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THE CHOLAS
70 kalañju was utilized for purchasing and making tax-free some specified lands
for the upkeep of the temple.
Coins called Rājēndraśōlan-māḍai and Rājarājanmāḍai.
The gold coin Rājēndraśōlan-māḍai is mentioned in another inscription
(No. 203 of 1925) of the time of Rājēndra-Chōḷa I. Another coin called Rājarājan-
māḍai was also current in this period (No.104
of 1925). In some later records, only the
name māḍai equivalent to two kāśu finds
mention (S. I. I., Vol. III, p. 136). The term māḍai derived from the Sanskrit
word māsha appears to have been greatly in vogue in the Telugu districts, and
may have influenced Tamil coinage. It is referred to in an inscription of the
Eastern Chāḷukya king Rājarāja, father of Kulōttuṅga I (Ind. Ant., Vol. XXV, p.
321, No. 25). In the succeeding centuries, the coins named Bhujabhalavīran-māḍai,
Madhurāntakan-māḍai, and Gaṇḍagōpālan-pudumāḍai were current in the Chingle-put, Nellore and adjoining districts.
Āriyan Vāsudēva-Bhaṭṭa of Kāśmīradēśam.
28. An incomplete record from the same place (No. 14) dated in the 39th
year of the king, seems to register a sale, by the temple authorities to a certain
Āriyan Vāsudēva-Bhaṭṭan alias Rājarāja-Brahmārāyan of Anishṭhānam in Kāśmīra-dēśa, of some temple land situated in the Tirumuḍikkurai (river island) in Viḷattūrnāḍu, a subdivision of Rājamahēndra-vaḷanāḍu. This last territorial division is
already known from the inscriptions of Ratnagiri and Śivāyam in the Kulittalai
taluk and seems to have comprised the locality round about that taluk. There
is a tradition in the temple that certain Ārya-Brāhmaṇas from the Gauḍadēśa
in the north came to Śrīraṅgam with treasure as offerings to the god and that
prior to its acceptance by the deity, it was left at the entrance and guarded by
some Ārya-Brāhmaṇas, and that this place came consequently to be known
afterwards as the Ārya-bhaṭṭāl-vāśal. The Kōyilolugu (p. 6) which refers to this
story dates it in an impossibly early period, viz., Kali 360. Since the earliest
reference to the Ārya-bhaṭṭāl is only found in this inscription, their connection
with the temple is probably to be dated from about this period, i. e., 12th
century A.D. In this connection it may be mentioned that other natives of
Kāśmīradēśam also figure in records of the 12th century A.D. in the Chingleput
and Ramnad districts (Ep. Rep. for 1928-29, Part II, para. 36), testifying to the
fact that the influx of the remote northerners as pilgrims to the important temples
of South India was particularly prevalent in this period.
A social custom of the shepherd class.
No. 165 which comes from Karūr is dated in the 43rd year of Kulōttuṅga-
Chōḷadēva without any attribute or historical introduction. The high regnal year
makes it assignable to Kulōttuṅga I. It
records an agreement by the shepherd
community (tiruvāyppāḍi-nāṭṭār) of the place to present a sheep to the temple of
Jalaśayanattu Paḷḷikoṇḍaruḷiugira-Ālvār at Karuvūr* in Veṅgāla-nāḍu, a subdivision of Vīraṥōlamaṇḍalam, on the occasion of the nuptials (kaṭṭil-ērudal) of their sons
or on the occasions when their daughters were sent to set up their family and also
on the occasion of talaimani of their children. A similar convention among the Manrāḍi class is recorded in an inscription coming from Bāhūr in the French
Territory (S. I. I., Vol. VII, No. 804) dated in the reign of Rāshṭrakūta Kannara-
dēva, which provides for the gift of a sheep on the occasion of kaṭṭil-ērudal, in the
case of one who comes from outside (puranāḍu) also.
Vikrama-Chōḷa.
29. Of Vikrama-Chōḷa there are only two inscriptions (Nos. 263 and 33) dated
respectively in his 14th and 16th years. The later one from Śrīraṅgam which
begins with the introduction ‘pūmālaimiḍaindu’ provides for feeding the apūrvi-Śrīvaishṇavas in the temple on amāvāsyā days and 10 Malayāṇa (Malayāḷa)
Śrīvaishṇava-Brāhmaṇas on the festivals days in the Paṅguni month, by a certain
Śīriḷaṅgōn Tirunāḍuḍaiyān, who had purchased the lands required therefor in the
13th and 14th years of the king. The inscription closes with a statement that this
charity was to be under the protection of Mūnru-maṇḍalattu Abhimānabhūshaṇar,
instead of with the usual formula Śrīvaishṇava-rakshai. The Mūnru-maṇḍalam is
perhaps Toṇḍai-maṇḍalam, Śōla-maṇḍalam and Pāṇḍi-maṇḍalam, but who the
Abhimānabhūshaṇār were is not clear. It may also be mentioned here that
Another expression viz. ‘ Padineṇvishayattu Śrīvaishṇavar’ occurs in inscriptions.
Kulottuṅga-Chōḷa II.
30. Kulōttuṅga-Chōḷa II is represented by two inscriptions, both from Śrī-raṅgam (Nos. 56 and 55) with the introduction Pūmannu-padumam, dated respectively
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* This is evidently the image of Raṅganātha recently recovered and preserved in the local temple, though
without worship.
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