Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c24.s1.90

v2.c24.s1.90

Bāvaṇa and Rāvaṇa, two brothers, sculptors by profession, and "possessed of unblemished virtues", in A. D. 1139 in order "to clear an aspersion on their own race of the sculptors," set up the image of the god Kusuvēśvara, and calling together Mēchi Seṭṭi, Kirtti Seṭṭi, with all the chief people of the town (name ?) and the five *mathas*, along with them presented that temple of the god Kusuvēśvara to Gautama Dēva as attached to the god Kēdarēśvara. Whereupon Gautama Dēva (on the date specified), in the presence of all the townspeople and the five maṭhas, made for the decorations and offerings of the god a specified grant of land. "And Mēchi Seṭṭi, Kirtti Seṭṭi and the other chief townsmen, on account of their having been spectators of such a pure work of merit, for the repairs of the temple remitted for ever the land-rent of the house which Bāvaṇa had occupied. And the fifty families of oilmen granted for the perpetual lamp one soṇṭige of oil from their mills. And Khēvale Gāvuṇḍa and all the headmen of the tailors, for the god's Chaitra purification festival, granted one paṇa a year from each family; and in case of a marriage, one paṇa from the bride-groom's party, and one paṇa from the bride's party, and the money for kusumbe (red safflower)".¹ No greater proof than the above is needed to maintain that the people of the Karṇāṭaka were bound together by a remarkable spirit of co-operation, especially in religious matters. This assertion of ours is further proved by an inscription dated A. D. 1143 which informs us that Viṣṇuvardhana Dēva's senior door-keeper (hiriya-haḍiyara) Rēvimayya, with the knowledge of all the citizens of Viṣṇusamudra in Āsandi-nāḍ, granted specified land for the god Nakharēśvara. Also Dāsayya, son of Bū Seṭṭi, made a specified grant for the same. And all the citizens assigned certain tolls (specified) for the same. And the oilmongers made a specified grant for the perpetual lamp of the god.²