Studies in Cola History and Administration c12.88

c12.88

central government. The only other course is to make the *kaṇakku-pperuṅguṟi-pperumakkaḷ* themselves the auditors; but this seems to be somewhat difficult in the face of the emphatic *‘ōḍu kūḍa.’* We may therefore translate the sentence as follows: “No one who wrote accounts shall be allowed to enter on (writing) other accounts except after he clears himself by submitting accounts (for the period of his office) together with the members of the accounts-committee.” I am inclined to treat *perumakkaḷ* and *peruṅguṟi* tentatively as technical terms simply meaning ‘members’ and ‘assembly’. The term *perumakkaḷ* often enough occurs in connection with committees. But *peruṅguṟi* seems generally to apply to the whole assembly. It is possible therefore that the *kaṇakku-pperuṅguṟi-pperumakkaḷ* were persons directly chosen by the assembly (*Sabhā*) for the purpose of submitting the accounts for audit by officers of the central government on behalf of the entire administration of the village, or for themselves auditing the accounts. On this view, the translation of the phrase would be “the members of the assembly (chosen) for (submitting or auditing) accounts.”