The Colas c30.9

c30.9

Nānādēśa-Tiśaiyāyirattu Aiññūṟṟuvar formed the most celebrated of these guilds. This long name is susceptible of two interpretations; the Five Hundred of the thousand directions in all countries, or the One Thousand and Five Hundred from all countries and directions. Seeing, however, that the guild is described sometimes by the terms *nānādēśīs* or *aiññūṟṟuvar*, the first interpretation seems to be the correct one. This guild had a long and notable record of achievement. Its importance may be taken to antedate the rise of the Imperial Cōḷas of the Vijayālaya line; for two short inscriptions from Muniśandai in the Pudukkōṭṭah state, most probably of the time of Vijayālaya and Parāntaka I, show that this corporation was already well established, the tank at Muniśandai being called after it; the inscriptions record endowments for the periodical repair of the tank. Members of this corporation obtained some houses assigned to them about A.D. 1015 by the *sabhā* of Nigarili-śōḷa-caturvēdimangalam for being used as residences or warehouses.²³ In A.D. 1033 is recorded a gift of land for a service in a Śiva temple at Ambāsamudram for the benefit (*śiṟappu*) of the same guild.²⁴