Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s23.t3: 4.20.3 Territorial divisions

Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s23.t3

Language: English

4.20.3 Territorial divisions

The inscription at Sittannavasal-A referred to above also mentions that the *iḷayar* (LT *iḷaiyar*) who gifted the stone bed in the cave shelter belonged to *teṉku-ciṟu-pocil* probably the ancient territorial division called *teṉ-ciṟuvāyil-nāṭu* which lay immediately to the east of the hill at Sittannavasal.

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(ii) Pāṇāṭu

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The Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu inscription at Paraiyanpattu (No. **115**, ca. 6th century A.D.) mentions an ancient territorial division called *pāṇāṭ(u)* which may be construed as *pāṇ* + *nāṭu* 'the *pāṇ* country'; *pāṇāṭu* is also mentioned in ancient Tamil literature.³ The territory is referred to as *pāṇa-rāṣhṭra* in the *Lōkavibhāga*, a Digambara Jaina work in Sanskrit, which also mentions the city of *pāṭalikā* in the territory.⁴ The city has been identified with modern Tiru-p-patiri-p-puliyur, a suburb of Cuddalore in South Arcot District; *pāṇāṭu* spread over parts of South and North Arcot Districts. The territory was known in later times as *perum-pāṇa-p-pāṭi* ruled over by the Bāṇa chieftains.

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³ *Aka.* 155. See Commentary (115.2) for discussion.

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⁴ A. Chakravarti 1941 (revised edn. by. K.V. Ramesh 1974): pp. viii and 16.

Linked texts (1)

Akanāṉūṟu — Uruttiracaṉmaṉ, Tamil