Epigraphia Indica Vol 09

SR No.: 032563
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: E Hultzsch, Sten Konow
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1907
Total Pages: 498
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 28 MB

Page 122

No. 10.]
for a year. At three kalam of paddy for one kalam of rice, this (comes to) one hundred and ninety-two kalam (of paddy). The split green gram (required for a day) is two nali. At the rate of three nali of paddy for (one) nali of split (green gram), twenty-four kalam of paddy per year (have to be allotted) for this (item). Cows' ghee of the best quality (required for a day) is (one) nali and (one) uri. At the rate of thirty nali of paddy for (one) nali of ghee,3 this (comes to) one hundred and eighty kalam of paddy for a year. (The quantity of) cows' curds (required for a day) is four nali. At the rate of three nali of paddy for (one) nali of curds,* this (amounts to) forty-eight kalam of paddy annually. (The number of) black plantain fruits (required for a day) is sixteen. At the rate of (one) nali of paddy for two (fruits), these (cost) thirty-two kalam of paddy annually. The sugar (required for a day is) four palam. At the rate of (one) náli and (one) uri of paddy for every palam, this (item costs) twenty-four kalam of paddy per year. (The daily consumption of) vegetables being forty palam, sixteen kalam of paddy (have to be allotted) for this (item) every year-at the rate of (one) nali of paddy for ten palam. (One) álakku and three seviṭṭu of asafoetida (being required daily), nineteen kalam and three kurunis of paddy (have to be allotted) for this (item) annually- at the rate of six nali of paddy for (one) ulakku of asafoetida. (For) the leaves offering (are required) two bundles10 of betel-leaves (daily), which, at the rate of two nali of paddy for one bundle, (come to) sixteen kalam of paddy for a year; forty areca-nuts (daily), which, at the rate of three nali and (one) uri of paddy for 20 areca-nuts, (cost) twenty-eight kalam of paddy annually ;11 (and) four seviṭṭu of lime (daily), which, at the rate of two nali (of paddy) for (one) nali (of lime), (cost) twelve kurunis of paddy per year.
AMBASAMUDRAM INSCRIPTION OF VARAGUNA-PANDYA.
93
(Ll. 73 to 81.) Altogether, the (quantity of) paddy required annually is five hundred and eighty kalam.13 The glorious Varaguna-Maharaja thus deposited (this money), in order that
1 In Tanjore 5 kalam of paddy were required for 2 kalam of rice during the time of Rajaraja I.
* Pulse was exchanged at this rate during the time of Rajaraja I. at Tanjore.
In Tanjore ghee and paddy were exchanged in the proportion of 1 to 32 at the time of Rajaraja I. The same rate obtained in Tanjore during the reign of Rajaraja I.
5 There seem to have been three varieties of plantain fruits available in Tanjore and its vicinity about the beginning of the 11th century A.D. Two fruits of the first kind could be had for one nali of paddy (South-Ind. Inser. Vol. 11. pp. 75 and 77); five nali of paddy had to be given in exchange for 18 fruits of the second variety (ibid. p. 127); the third was sold at the rate of 1200 for each káfu (ibid. p. 151).
Two kinds of sugar were apparently available about the beginning of the 11th century A.D. in the Chola capital and the country surrounding it. Of the cheaper kind 3 palam could be purchased for 2 ndli, 1 uri, 1 álákku and 4 sevidu of paddy (South-Ind. Inser. Vol. II. p. 127), while the more costly variety exchanged at the rate of 1 máli and 1 uri of paddy for i palam (ibid. pp. 70 and 71).
In one of the Tanjore inscriptions quoted in the preceding foot-notes, the daily allotment for purchasing vegetables is 6 ndli of paddy. The quantity of vegetables is not mentioned.
• If this calculation is correct, a kalam must be equal to 15 instead of 12 kuruni, and a kuruni equal to 6
náli.
• Asafoetida and lime are not mentioned in any of the Tanjore inscriptions, where common salt and firewood are specially provided for (South-Ind. Inser. Vol. II. pp. 75, 77 and 180). The two latter are conspicuous by their omission in the Ambasamudram record. Perhaps they had no exchange value in the Pandya country during the time of Varaguna. It may also be that temples could obtain both common salt and firewood without any payment.
10 From lines 26 and 60 of the text it may be concluded that one bundle (parrs) was equal to 4 adukku of betel-leaves.
11 Provision is made for the supply of areca-nuts and botel-leaves in three of the Tanjore inscriptions, where only the aggregate cost of both is given (Nos. 6, 26 and 35 of South-Ind. Inser. Vol. II.): 1 ndli of paddy for 8 arecanuts and 32 betel-leaves (No. 6); 4 ndli and 1 uri of paddy for 30 areca-nuts and 60 betel-leaves (No. 26); and 1 ndli and 1 uri of paddy for 12 areca-nuts and 24 betel-leaves (No. 35).
12 The actual calculation yields 36 ndli of lime annually, costing 72 ndli of paddy, i.e. 18 nali less than a kalam (=90 náļi according to this inscription) or 12 kuruni. But it has been pointed out that a kalam was made up of 15 kuruni (note 8 above). Thus the kuruni was equal to 6 ndli instead of the more common 8 náli. With this equivalent of the kuruni the calculation in the text would be correct.
This calculation would be correct only on the assumption that a kalam was equal to 15 kuruşi and a kurupi equal to 6 ndli; see the preceding note.