Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t1.24
Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t1.24
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c28.s8.t1.24
However, it may be added that the title *nakkaṉ* (fem.) 'dancing girl', occurring frequently in the Bṛhadīśvara temple inscriptions at Thanjavur (*SII*. II. No. 66, Cōḻa, 11th cent. A.D.), cannot be derived from *nagna* (Skt.) 'naked' as suggested by T.N. Subramanian (with the gloss that the dancing girl was 'required to dance naked'; *SITI*. III:2, Glossary). In this case, *nakkaṉ* is to be derived from *na(m)-akkaṉ* '(our) sister', used as an honorific referring to the unmarried *dēvadāsī* ('servants of god') women. Cf. *akkaṉ* 'elder sister' occurring in the inscriptions in the same temple (*SII*. II:No. 1, Cōḻa, 11th cent. A.D.; see also ibid., p. 8, note 4). Cf. *akkaṉ* 'elder sister' (D. 23), *tamakkai* id. (*TL*).