Studies in Cola History and Administration c12.34

c12.34

‘A’ line 9: *vyavasthai-ōlai-ppaḍiyē*: ‘According to this order of settlement’- (Venkayya). I prefer ‘according to this deed of settlement.’ The word ‘ōlai’, indeed often occurs in inscriptions in the sense of ‘order’, especially ‘royal order’ and this is perhaps the reason why Venkayya* and almost all other writers after him have maintained that the constitution of Uttaramerūr was laid down in a royal rescript and that the *Sabhā* had only to signify its assent to a constitution ordered from above. But there is no justification for overlooking the express declaration of the *Sabhā* repeatedly made in these two records† that it made the *vyavasthai* in the presence of an official who attended its meetings by royal order. Though not of Parāntaka’s reign, there are not wanting examples of *Sabhās* stating clearly that they made certain changes in their constitutions at the instance of the king. These examples should warn us against disregarding express statements contained in our records. The proper meaning of ‘ōlai’ in this context is, therefore, not ‘order’ but ‘deed’ or ‘record.’ The word is used in many different connections; *kuḍavōlai* is thus closely analogous to *vyavasthai-ōlai*.