Local Government in Ancient India c15.39

c15.39

*Rep.*, 1914–15, p. 40), again, records the collective gift by about twenty-five individuals of a temple, a golden shrine, stone and metallic images of gods, together with provision for processions, and the construction of a watering-shed and well for the use of devotees, with the assignment of sufficient lands for the upkeep of the aforesaid charities. Sometimes, again, the offering took the more useful form of providing for the recital of the *Mahābhārata* for the edification of a village (no. 163 of 1909, *Mad. Ep. Rep.*, 1909–10, p. 19). There are again instances of public amusements being provided for in connexion with the temples. No. 65 of 1914 (*Mad. Ep. Rep.*, 1914–15, p. 16) records a gift of land by the great assembly of Kāmaravalli-caturvedi-maṅgalam to Śākkai Mārāyan Vikramaśolan for performing the dance (*sākkaikūttu*) thrice on each of the festivals *Mārgalitiruvādirai* and *Vaigāsitiruvādirai*. No. 253 of 1914 again records a similar gift of land to a lady for giving nine performances of dancing before the god at Tiruveṅgavāśal in the fourteenth year of Vikrama-Cola. It may be noted that such public amusements were also encouraged by the kings. Rājarāja I instituted the representation on the stage of a drama entitled *Rājarājeśvarī-nāṭaka* (*South Ind. Ins.*, vol. II, p. 306). No. 211 of 1912 (*Mad. Ep. Rep.*, 1912–13, p. 29) records the personal attendance of Rājarāja III at a singing party in the *Rājarājan-maṇḍapa* at Tiruvor-raiyūr. Sometimes again the religious benefaction took the remarkable form of providing hereditary servants for temples. No. 122 of 1912 records an instance in which five women with their descendants were assigned to the temple of Tiruvorriyūr for husking paddy. This temple, it has been seen (p. 274), possessed the famous grammar-hall for teaching Pāṇini's grammar, and was a great centre of intellectual and religious activity. We have again seen instances where the religious feeling expressed itself in the rescue of images that were being removed, the reconsecration of desecrated temples, or the restoration of a worship that had been neglected owing to bad times. Lastly we may instance, as further expressions of the same feeling, the foundation of Maṭhas and monasteries which served as strongholds and centres of both religion and learning, where the higher elements of the culture of the race were conserved. Such colleges were the agencies of popular education, diffusing the light of both knowledge and religion.