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No. 38.]
POLONNARUVA INSCRIPTION OF VIJAYABAHU I.
335
banajigas, whilst the third inscription calls the members of the guild the protectors of the virabananja-dharma." Two inscriptions from Shikarpur Taluq (Nos. 94 and 118), published in the Epigraphia Carnatica, Vol. VII, describe these merchants in great detail. An inscription has been found at Anaulundāva, a village near Polonnaruva, which begins with almost the same phrases as are used in describing the Vaļañjiyar merchants in the Kanarese inscriptions from Mysore. This inscription being only a fragment, the word valañjiyar does not actually occur in it; but the phraseology used in it shows, beyond doubt, that it must have been a record of the same Corporation of Merchants. In the inscription No. 555 of the Madras Epigraphical collection for 1923, mention is made of the Valañjiyar of South Ceylon (Ten-Ilangai-valanjiyor). They are there represented as making donations to a Vishņu temple. As regards the derivation of this word, the late Mr. Venkayya says :-" In Kanarese banajiga is still used to denote a class of merchants. In Telugu the word balija or balijiga has the same meaning. It is therefore probable that the words valañjiyam, valañjiyar, balañji, bananji, banajiga and balija are cognate, and derived from the Sanskrit vanij." The Nagarattārs, who are mentioned in this inscription along with the Vaļañjiyars, were also an influential community of merchants, who, at the time that we are speaking of, had their mercantile establishments not only all over South India and Ceylon, but also in Burma and other parts of Further India.' The Nagarattārs comprised within their ranks another class of merchants called the Nānādēsī. An inscription of Queen Lilāvati of Ceylon, who reigned in the first decade of the 13th century, mentions the Nānādēsī merchants as having made some donations to an alms-house at Anuradhapura. As the Vaļañjiyars are said to have been the leaders (mūdādai) of the Vēļaikkāra troops, it might be conjectured that the latter migrated to Ceylon with the Vaļañjiyar whom they served. The Valañjiyars and the Nagarattārs are at present represented by the Banajiga and Nagaratta communities of the Kanarese country."
The different sub-sects, into which the Vēļaikkaras were further divided, were the Valangai, Idangai, Sirudanam, Pillaigaldanam, Vadugar, Malaiyalar, Parivärakkondam, and others. Out of these Valangai and Idangaimean the Right hand' and the 'Left hand' castes respectively. From an early time the inhabitants of South India were thus divided. The Madras Epigraphical Report for 1913 contains the following interesting account as regards the origin of the Idangai : " While in order to kill demons (that disturbed) the sacrifices of the sage Kāśyapa, we were made to appear from the agni-kunga (i.e. the sacrificial fire pit), and while we were protecting the said sacrifice, Chakravartin Arindama honoured the officiating sage priests by carrying them in a car, and led them to a Brāhmaṇa Colony (newly founded by himself). On this occasion we were made to take our seats on the backside of the car and to carry the slippers and umbrellas of these sages. Eventually, with these Brāhmaṇa sages, we also were made to settle down in the villages of Tiruvellarai, etc. We received the clan name Idangai, because the sages (while they got down their cars) were supported by us on their left side.” In the same inscription it is said that there were ninety-eight sub-sects of the Idangai. Their insignia are given thus :-" It is also understood that only those, who, during their congregational meetings to settle communal disputes, display the insignia(?) of horn, bugle and parasol, shall belong to our class. Those who have 1 Mysore Inscriptions, p. 120.
Ibid., p. 123. 3 P. 114 and p. 156. • This inscription runs as follows:
(1) Samnata-bhuvanágra-patica-sata-virs-sasanam-alingita Lakşmi). (2) (ya) lakmans (vakşa) sthala bhuvana-parakrama Sri-Vasudeva Kundala müla-(purtti-hha).
Epigraphia Zeylanica, Vol. II, p. 236 . A. R. on Epigraphy for 1923, p. 106. Ep. Ind., Vol. IV, p. 296. 1A. R. on Epigraphy for 1913, p. 102. . Epigraphia Zeylanica, Vol. I, p. 179.
A. R. on Epigruphy for 1913. p. 102.
