|
INSCRIPTIONS
COLLECTED DURING THE YEAR 1906
Introduction
Of
the 588 inscriptions copied during the year 1906 by this office and
included in this volume, 484 records are in Tamil.
These epigraphs represent the collections secured from the
various districts of Tamil Nadu and from the districts of Chittoor and
Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh. Among
them nearly about 40 records have been published elsewhere, while the
texts of the remaining numbers are included here.
They belong to the dynasties of the Cholas, Pandyas, Hoyasalas,
Vijayanagara Kings and a number of chiefs such as those of Ummattur etc.
The
earliest inscriptions are the cave records found incised on the Jaina
caverns of the places like Marugaltalai, Anaimalai, Mangulam etc. They
â(Nos.407, 457 and 460 to 465) Are assignable to the period from third
century B.C. to the early centuries of the Christian ear. The
inscriptions from Mangulam (Nos.460 to 465) are the earliest, which have
been assigned to the third century B.C. shri K.V. subrahmanyam Ayyar,
discussed first in detail on the Mangulam epigraphs in his elaborate
paper on âThe earliest monuments of the Pandya Country and their
inscriptionsâ, published in the proceedings of the 3rd All-India
Oriental Congress held in 1924. They have all been deciphered completely by Shri I. Mahadevan,
subsequently, and published in the Seminar on Inscriptions, 1966,
Madras (pp. 57 ff.)
The
language of the inscription as pointed out by shri subrahmanya ayyar, is
Tamil with prakrit words absorbed appropriately and the script is brahmi.
Scholars are of the opinion that the Brahmi script used in the caves of
Tamil nadu is an adaptation of Asoken Brahmi for writing Tamil language.
The varga letters âdhâ and âsâ which are of common
occurrence in the Asokan brahmi inscription are present in the
expressions dhammam and asiriya in two of the Mangulam
inscription (Nos.460and 465). The letter âmâ is written in the form
of a horse-shoe shape with a cross bar connecting the two upright arms
the letters âtâ has two forms, one with a straight stem from which
angle
On
the right branches off and the other with the two arms downward from out
of the vertical main stem. Forms of letters peculiar to Tamil such as
â1â, â1â, ârâ and âiiâare
found in these inscriptions.
Next
to the cave inscriptions, the inscription No.7 found at the Ranganatha
cave temple at Namakkal in salem District written in Sanskrit language
and Grantha characters of the 7th century A.D. deserves our
attention. This consists of
three pieces and along with a fourth price subsequently discovered in
1960-61 has been revised and edited in the Epigraphia Indica (Vol. XXXVI,
pp. 131 ff. and Plate) The cave temple is described as a Sayya-griham,
the sleeping apartment, with the reclining deity (Vishnu) surrounded by
(the figures of) Markandeya, Garuda, Varuna, Brahma, Isa, Daksha, Sasi,
Tumburu, Narada, Guru, Bhrigu, the five weapons, Sri and the demons
Madhiu and Kaitabha. The sculptures carve in the central shrine agree with this
description. The cave
temple is called Atiyanatha-and-Aliyendra-Vishnugriham and is attributed
to the authorship of gunasila (also called Soma?) an Atiya chief, the
senior among the grandsons by the daughter of a king whose name is not
clear. An interesting
parallel is found in the name Kongavarman, and Soma family in describing
the Kambuja King Bhavavarman. This
architectural activity of excavating this cave-temple could have been
possible only sometime before 750 A.D. when both the Pallavas and
Pandyas were otherwise engaged.
An
inscription (No. 402) on a stone set up in the Satyagirinatha temple at
Tirumaiyam engraved in characters of about the 9th century
A.D. belongs to a Muttraiyar chief.
It registers a grant probably of some land and village Andakaudi
with the Karanmai-miyatchchi for the renovation of Paudukkuppuram
and for the maintenance of the central shrine and as unnaligaippuram,
respectively, by perumbiduguperundevi the mother of Videlvidugu
Vilupperadiaraisan alias Sattan Maran.
He was member of the Mutturaiyear family, who got the title Videlvidugu
after Pallava Nandivaraman, probably as a subordinate.
Shri K.G. Krishnan has identified Perumbidugu Perundevi as the
queen of Cattan, the earliest known member of this Muttaraiyar family
and has said that these chiefs had added to their official or dynastic
designations the titles like Videlvidugu and Perdumbiduga
(studies in South Indian History and Epigraphy, Vol. I,
pp-133ff).
There
is an interesting record from among the inscription of Parantaka I. One
of the sides of a stone containing this does not mention the name of the
ruling kind and his date (No. 348). But from the nature of its contents, it appears to be
connected with the other side of the same slab, which refers to the 32nd
year (938-39 A.D.) of the reign of Parantaka I (No. 347). The dated record refers to the digging of a tank by
Orriyur-Peruman, son of Narumanjira Kaliyotti of Urrukadu.
A person by name Iravi A [ch]chal Pa[va]dali A[na]n is stated to
have offered his head as a sacrifice probably for the successful completion
of the above mentioned tank thus affording an instance of sacrifice made
for public welfare. There
is a picturesque portrayal of this incident on stone to the right of the
epigraph.
Gramam
in South Arcot District called Mudiyur in ancient time is believed to
have been the head-quarters of a large army under the command of Prince
Rajaditya. During the years
between the 29th (935-36 A.D.) and 39th (945-46
A.D.) years of the King parantaka I, this prince is connected with the
gifts made to the temple of Sri Arruttali Perumanadigal at Mudiyur which
was reconstructed in stone by one of his generals Vellan Kumaran (A.D.
Ep.1905, No. 735). Similarly
the place Jambal in the same district is known as Valaiyur in the record
of tenth century A.D. A mandapa
in the name of the nagarattar is stated to have been raised by princess
Viranaraniyar, the wife of Pillaiyar Gandaradittar and daughter
(in-law) of Solamadeviyar, in the 34th year (940-41 A.D.) of
the reign of Parantaka I (No. 108).
This body gave an undertaking to maintain the structure in good
condition by means of an endowment of 70 kalanju of gold collected
through tax and to maintain a lamp therein during nights from out of the
interest accrued thereon.
|
An
inscription from Tirumalpuram (No. 286) dated in the 14th
year of the reign of Konerinmaikondan is an order issued from the
original site of the mansion (pon-maligai) in the palace at
Kachchipedu (i.e. Kanchi).
This
is an interesting document throwing some light on the contemporary
administrative practices. It
is addressed to Manaiyil-nnnattar, brahmadeyakkilavar, the
authorities of the devadana, palichchandam, kanimurruttu and
vettapperu villages (urgal) and the cities (nagarangal) regarding
the proceedings pertaining to the dues from the village
Chirri[dai]yarrur in Manaiyil-nade to the temple of Mahadeva at
Tirumalppperu. A grant of the entire village excluding the kani of
Samgappadi-kilan was made to this deity as a tax-free devadana in
the 21st year (892 A.D) in the reign of Chola Aditya I and
the administration of the charity was entrusted to the sabhaiyar of
puduppakkam in purisanadu. But this transaction was entered into the
register only in the 4th year (910-11 A.D.) of the reign of
parantaka I. The saghaaiyar of puduppakkam failed to pay the dues to the
temple in respect of this kani. A complaint was made to the king
regarding this by the temple authorities. The king Konerinmaikondan who
may be identified with Uttamasola conducted an enquiry. Having found out
the truth, he fined the sabhaiyar of puduppakkam and ordered that
the entire dues from village as well as from the individual land be paid
regularly by them from the 14th year (985 A.D.) of this
reign. The whole proceedings commenced from the 116th day in
the 14th year and the final entry in the register was made on
the 218th day (line121) in the same year. The list of
officers from Kodukulavan Chatta alias Parakesari-muvendavelan of
paruttikkudi, the highest executive (karumam araykimra) down to
the person in charge of the register (variyilidu) who were set on
this job is given in the record. Thus we get here a record of a
particular transaction spread over a period of 93 years. This is
published is south Indian Inscription, Vol.III, No.142.
The
reference to the original site in the golden mansion (pon-maligal-adi
bhumi) in the place at Kachchi enables us to conclude finally that
sundarasola who is reported in the Tiruppalittattai inscription to have
died in this palace, which continued to be used by the later kings. The
village Sirriyarrur and pudukkan have been defined with Chittattur and
puduppakkam in Walajapet Taluk of the North Arcot District.
In
the inscription of parantaka I, jambai is referred to by the name
vadagarai valaipur. The village got additional names Nittavlnodapuram
and Virarajendrapuram respectively in the record of Rajaraja and
Kulottunga I. It was also called sanbai. A record (No.84) dated in the
24th year (1008-09 A.D.) of Raja raja I from this village
refers to the digging of a tank by the Chief Rajaraja vanakovaraiyan,
for the benefit of Nerkunram, Rajaraja vanakovaraiyan governing the vanakoppadi-
nadu, in which division the village jambai was located (No.71) was a
subordinate of the king. This chief is described as Mahabalikulatilaka
and parivaipura- paramesvara and also called Maravan
Narasimhavarman in his 26th year (1010-11 A.D.) inscription
(86).
One
of the records (No.80) of Rajendra dated in his 3rd year
(1014-15 A.D.) begins with the prasasti
âTirtumagal-maruviyaâ, ect., and refers to a case of
suicide committed by a lady by drinking poison unable to bear the
harassment of a tax collector. Since the body. âNangu-disal-padinenbumi-nanadesiâ
are said to have interceded in the above matter and demanded
atonement from the man responsible for her death, it may be surmised
that her son Virar-puttiran might have been a member of this body. This
arrangement was to be overseen by the nagarathar of Rajendrapuram
(I,e.Valaiyur). Another case of the powerful intercession by the
same mercantile body in respect of a death of a women caused by her
husband, the circumstances being not clear, recorded in No. 91.
Of
the two epigraphs of Virarajendradeva from jambai (Nos. 83and 100),
No.100 refers to a certain mahavrati Lakulisa-pandita, the head
of a matha attached to the temple of Tirukkarrali- mahadevan at
Virarajendrapuram. We have heard of mahavratins from a number of
chola inscriptions found in places like Tribhuvanam in the south and
Gudimallam in the north of the Chola territory.
|
>
|
|
A
solitary record (No.133) coming from Elavanasur in south Arcot district
is dated in the 3rd year of solakeraladeva.Two records of
this prince are known from Tirukkoyilur (S.I.I, Vol.III,
Nos.189 and 140). Rjendradeva in his records is stated to
have conferred the title solakeraladevan on one of his sons. It
is likely that he ruled jointly with his father in this area under that
epithet.
Of
the records of Kulottunga II, one of them (No.67), which is dated I his
3rd year, refers to an accidental death caused by the faulty
aim of arrows while hunting which was atoned for by means of a gift for
the perpetual lamp by the person concerned to the temple of the place.
It is stated in this epigraphs that the body called Chitrameli
periyanattar enquired into the case and made an award to this effect.
This along with the other instance cited above attested to the influence
of the corporate bodies like the Nanadesis and the periyanadu
in such matters requiring juridical action.
A
record of Rajendra II dated in his 18th regnal year from
Tirukkedaiyur (No. 32) lists the endowments made up to that date to the
temple of the place by number of persons including
Tirchchirrambalamudaiyan permumanambi alias Pallavarayar. Of
Karigaikulattur and vedavanamudaiyan Ammaiyappan of Palaiyanur. The
former was the famous general and minister of Rajaraja II who took a
dominant part in the war of pandya succession by vanquishing the
Ceylonese army that took sides with parakrama pandya and latter
reinstated his rival Kulasekhara on the pandya throne. (See Ep. Ind,
Vol. XXI, p.186).
One
set of verse inscriptions engraved on the walls of the second gopura in
the sikhanathasvami temple (Nos. 373,374 and 376) at Kudumilayai
assignable to 13th century on grounds of paleography are in
praise of a Pandya king described as Seyyaperumal, Minvarkon
Kannivalanadan and Tennavan the last of the three epigraphy (No.376)
refers to a fight of this Pandya king with the Chola, in which the
latter was forced to flee. It is a clear reference to Maravaraman
Sundarapandya I (acc: 1216 A.D) No. 374 refers to a his
generosity. Without propriety (iaram), in granting the Chola
territory (i.e., conquered portions) to the Bana chief (Cf.Tiruvellarai
inscription (A.R.No.196 of 1938-39).
Another
set of verses (Nos. 381-383 and 385) engraved not on the rockcut temple
but on the rock behind the Ayyanar (Arai for short âin No. 385). They
are Rajarajan, his son ponparappina-perumal and his second chief called
as vira Magadan Rajarajadevan pon parappinan Magadaipprumal. This chief
also called, Rajarajadevan ponparappinan alias vanakovaraiyan of
Aragalur, figures in the records of Kulottunga III from Tiruvannamalai (S.I.I.
Vol.III Nos 283, 284 &296) This Chief is described as
vadugerinda-Magadesan in No.381. The term âvadugerindaâ may
be taken to mean that he' overthrew the vadugasâ. Vadugais an
expression that is used to denote the northerner. Since this chief is
known to have been also a subordinate to Kopperunjinas (S.I.I.Vol.XII.
No.235) It is possible that he took part in the latter campaign In the
north against the Kakatiya i.e., the northerner the circumstances under
which the Bana chief turned against the pandya as evidenced by Nos.381
and 383 are not clear.
Three
records from Tirumaiyam belonging to Maravarman sundara-pandya of
accession 1238(No.387, 388 and 392) establish the friendly relations
that existed between the pandya and the Hoysalas. The first (No.387),
which is dated in the 7th year, gives the details of date. This record
dated on the 7th may, 1245 A.D. refers to the settlement of a
dispute between the authorities of the temples of Siva and Vishnu of
that place affected in the presence of Appanna-danda-nayaka.The dandanayaka
who took over the nadu on behalf of Hoysala Somesvara seems
to have caused this act and his adjudication of the dispute would show
the hold of the Hoysalas on the Pandya king referred to in the
inscription. The Vishnu temple at Murappanadu in the Tirunelveli
district (Nos .431-35) is known from the inscription as named after
Somideva i.e., somesvara deva. He is the name of the riling king is not
mentioned in Nos. 431-34, he must obviously be sundara pandya who is
referred to above.
A
record. From Tirukkadaiyur (No.46) is dated in his 34th year,
which along with other details of date corresponds to 1301 A.D.,
September 10 in the reign of Maravarmam Kulasekhara I. It is learnt from
this record that after the nadu (Ambur-nadu and envirous) was
distributed by the king for being ruled over by his brothers as tirukkaivalakkam.
Since there was anarchy for a long time and people were put to much
hardship, the nattar comprising brahmanas and vallar appealed
to the king to restore his own rule over the area and arranged to
provide for 108 lamps daily for his merit. The practice of the king
distributing the dominions (Tirukkadaiyur being in the conquered areas
in the Chola country) among his brothers was obviously an extension of
the practice that already obtained in the pandya country and also among
the Cholas.
Two
epigraphs from Tirumaiyam (Nos.395-96) are dated in the 57th
year of Chadaiyavarman parakrama-pandya who cannot be identified
with either of the same name of acc. 1315 or 1358 A.D. (N.sethuraman imperial
pandyas, p 247) on account of the manner of dating. They are however
interesting as they refers to a certain siraladevar Munaiyadaraiyan âMukkanayinan
of Melur in Kananadu along with the sister of one Tiruvudaiyar
Piravikkunallar, He is mentioned to have settle some holdings on his son
before this marriage and sold some others. The sum of 200 panam thus
raised was paid as marriage money to the brother who was perhaps the
guardaian and 540 panam towards angaghushanam for the
bride.
|
>
|
|
A
record (No.161) from Elavanasur, dated in saka 1368 (1446 A.D.-the other
details of dated of date being given) refers to the rule of
Vijayaraya-Maharaya and endows him with the usual imperial titles. It
was hitherto known that after the death of Devaraya II, vijayaraya
advanced his claims to the throne and briefly asserted himself for some time
in 1446-47 A.D. Until
finally Mallikarjuna succeeded to the Vijayanagara. Throne this record
is of much political signification in that it is stated that his
officers were forcibly colleting presents from the villagers of both the
sects valangai and idangai with every change of
administration. The ryots
who were oppressed ran away from their settlements and thus thus the
worship in the temples came to a standstill. Epidemics spread in the
kingdom and the people became heart broken. On learning about the
situation, the king issued ordered to Annappa Udaiyar through Nagarasa
âUdaiyar not to collect kanikkai, and idangai-vari from
the people of both sects.
From
an inscription of saka 1453 belonging to Achyutadeva (No.253) from
Tirippanangadu in North Arcot District it is evident that Chellappa Vira-
Narasingaraya started to be defiant even in the reign of Krishanadevaâraya. This chief retained the amount that was due as judi to
the temple at that place in spite of the kingâs sanction.
Finally, he turned out to be a rebel against the king Achyuta and
joined hands with the Tiruvadi kings in order to throw off the yoke of
the Vijayanagara kings. On
the orders of Achayuta his general Tirumalaideva-maharaja Marched upon
Chelllappa and brought him as a prisoner.
The amount due to the temple of Tiruppanangadu was restored to
the same temple by the king through his subordinate Bhogayadeva who is
referred as Cholakulatilaka in one of the inscriptions (No. 174).
Three
inscriptions dealing with one and the same subject are found engraved in
three different languages (Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit) at Narasamangalam
in North Arcot District (No.s 261, 262, and 264).
No. 262 records the construction of a tank at Dusi Mamandur in
Saka 1560 (1638 A.D.) by Venkatappa-Nayaka, son of Chennappa-nayaka and
grandson of Venkatappa of the Irugala-gotra and of the famous Damarla
family. This tank called
Chennasagara after his father was fed by channels from the Palar and had
irrigation channels supplying water to 32 villages. He is stated to have fought a battle against a Senji chief
and his brother Akka is praised as Navabhoja in the Sanskrit
version (No. 263).
|
>
|
|
This Akka may be
identified with Anka, author of Ushaparinayam who States therein that
his brother Ayyappa (Venkatappa?) built the town of chennapatnam, one of
the earliest names of Modern Madras (the other being Madras Pattanam)
again named after his father.
Home
Page
|
\D7
![]()
|
