi records a land transaction made
by the Sri-Rudra-Mahesvaras of the temple of
Tirukkalukkunram-udaiya-nayanar at Tirukkalukkunram, a taniyur
in Kalattur-kottam in Jayangonasola-mandalm. It is interesting to
note that in the transaction undertaken by Sri-Rudra-Mahesvaras, the
Srimahesvaras are stated to have attested the document. The cyclic
year Paridhavi along with other details viz., Singha su. 7, Visakha,
Sunday correspond to 1432 A.D., August 3. The Saka year was 1354
falling in the reign period of Devaraya II.
The Ummattur Chiefs.âThe chief Nanjaraya
or Nanjanna-udaiya figures in four records (Nos. 210, 212, 220, and
222) and the dates ranging from 1497-1517 A.D. The record (No. 220)
which furnishes the latest date does not give other details. No. 222
from Pattanam, Palladam Taluk is a record f Vira Nanjana-udaiyar.
This is dated in the year Piravava i.e., Prabhava, Chittirai I
corresponding to 1507 A.D., March 28 (Sunday). The Saka year would be
1429. In the Avanasi record (No. 211) dated one-and-half years later
(1508 A.D., November 13) it is stated that a merchant of Emmarakal in
Tinaikkanambi-nadu (Terkanambi-nadu) made a gift of 20 pon to
the deity Avinasi-lingam in Dakshina-Varanasi, during the rule of Vira
Chikkaraya-udaiyar, son of Vira Najaraya-udaiyar. We may infer that
the latter was administering Terkanambi-nadu. This record and two
others of Nanjaraya dated respectively Saka 1419 and 1421 (=1497 and
1499 A.D.) give us specific titles like jagadadhipatiyappa,
srikailasanivasa, parvatiprananatha, elladevara-vallabhan which
are associates with the chiefs of Ummattur named Vira Nanjaraya and
Vira Chikkaraya-udaiyar. We know that a Ummattur chief was defeated
by Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya sometime between 1509-29. If on
the date of the record No. 220 Vira Nanjanna-udaiyar was administering
Terakanambi-nadu, followed by his son Chikkaraya in 1508 A.D., we may
infer that by the date of the former record, Ummattur had not been
conquered by Krishnadevaraya. But it has been argued on the basis of
a grap occurred between 1504 and 1530 A.D. and from the availability
of record of 1513 A.D., October 4, that the Ummattur chief had been
defeated before this date by Krishnadevarya, who had bestowed the
mayakatana of Terkanambe-sime upon Saluva Govindaraja, son of
Rachiraja. (E.C., Vol. III (Revised), 1974, Intro. P. 117).
In the light of the Nambiyur record of 1517 A.D.
(No. 220) could it be said that Vira Nanjunna-udaiyar was holding
control over the areas around Terkanambi-nadu? Also from the absence
of records of this chief or from the reference to his administration
over Terkanambi region beyond 1508 AD., we may infer that by that
date, the region was lost to the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya by
the Ummattur chiefs.
No. 222 is an interesting record which refers to
the conversion of a village Mudukkadu in Viyiraikka-nadu into a
Nanadesippattanam as well as an Anjinanpugal-idam by the
merchants of Adichetti group of Srinathapattianam after the
recolonisation of the same, which had been in ruins for sometimes. We
have instances in the Chola records of such conversion of villages
into mercantile towns by the merchant group.
MiscellaneousâNo. 319 from Tirukkachchur,
Chingleput Taluk and District describes a certain Perunambigal, a
member of the Gadikai (Skt. Ghatika) (i.e., a
centre of learning ) of Kavanur alias Poyyamolimangalam in
Konasura-nadu in Sengattuk-kottam, as Muttamil Acharyar and
Tamil karaikanda. He has assemed the title Muttamil
Acharyar, for he must have been proficient and or an exponent in
the three kinds of Tamil literature which are yal (literature), Isai
(Music) and Natagam (drama).
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