Studies in Cola History and Administration c13.s3: A.—Translation
Studies in Cōḻa History and Administration c13.s3
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- English
A.—Translation
c13.s3.1
*ll.* 1-3. Hail! Prosperity! In the twelfth year of King Parakēsari-varman, who captured Madura—We, (the members of) the *Sabha* of Uttarameru-caturvēdimangalam, Tattanūr-mūvēnda-vēḷān being present in accordance with the order (conveyed) in the *śrīmukham* (royal letter addresed) to our village, made the following settlement for choosing as committees every year from this year onwards, (the following viz.) the annual committee, garden committee and tank committee.
c13.s3.2
*ll.* 3-6. There being thirty *kuḍumbus* (wards), in (each of these) thirty wards, the people of the ward concerned shall assemble, and shall write down for pot-tickets (*kuḍav-ōlai*) the names of those who (*a*) own more than one-fourth *nilam* of taxable land, (*b*) reside in houses built on their own sites, (*c*) are below sixty and above thirty years of age, (*d*) have a reputation for proficiency in Vēda, *Śāstra* and (general) affairs, (*e*) possess material and spiritual purity, (*f*) have not done *vāriyam* this side of three years and (*g*) are not close relations of the *perumakkaḷ* (members) who have done *vāriyam* and retired.
c13.s3.3
*ll.* 6-7. Then (they shall) collect (the tickets) by the *śēri*, and shall constitute the annual committee of twelve persons by causing a boy who cannot distinguish any forms to draw pot-tickets in such manner that there shall be one person for each *śēri*.
c13.s3.4
*ll.* 7-8. Before that, pot-tickets shall be drawn similarly for the garden committee, and the twelve persons (thus chosen) shall form the garden committee.
c13.s3.5
*ll.* 8-9. The remaining six pot-tickets shall form the tank committee.
c13.s3.6
*l.* 9. The three sorts of committees that do *vāriyam*, (after being appointed) by the drawing of thirty pot-tickets, shall complete *vāriyam* for full three hundred and sixty days (and retire). The committees that will be appointed thereafter shall be constituted as committees only by the drawing of pot-tickets after allotting pot-tickets to the *kuḍumbus* in accordance with this deed of settlement.
c13.s3.7
*ll.* 9-10. And the relatives of those who have done *vāriyam*, * * * shall not have their names entered on pot-tickets and deposited (in the pot).
c13.s3.8
*l.* 10. For the *pañcavāra* committee and the gold committee thirty pot-tickets shall be allotted to the thirty *kuḍumbus*, and pot-tickets shall be drawn (so as to get) one person for each *śēri*; of the twelve (thus chosen), six shall be the *pañcavāra* committee and six the gold committee.
c13.s3.9
*ll.* 10-11. Those who have once served on (any of) the committees other than the annual committee shall not have pot-tickets (with their names) deposited (in the pot) for the same committee.
c13.s3.10
*ll.* 11-12. We, the members of the *Sabhā* of Uttaramēru-caturvēdimangalam, having been shown the gracious royal letter received from the lord of the gods, the emperor śrī Vīranārāyaṇa śrī Parāntakadēva alias Parakēsarivarma, Tattaṇūr-mūvēnda-vēḷān sitting with us in accordance with this order, made this settlement, in order that the wicked of our village may perish and the good prosper, viz., that, in this manner, from this year as long as the sun and the moon endure, we shall always appoint only pot-ticket-committees.