Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s6.t1.86

c28.s6.t1.86

The expression *kāviti* seems to be derived ultimately from *gṛhapati* (Skt.) 'householder' > *gahapati* (Pkt.); cf. *gapati*/*gapiti* (Sinh. Pkt.) 'title borne by merchants and others' (Paranavitana 1970: Intr. pp. lxxxviii-lxxxix). The term *gahapati* occurs in Prakrit inscriptions as a title with the same meaning. It is likely that *kāviti* had a somewhat similar significance in early times in the Tamil country also. In still later times, the term *kāviti* came to mean an 'accountant' as in medieval Tamil inscriptions.