The inscriptions of South Indian temples constitute the major sources for the construction of the history of South India. They contain many historical information and many data regarding the social and economic conditions of contemporary life. The inscriptions are unique in the sense that they record in detail everything connected with the registering of grants to temples. So a careful study of records will give an authentic picture of the contemporary growing along with the devotees by material offerings, accumulation of society in its aspects. The religious significance was properties etc. It helps us to form a social centre of divinity.
From the available inscriptions of the temple, some useful information about the socio-economic life of the people is traceable and it focuses light on the nature of the society and its various divisions. The inscriptions of this temple speak the divisions of society such as: Brahamins, Devandra Kudumbars and Parayas. Among the twenty five inscriptions available for the study of the temple, four inscriptions are useful to trace the social condition of the by gone period. These four inscriptions are published in South Indian Temple inscriptions, Vol. II No.858, 863, 864 and 866. Three among the above four inscriptions are useful to know about the employment of Brahmins in the temple and one inscriptions about the lowest group in the society namely scheduled caste.
Brahmins
Aryan society is compartmentalised by the doctrine of varnashrama dharma. The first group who knew Vedas, who practised pujas, religious customs and played a leading role in all social and religious activities were Brahmins. All the non-Brahmins were probbited from learning the Vedas and other sastras. In South India, many rulers provided lands for the Brahmins. The Brahmins engaged themselves in teaching religious and secular branches of knowledge. All the Brahmins were expected to know Vedas, sastras and Agamas. There were many divisions among the Brahmins like Iyar, Iyankar, Bhatter, Sastrikal etc. From the inscriptions issued during the reign of the king Alagan Perumal Parakrama Pandya (1473 to 1506 A.D.) it is inferred that, he had patronised, one Kailasanatha Bhattan, who hailed from Tirukkudamukku and belonged to Vasista Gothtra and Asvatasana Sutra. During the 2nd regnal year the kind bestowed him with two ma land and also two nail prasada (food) and three panam (money) for the service he had done for the temple. Later he became the owner of the land according to the then prevailing custom known as Kanyatchi1 (right to use).
As inscriptions of the same king issued in his 11th regnal year speaks about the donation made by the king and also it mentions about the appointment of the same Kailasanatha Bhattan as accountant of the temple (Tiru olai eluthu). For the services as accountant the wages were given in terms of
as per the inscription.
From this it is clear that the king gave wages in the form of commodities, money and privileges such as food, 3 panam (money) and a quantity of paddy and also certain privileges on important anniversary days. It is inferable from the inscription that the person was also in receipt of land for raising a house to live in2. The exact location of the house side and cultivable land are also mentioned in the inscription.
From this it is clear that during the rule of the king Parakrama Pandya, the Brahmin Kailasanatha Bhattan hailed from Tirukkudamukku, probably Kumbakonam came to Sankarankovil. It shows the migration in order to serve the temple at Sankarankovil as accountant and to perform other religious services. Moreover, since this inscription (S.I.T.I. 864) is the earliest one saying that the king appointed this Brahmin in order to perform pujas and religious ceremonies as per the rules of Agamas and Vedas.
The same king Alagan Perumal Parakrama Pandya also appointed a Sankaranayanar Sadasiva Bhattan for archana (Puja) service to the temple on 1491 A.D.3 So at the end of the 15th Century it is inferable from the inscription that the two Brahmins namely Kailasanatha Bhattan and Sankaranayanar Bhattan were working in the temple.
Devendra Kudumbar
The major Scheduled Caste communities in Tamilnadu were Pallar and Parayar. The Pallar were also known by the name of Devendra4 Kudumbars or Devendra Kula Velalars.5 According to R. Deva Asirvtham, the Mallar or the Pallar were the ancient Tamils responsible for establishing the Chera, Chola and Pandya kingdoms that they were both agriculturalists as well as warriors. Being the original inhabitants of Marudam tract, they worshipped Vendan the God of that region, later known as Indran, Purandran and Devendran. So they styled themselves as Devendran Kulathar. These people were in power during the Sangam period as well as Kalabra inter-regnum. These aborigines were later reduced to the state of serfs under the Telugu and Muslim rulers.6
This region as per 1981 census has a scheduled caste population of 5,89,468. An inscription found on the main gopuram of the temple is very important in two respects:
- To understand the sense of history among our people.
- About the position of Devendra Kudumbar in the society and the rights and privileges they obtained due to their own hard work.
This inscription was recorded in the A.R.E. 432 of 1914 and was published in S.I.T.I. Vol. II, No. 863 of 1954. To fix the date of issue of this inscription, the regnal years of the king is not available. The name of the king is mentioned as Ugra Peruvaluthi. His period was 7th Century A.D. But from the characters of the inscription the date is determined, so that it belongs to 17th Century A.D. The astronomical data of the inscription such as: Tamil year, month and star etc. enable us to equate it with Christian era that the record is made on 12th Monday, May1665 A.D. And during the time the region was ruled by Madurai Nayak ruler Tirumalai Nayak.
There are also other inscriptions of same nature and same contents which speak about the ascertation of the rights and privileges of the Devendra Kudumbas. One is found in Tirunelveli District at Karivalamvandanallur7 and another in Virudhunagar District at Srivilliputur.8
The inscription opens with a mythical account of the community Devendra Kudumbar and narrates how they obtained certain privileges. Once upon a time there was a severe famine in the country and the three kings, the Chera, the Chola and the Pandyan Ugra Peruvaluthi went to Devendra to ask for rain.
The Chola and Chera kings sat on the seats offered while the Pandya king sat by the side of Devendra himself demanding equal privileges. He was dissatisfied with Devendra since the latter humiliated him. This angered Pandya king and immediately he left Devaloga and came down to the earth. While doing so the Pandya king took the four sons who are belonging to heavenly damsels (Deyva Kannimar) forcibly and also five things which are known for prosperity prolonged life through progeny. They were kannal virai (Sugar cane shoots), kaddali virai (Plantain shoots), Palymra seeds and several varieties of paddy, a bull (rishabha) and Savi.9
The four clan came out as off-springs from the four damsels through procreation were Devendra Kudumbar, Variyar, Akkasalai and Ilantariyan. Devendra Kudumbar descended from the first damsel. From the above description of the inscription, the historical sense is inferable, though it is recorded and explained in a mythical way it gives an idea of the past history of the down south, which was first ruled by the Cheras, the Cholas and the Pandyas during the Sangam age. After that South India underwent a dark age (Kalabra interregnum). Then there was a revival of the rule of the Cheras, the Cholas and the Pandyas, but only the Pandyas ruled for longer time than others. The rule of the later Pandyas came down up to 13th Century A.D. And further continued as Tenkasi Pandyas up to the 17th Century A.D.
The inscription mentions only about the above historical matter, while explains about how the Devendra kula got their rights and privileges. The inscription tells us that the Devendra Kudumbar were responsible for digging of 12000 wells within a day for irrigational purposes. In recognition of this meritorious service for controlling drought in the region the Pandya king was very much pleased and wanted to confer upon them certain privileges normally enjoyed by kingly classes of South India. By this they had the right to have the use of a white elephant, a white parasol (Satine white umberalla) Keradi, carrying torch in day time, pawadai, a pair of silambu, two kodukku, sixteen pillared pandals for festive occasions, two chariots for funeral procession, the title of panchavam, eighteen kinds of musical instruments.10
Even now, one can find that during the temple Chittirai car festival, a procession starts from temple devasthanam office to the house of a prominent Devendra kula. In that procession he is brought under the shadow of an umberala and he has the prerogative to inaugurate by pulling the temple car. So the inscription gives the right for this untouchable community the rights enjoyed by royal families of the society, which were obtained by their own labour and sweat and not by concession. Seeing this, another untouchable community the Parayar also wanted these privileges and began to use them, which shows the assertive nature of the downtrodden communities. The inscription also speaks about it. It is explained under the heading Parayas. From the above discussions it is clear that the Devendra Kula got their right for the noble act of erecting wells. It also shows important of the temple activity and their predominance in this region.
Parayas
Among the major untouchable communities, which constituted Scheduled Caste population there are many differences. Each community has their own customs and practices for a long-time, there was no inter-marriages or inter-dining, only due to modernization and social programmes by different parties and government there are inter-marriages and inter-dining in the present Century.
As per inscription (A.R.E. 432 of 1914) the Parayas after seeing the privileges enjoyed by Devendra kula wanted to enjoy the same. For that effect two persons went along with others to see the king to represent this matter. These two persons recorded in the inscription as the representative of the five castes.
Their names were Kuttu Kudumban of Vakaikukam, Allakata Kudumban of Malayenkulam. These villages were located within a distance of nearly 15km from Sankarankovil. Both of them waited for the king and represented the matter. It appears that the ruler was Tirumalai Nayak. The ruler after seeing certain copper plate grants decided that Parayas should enjoy such and such privileges. By this they can use three pillared pandal for festive occasions, one kodukku, suitable marrappu and one silambu.
The Kudumbas were given the additional title Tirumalai Kudumbar. Rent free plot of land with an area to raise two kottai paddy seeds also was given. By this way, for representing the case the dispute to the ruler the Parayas got certain privileges; the Kudumbas got the title as Tirumalai Kudumbas and other benefits. The inscription shows that how the dispute are solved amicably. It also shows the relationship between the Parayas and Devendra kulas and with their sovereign.
Dr. S. Kalaiarasu, M.A., M.Phil., B.L., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History, Arignar Anna College, Aralvoimozhi – 629 301, Kanyakumari District.
Reference
- S.I.T.I 858 of 1954.
- S.I.T.I 864 of 1954.
- Ibid, 866
- The proper name ‘Devendra’ denotes Lord Indra, the Lord of Devaloga (Heavan) and Devas (Gods) and name of the community Devendra kula informs us that they were descendants of Lord Devendra Kudumbar denotes head man of a village.
- The work Velalar yar by R. Deva Asirvatham, explains about the origin of Velalars and he concludes that the original Vellars of the Tamil lands were the Mallas or Pallas who cultivated lands. R. Deva Asirvatham, Velalar yar(Tl.), Tanjavur, Rama Devan Pathipaham, 1981, p. 219.
- R. Deva Asirvatham, Moovendar yar(Tl.), Tanjavur, Rama Devan Pathipaham, 1977, p.311.
- A.R.E. 432 of 1914.
- Ibid., 588 of 1926.
- Sugar cane, Plantain, Palymra, Several varieties of Paddy seeds are the seeds, which can bring much offspring and bull also stands, for procreation. Savi which is key can open new vistas.
- White elephants, white parasol, Musical instruments, carrying torch, Sixteen pillared Pandals all this were the privileged rights or royal class. Andothers were prohibited to enjoy in the caste ridden society.
- An interview with Mr. S. Muthiah Pandian, Nattanmai, Devendra kula Vellalar’s street, Sankarankovil, dated, 10-9-88.