The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History c3: Editor's Preface
The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History c3
- Language
- English
Editor's Preface
c3.1
It is almost fifty years since the late Mr. Sewell published the first volume of the ‘Lists of Antiquarian Remains’ in the Madras Presidency under the orders of the Government of Madras issued in the January of the year 1881. He had already published two works, ‘A Report on the Amaravati Stupa’, and ‘A Chronological History of South India’, in the years 1880-81 on the subject to justify the Government's choice of him for this first work on the Archæological Survey of Southern India. Two years later, he published the second volume of the ‘Lists of Antiquarian Remains,’ as a mere extension of the work he was asked to undertake by the G. O. under reference. He lived for 43 years after this, and had been more or less constantly engaged in the study of subjects relating to archæology and chronology, contributing a number of papers and issuing a number of works on the subject. The most popular and perhaps best known of his works is the history of ‘A Forgotten Empire—Vijayanagar,’ published in the last year of the last century. It is this work with which his name is closely associated. The late Mr. Sewell had to read all published literature on Indian archæology and antiquities for the purpose of the Lists referred to above, and was one of a few scholars who had kept themselves in close touch with work that was going on in this particular branch ever since. As such he was among the select few, fully qualified to carry recent research work one step forward in the production of a digest of all that work in the ‘Chronological History of South India’ which is now published. He was at work on this during the last years of his life, and was at work on the manuscript almost up to the time of his death at the ripe age of 82. The work needs no commendation and will speak for itself.
c3.2
At his request the Government of Madras undertook the financial responsibility for the publication, and provided the funds. They wished, however, that the work should be published by the Madras University. Mr. Sewell himself accepted the suggestion to include it in the Madras University Historical Series and expressed his assent by stating that he would regard it an honour that it should be so included in the Series.
c3.3
In deference to his expressed wishes, I agreed to see the work through the press for him, and I was appointed Editor by the University. In the meanwhile, Mr. Sewell passed away, and the responsibility of editing consequently became more heavy, and even delicate in some respects. In regard to the editing of it, I have left it entirely as it emerged from the hands of the late Mr. Sewell, except for the correction of a few obvious errors and the adoption of the international system of transliteration consistently. The errors were few indeed, but the author had to adopt a partial transliteration system with a view to lowering the cost of printing, which would have been heavy had it been published in England. When the decision was taken to publish it in India, I adopted with his approval, which I had previously obtained of him, a uniform system of transliteration.
c3.4
In regard to the matter of the work itself, the text is as the author wrote it. Wherever it required modification, (it would have been modified after discussion with him had he lived) since he did not live to make the modification himself, I have indicated the position in foot notes. I have verified every statement that seemed to call for it, and have restudied positions where the author himself felt that a re-study, or a reference to the original, was necessary; and even in respect of these I have left the text as it is, and have indicated the results of my verification only in foot notes. It was impossible I could have adopted any other method in the regrettable condition that I could not obtain his approval for any modification. This applies with more force to the expression of his views. Such as it is, the work is issued to the public in the form in which the author had it written without the benefit, however, of a possible modification, which might have been made had he lived to see it through the press.
c3.5
Apart from the changes indicated above, I have added a map and an index, for both of which I am alone responsible. I acknowledge with pleasure the assistance rendered by my friend, Professor C. S. Srinivasachariyar, till recently of the Pachaiyappa's College, Madras, and now of the Annamalai University.
c3.6
Having been acquainted with the author ever since the publication of his work, ‘A Forgotten Empire’, it is matter for gratification to me that I should have been enabled to render him this assistance, and I am grateful to the Syndicate of the University of Madras for having given me the chance of doing him this good service, posthumous as it has unfortunately become. My gratification is all the greater, seeing that he has actually referred to, and cited with expression of genuine appreciation, several of my works published during my tenancy of the Chair of Indian History and Archæology at the Madras University, even in respect of certain matters of controversy between us, about which he did not show himself in complete agreement in the correspondence that passed between us at the time. It is with genuine pleasure therefore that I record my gratitude to him for his goodwill and esteem. Now that the work, which has been occupying my spare time during the last three years particularly, has reached its completion, it is with a sense of relief that I bid goodbye to it, though it might for a time leave a void in my daily occupations.
c3.7
S. KRISHNASWAMI AIYANGAR.
c3.8
MYLAPORE, MADRAS, 24th January, 1932.