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No. 11.) TIRUPPUVANAM PLATES OF JATAVARMAN KULASEKHARA I.
madandai extends to 15 years, the second, i.e., Pütalavanitai to 11 years, and the third, i.e., Pūvipkifatti to 28 years. Again, these lists show that there is no room for considering that a single king employed one of the introductions up to a certain year of his reign, then adopted the second and lastly the third. Neither could it be said that in a particular locality preference was given to one or the other of the introductions, for we find that in the same place more than one of the introductions are used. All the reasons recorded above indicate clearly that the kings who used them must be different. Can palaeography be adduced as a ground for ascribing the three introductions to one sovereign ? That ground is of little value in a case where there were more kings than one ruling at the same time and over the same tract: and after all it can at best show only A period of time and no fixed years. As far as I am able to judge, there is a gradual development in characters from the inscriptions with Pütalamadandai introduction through Pūvinkilatti to Putalavanitai. The difference between the first and the last only is somewhat marked, but may be due to the skill of the scribes or other causes.
We shall now see whether the evidence of the astronomical details furnished in the above collection and their verification support or controvert the finding we have arrived at above or remain neutral. In the collection of 16 epigraphs with Putalamadandai introduction there is but a single one that supplies us with details of date fit for calculation, while there are at least three in the Pūtalavapitai group and 6 in the Püvinkilatti epigraphs. All of them except one of the Pütalavapitai group have been examined and their equivalents determined as noted under:
No. 297/27-28 Pūtalamadandai. 9th year, Mina, ....... dvitiyā, Saturday, Rõhiņi. This date was calculated for Jaţāvarman I of Pūvinkilatti introduction with A.D. 1190 as the date of accession and equated to A.D. 1199, February, 27, Saturday, with the remark that Rõhiņi was not current on the day. The date is irregular.
No. 370/16 Pütalavapitai. 3+7th year, Märgali 20 tēdi, Sunday, saptami, Uttara-Bhadrapadá. 7th Year is given in the inscription as 2,690 days. This date correctly works out to Sunday, 16th December, A.D. 1246 and it was 20 Mārgali. The note of the late Mr. Swamikannu Pillai against this is "The Epigraphist says that the introduction is that of Jatavarman Kulasē. khara I, but the day of solar month which is a characteristic indication points only to the later reign, that of Jaţăvarman Kulasēkhara II of A. D. 1237”.
No. 720/16 Pūtalavanitai. 2nd year, Mina 22, su. 10, Wednesday, Pushya. "On Wednesday, 16th March A.D. 1239 (=22 Mēsba), śu. daśami ended at .53 and Pushya at .19 of day. This was the 2nd year of the same Jatavarman Kulasēkbara as the above."
No. 301 of 8.1.1., Vol. V (Pütalavanitai)—2nd year, Tula, ba. 6, Thursday, Mpigaśīrshā. Not calculated. See below, p. 82 for equivalent.
No. 80/28-29. Püvinkilalti. 13th year, Ani 19, su trayödasi, Tuesday, Mūlam. "Probably A.D. 1250, June 14, Tuesday; f.d.n..39. The tithi was, however, chaturdasi which was current till .85 of the day."
No. 337/16. Do. 3+4th year, Karkataka, 13 tēdi, su. 12, Monday, Jyështhā=A.D. 1196 (which was the 7th year of the reign of Jaţăvarman Kulasēkbara who ascended the throne in A.D. 1190), Monday, 8th July (-13 Karkataka) on which day bu. 12 ended at .89 and Nakshatra Jye. shthå at .44 of day.
No. 545/22. Do. 13+5th year, Kanni 9, šu. 14, Thursday, Satabbishaj -A.D. 1207, September 6, Thursday ;.97; .44.
No. 313/23. Pūvinkilatti. 9+3rd year, Vrischika 27, Friday, dvadasi, Sodi =Friday, 23rd November, A.D. 1201. As pointed out by Swamikannu Pillai (An. Rep. on S. I. Epigraphy for 1924, p. 88), the solar month-date is Vrischika 27 according to the Sürya-Siddhānta. The framer of the inscription must have obtained it from a Panchanga calculated according to that system. There are instances of this kind.
