Indian Antiquary Vol 02

SR No.: 032494
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 428
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 397

DECEMBER 1873.]
The Kolamba era here mentioned is evidently the Kollam era, which is adopted throughout the Malabar coast now. It oommenced in the year 824 A.D. Hence the bell must have been hung up in 1468-69. King Adityavarmâ was therefore a contemporary of Edward IV. of England, and the bell was hung up when the fortunes of York and Lancaster were oscillating, and when Warwick was at the height of his career. It was also 30 years before Vasco
TAMIL INSCRIPTIONS IN SOUTHERN INDIA.
de Gama set foot on Indian soil. Kolamba is the Sanskrit, and Kollam the Malayalam name for Quilon. The diocese of the Roman Catholic Bishop who was stationed in this part of the Malabar coast when the power of Portugal was in the ascendant was known as 'Columba'. The word Bhavati (), which gives the year 644 of the Kolamba era, follows the system of alphabetical numeration, which, by converting large numbers into familiar words, so greatly facilitates their being stored in memory by Hindu mathematicians and astronomers. The first letter of a word thus formed stands in the units' place, the next in that of tens, the next of hundreds, and so on. 4,
= 4, and 6, making 644.
The configuration of the kingdom of Travancore of those days, it is hardly necessary to point out, was widely different from what it is now. While the greater portion of what now constitutes North Travancore was no integral part of the kingdom, a large portion of the present district of Tinnevelli was included in it. The kingdom was called Trippâppûr Svarûpam. The boundaries of it are given in an inscription on stone in the Suchindram pagoda. The inscription dates in the reign of Adityavar mâ, the same Râjá as put up the Tirukuranguḍi bell. The boundaries are: "east Pannivâykâl-an old watercourse near Varkala-south Vaipâr, in the Tinnevelli District-north and west the sea." We must make allowance for the geography of those days, in judging of the correctness of the cardinal points here described. However, there is little room to doubt that Tirukurañguḍi, now situated in the Nânguneri Tâluka of the Tinnevelli District, was then a part of Travancore. The whole tract of country, again gathering from the stone inscription, was divided into 18 parts or 'nâds. Of these, the king of Travan
361
core made Jayatunganâd, or Jayasinhanâd, the seat of his court and government. I have not been able to identify the situation of this division. In all probability it was on the eastern side of the Ghats. The heir-apparent occupied Chira vâ ya and held it in possession. Chiravâya may be identified with the present village of Chirayinkîl, about 18 miles to the north of Trivandram. The word Chiravaya is composed of the two Malayalam words Chira (lake) and vaya (mouth), the village being situated where the Bhavânîpuram river makes its debouchure into a lagoon.
Raja Aditya varma was only heir-apparent and chief of Chiravaya when he put up the bell. This is evident from the phrase अधिगतचिरवा मण्डलेन्द्रः The word Mandala in Sanskrit, is applied only to a feudatory or dependent state, and not to suzerainty. Adityavarma became ruler of Travancore only three years after the date of the bell. His elder brother Mârtânda varma was on the throne at 'the time.
C
The word Jayasinhânvayah' in the stanza inscribed on the bell is suggestive. A European friend, who has devoted much time and attention to the study of Indian antiquities, once told me that the Jayasiñha dynasty could be traced to the rulers of the Vijayanagara empire in the Dekhan, and through them to the solar and lunar races.
The following two verses are inscribed on stone in two different parts of the Siva Pagoda of Suchindram, about 10 miles N.N.W. of Cape Comorin (Kumârî) :
1. राकालेोकेशकाब्दे सुरपतिसचिव सिंहयाने तुलायाmet tagit gut wh काङ्क्षन् मार्तण्डवम् श्रियमातीविला कीर्तिमायुश्च दीर्घ स्थाने मानी शुचीन्द्रे समकुरुत सभां केरलक्ष्मापतीन्द्रः ॥ 2. अब्दे कोलंबसंज्ञे विशतिगवि गुरी मित्रयाते तुलान्त्ये मैत्रेक्षे सेन्दुवारे प्रतिपदि वनितालग्न के रामवर्मा । Samt gewinnt sma say
भूपालचूडामरकृत पुरोमण्ड चन्द्रमः ॥ The first of the above two is inscribed in an outer shrine called Chitrasabha, dedicated to the Chidambaresvara form of Siva; and the second on the front Mandapam of the chief shrine. They may be thus translated:
1. "In the year 1312 (=2, 1 =8, 1) of the Sakabda era, the minister of Indra