No. 87 to 88 Inscription at Chidambaram & Srirangam

No. 85 to 86 Inscription at Tirumanikuli & Chidambaram

No. 87.- Inscription at Chidambaram

This inscription (No. 458 of 1902) is engraved on the same wall as the preceding one  (No. 86).  It is dated on the 118^th day of the 11^th year of Kulottunga-Chola III. and records that the king sanctioned a grant of land to the temple by a certain Valuvarayan (II. 5 and 12).  The land granted was situated in the same two hamlets of Chidambaram which were mentioned in No. 86, viz., Mahipalakulakalanallur (1. 6) and Kaavayachcheri alias Tillainayaganallur (1. 8).  Chidambaram itself is referred to as Perumbarrappuliyur in Rajadhiraja-valanadu (1. 5), and its Siva temple as Tiruchchirrambalam-udaiyar (1. 9.).

[The first sentence is identical with the beginning of No. 86 above.]

(Line 2.) By a single army (he) had the nose of the son of Vira-Pandya cut off, gave the great city of Kudal (i.e., Madhura) to Vikrama-Pandya, and returned.  After this, (he) took the crowned head of Vira-Pandya,[1] who had started and faced (him) because (he felt his) disgrace.

(L. 3.) After having set up a pillar of victory at the end of the war, (he) raised the banner of victory and great heroism, together with the banner of liberality.  On the one hundred-and-eighteenth day of the eleventh year of (this) king Parakesarivarman, who was pleased to be seated together with (his queen) Bhuvanamulududaiyal on the throne of heroes (which consisted of) pure gold, alias the emperor of the three worlds, Sri-Kulottunga-Soladeva, who, having taken Madurai, was pleased to take the crowned head of the Pandya,[2] - the following order was issued (by the king) and received.

(L. 4.) In order to supply clothing and food to the two attendants of the flower-garden of Kayilayadevan, - which Tiruppurambiyam-udaiyan[3] Kayilayadevan[4] alias Valuvarayan, a native of Devangu[di] in Pambuni-kurram, (a subdivision) of Suttamali-valanadu, had caused to be laid out as a flower-garden (which should furnish) the garlands to be placed on (the image of) Aludaiyar,- (he) purchased from Ulaichcharanan Tiruchchirabalam-udaiyan Ponnambalakkuttan[5] and Varkkiyan Devan Ponnambalakkuttan, (two) among the chief members of the assembly[6] of Perumbarrappuliyur in Rajadhiraja-valanadu, land in the fourth square of the fifth kannaru to the west of the road of Sri-Sundara-Sola (and) to the south of the channel of Sri-Solakulasundari in Mahipalakulakalanallur, a hamlet in the west of the village.  The boundary of (this land) is to the east of the land of the seller, to the south of a water-course, to the west of the land purchased in the name of another[7] and enjoyed by Puliyambundi-udaiyan, and to the north of the Kannarru-channel.  One half (veli), one twentieth and three eightieths of wet land enclosed in these four boundaries thus described, and one eightieth of land (occupied by) the water-course in the north, - altogether, one half (veli) and two twentieths of wet land.

(L. 8.) For the flower-garden (itself he) purchased dry land in the third square of the first kannaru to the west of the road of Sri-Sundara-Sola (and) to the south of the channel of Uttama-Sola in Kadava[y]chcheri alias Tillainayaganallur.  The boundary of (this land is) to the east of the side[8] of the houses of the Tirumadaivilagam[9] on the east of the flower-garden of Edirili-Solan, (which is) the temple property of the god Tiruchchirrambalam-udaiyar, to the south of the channel of Uttama-Sola, to the west of the dry land of the seller, and to the north of the flower-garden of Nichchayavasagan, (which is) the temple property of the god Tiruchchirrambalam-udaiyar.  According to the village (accounts), two twentieths (veli) of land.

(L. 10.) In the name of another, (viz.,) in the name of Vachchiyan Mahesvaran Tirandavan Kurangan alias Rajasurya-Brahmamarayan, (he) purchased (these) one half (veli) and two twentieths of wet land[10] and two twentieths (veli) of dry land,[11] - altogether according to (the accounts of) this village, one half (veli) and four twentieths of land.

Having bought out the former owners and having added (this land) to the various plots (which are) the temple property of (the god) Aludaiyar as tax-free (land), - the money that accrues from the second crop (according to) the land assessment (?) (and) the class assessment[12] which (this village) has decided to levy from this land, has to be deducted from (the amount due by) the village.  The documents of the sale of this land have to be deposited in the temple.  The garlands amounting to one kuruni and four nali (of flowers) per day for each of the attendants of the flower-garden have to be supplied in advance to the Tiruppumandapam.[13]  These (attendants) shall not be bound to render the services rendered by the attendants of other flower-gardens.  This has to be engraved (on) stone on the wall of the temple.

(L. 12.) “Valuvarayan himself having submitted to us that (the above request) might be sanctioned, we ordered that it should be done thus, and directed the revenue officers to enter (that land) in the account (book).”[14]

“Thus it should be caused to be done.”  Written by the royal secretary, Minavan-Muvendavelan.[15]

(L. 13.) “Thus (the king) was pleased order by word of mouth.”  This (is) the signature of Kurukularayan.  This (is) the signature of Kalappalarayan.  This (is) the signature of vayiradh[I]rayan.  This (is) the signature of Malavarayan.  This (is) the signature of Nandiyarayan.  This (is) the signature of Amarakon.  This (is) the signature of Anagharayan.

No. 88.- Inscription at Srirangam

This inscription (No. 66 of 1892) is engraved on the left of the entrance to the north wall of the fourth prakara of the Ranganatha temple on the island of Srirangam near Trichinopoly.  It is dated in the 19^th year of Kulottunga-Chola III. on a day which corresponds to Tuesday, the 12^th November A.D. 1196,[16] and recorded an order of the king, the contents of which are lost.

(Line 1.) (Obeisance to) Hari (i.e. Vishnu) ! Hail Prosperity ! (The king) put on the crown of the race of the Sun, while clouds were abundant and (hence) the land was fertile ; while the commands (sealed with the crest) of the tiger, the discus, the rules of Manu, (by) which (good) conduct prospered, and the sceptre ruled (every) region ; while the goddess of Fortune rejoiced (to be united) with the king; while the cruel Kali (age) perished ; (and) while the cool white parasol (of the king) overshadowed the earth to the end of the world.

(L. 2.) (He) dispatched matchless elephants, performed heroic deeds, prostrated to the ground the kings to the North, entered Kachchi when (his) anger abated, and levied tribute from the whole (northern) region.

(L. 3.) By a single army (he) cut off the nose of the son of the Valudi (i.e. the Pandya king), took the Madurai of the Tamil (country) and gave (it)

to Vikrama-Pandya.  (He) took the crowned head of Vira-Pandya,[17] who, after (the Chola king) had returned, started because (he felt his) disgrace and faced (him) at Nettur.  (he) put an end to the war and caused his (viz. the Pandya’s) young wife to enter (his) harem (?).[18] (L. 4.) When the Tennavan (i.e., the Pandya king), who had lost (his) fortune, and the Seralan (i.e., the Chera king) came (to the Chola king), bowed (to him) and sat down at the foot of (his) throne, (he) placed (his) feet on the crown of the former, granted (him) land, granted (him) a crown, and gave the Pandya permission (to go) ; and to the Villavan, i.e.,  the Chera king), who (formerly had) distributed crores, (he) granted a fortune which (other) kings could not obtain. (L. 5.) (He) cut off a finger of Vira-Kerala and saw (his) back (i.e., put him to flight) ; (but), when (the latter) came and bowed (to him), (he) bestowed riches (on him) in public[19] and gave (him) to eat from the (royal) plates. (L. 6.) To the Pandya who bore the glorious name of ‘chief of the family of the Sun’ (he) granted great treasures, robes, and vessels (set with) brilliant jewels.  (He) raised the banner of liberality and heroism and put on the vagai[20]  (garland) (and) the ankle-rings of heroes.  The eight quarters obeyed (his) orders, (and his) fame shone on the mountain surrounding (the earth).[21] (L. 7.) In the 19th year of (this) king Parakesarivarman, who was pleased to be seated together with (his queen) Bhuvanamulududaiyar on the throne of heroes (which consisted of) pure gold, alias the emperor of the three worlds, Sri-Kulottunga-Soladeva, who, having taken Madurai, was pleased to take the crowned head of the Pandya,[22] - on the day of Pushya, which corresponded to a Tuesday and to the fifth tithi of the second fortnight of the month Vrischika, - the following order was issued (by the king). (L. 9.) This (is) the everlasting great order of the holy Sriranganatha (who is) the cause[23] of the creation protection and destruction of the three worlds.[24] To our revenue officers[25] ……………………………………………… [1]  From No. 88 below, text line 4 f., it appears that this phrase implies that the king, while seated on the throne, placed his feet on the crown of the Pandya king, who thus publicly acknowledged his defeat.  On previous occasion I explained the words talai konda by ‘who cut off the head;’ see above, pp. 21 and 43, and Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. P. 219. [2]  See the preceding note. [3]  Tiruppurambiyam is a village near Kumbhakonam ; see above, Vol. II. p. 381. [4]  I.e., Kailasadeva. alias [5]  This name means ‘the dancer in the golden hall’ and is synonymous with Nataraja, the deity of the Chidambaram temple ; compare above, Vol. II. p. 253. [6]  Parushai is a corruption of the Sanskrit parishad ; compare Ep. Ind. Vol. V. p. 43, note 2. [7]  Compare No. 86 above, text line 6. [8]  Vanilam is perhaps the same as val-vichchu, ‘the length of a house from the front to the back-door. [9]  See above, p. 24 and note 3. [10]  According to text line 6, these ½ and 2/20 veli of wet land were situated in Mahipalakulakalavallur. [11]  These 2/20 veli of dry land were situated in Kadavaychcheri ; see text line 8. [12]  Compare above, p. 213, note 2. [13]  See ibid. note 3. [14]  Compare above, p. 213, note 4. [15]  Compare ibid. note 6. [16]  See Ep. Ind.  Vol. IV. P. 219, No. 17. [17]  See above, p. 215, note 4. [18]  The word volam is not found in the dictionaries.  It is perhaps connected with vel, ‘Kama, desire, lust.’ [19]  Literally, ‘so that the (whole) earth knew (it). [20]  The tree Mimosa flexuosa.  Garlands of the flowers of this tree are worn by conquerors. [21]  Instead of the two last sentences, No. 170 of 1902 has : - (He) placed (his) pair of feet – may (they) prosper long ! – (on) the crown of the king of Ilam.” [22]  See above, p. 215, note 4. [23]  Karanam is meant for karanasya, which would, however, offend against the metre. [24]  In this Sanskrit verse the king’s order is represented as emanating from the god of Srirangam himself. [25]  See above, p. 44 Home Page

>

>

About Us Contact Us Feedback Guestboook Copyright Information >