Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c18.s5.t3.3

v2.c18.s5.t3.3

Ellis in his *Mirasi Right* gives an inscription, the authenticity of which may be questioned,¹ but which contains the following details about a sale of slaves in the reign of Veṅkaṭapati Dēva I. "...In the village of Taṇḍeyārvidu, Periya-timmen and Shinna-timmen, the sons of Coṭṭadi Periyān and their parceners, have thus settled the price of slaves and given this bill of sale; our sister Vallatchi, her daughter Periyāl, her daughter Shōletchi, total three persons, when they had first cried 'are there any one who will purchase these as coṭṭa adumei (bunch of slaves i.e., a family of slaves sold at once)?'—these words were heard by Ottiyapa Mudeliyār, the son of Vāndarāya Ulaganāda Mudaliār, one of the Vellālers residing in the village of Vallūr in this mandalam (i.e., Toṇḍaimaṇḍalam), this cōṭṭam and this nādu, who cried again, saying, 'I will purchase':—the first criers Periya timmen, Shinna timmen, and their parceners, and the last crier Ottiyapen, having agreed among ourselves and settled to their mutual satisfaction, the price was fixed in the presence of the rulers of the land and the proprietors of the soil of Tiru Mayilāpur at 2 Getti Pagodas for these three Pereiya women, Vellatchi, her daugter Periyāl and her daughter Shōletchi, purchased as a family of slaves, and for this sum of two Pagodas, we sold these three persons Vellatchi, her daughter Periyāl and her daughter Shōletchi; twice and thrice, this is the determined price, this is the fixed sale-price: moreover, no question shall be made respecting the quality of the coin; nor shall other writings be required to be produced. No dispute exists respecting Vellatchi, her daughter Periyāl. and her daughter Shōletchi, if any arise we will stand forth and have it decided. Thus we have consented and sold Vellatchi, her daughter Periyāl, and her daughter Shōletchin to Ottiyapa Mudaliār at the price stated, Periya-timmen, Shinna-timmen, and their parceners. This is the mark of Periya-timmen, Shinna-timmen and their parceners."¹ Ellis also gives us another inscription dated A. D., 1593 assigned again to the reign of Veṅkaṭapaṭi Dēva I., in which a family of seven Paraiyans is sold for a sum of eight and a half pagodas.²