Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c8.s4.52

v1.c8.s4.52

Reaching the south of the peninsula, we come to the ancient city of Madura. Since this powerful centre of Vijayanagara influence has left a deep mark on the history of the country, we may be permitted to record something about its origin as given in the *Pandyan Chronicle*. "In the times of *Kulasekara-Pandion* (Kulaśēkhara Pāṇḍya), who ruled in *Manavur*, a merchant, named Tanen-sheyan, in the course of his journeys on commercial business was benighted in a forest of *cadambu* trees; and being unable to proceed further took up his abode at the foot of one of them. He was surprised at the sight of an unusual splendour; and, going to look, was favoured by the god with the view, because he had been very virtuous in a former birth. As it was Monday, the gods were performing homage and anointing the image, as though it had been the night of *Siva*. The merchant bathed in the tank and worshipped: when the gods had disappeared, he saw the stone image only; and next day went and told the king aforesaid what he had seen. The god also appeared to the king the following night by a vision, in a form of a religious ascetic, and commanded him to build a temple in the aforesaid wilderness. The king finding the vision and the statement of the merchant accord, went to the place and had the forest cleared. Being uncertain how to build the temple and town, the god again appeared and gave instructions; in obedience to which workmen were employed, and a temple was built with seven enclosures, having a king's street, *Brahmins'* streets, and also streets for the other three castes and for the temple servants; also *choultries*, *mandabams*, tanks and the like. The whole being splendidly finished, with a palace also for the king, on the north-east quarter, an embarrassment arose as to how these numerous buildings could all be purified preparatory to residence at once, so as to ensure an entrance on a fortunate day; this difficulty the god *Siva* was pleased to remove by causing *Ganga*, abiding in the hair on his head, to pour forth copious streams on the whole place, and the god was pleased to give it the name of *Mathurai* (or pleasant,) and he then disappeared. The king placed guards at the four cardinal points of the city, which were all four of them deities".¹