The Colas c32.7

c32.7

Next we have the celebrated Tirumukkūḍal inscription of Vīrarājēndra, A.D. 1067.¹⁰ This inscription contains a very detailed account of the entire budget of receipts and expenses in the local temple of Mahāviṣṇu, and the schedule of expenses included provision for a college and a hospital. The college was a comparatively small institution and only two Vedas (Ṛg and Yajus) and Vyākaraṇa with *Rūpāvatāra* were taught in it. Provision was made for one teacher and ten pupils for the studying of each of the two Vedas, and for one teacher and twenty pupils in the Vyākaraṇa school. The Veda teachers were remunerated at the rate of one *padakku* of paddy per day and four gold *kāśus* per annum, while the teacher of Vyākaraṇa was paid a *tūṇi*—twice a *padakku*—per diem and ten *kāśus* per annum. It is clear that the Veda school was only what is now called an *adhyayana-pāṭha-śālā*, a school where pupils are trained to repeat the text by rote. The pupils were provided not only with food on the basis of 1½ *nāḷis* of rice per *diem* and suitable side dishes, but with mats for sleeping on, oil for their heads on Saturdays (fifty-one Saturdays being counted to the year), and a night light. There were also two women servants who looked after the menial service required by the schools and their pupils.