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EPIGRAPHIÀ INDICA
(VOL. XXX
religious establishments is not unknown in Indian epigraphy. Thus an inscription' in the Simbachalam temple in the Visakhapatnam District records a grant made in its favour by Tallamadēvi, queen of Ganga Bhānu IV, when she was herself staying at Vārāṇasi-kataka (Varanasikatakānundi) which is the same as Abhinava-Vārānasi of Somaladevi's record. The village of Udaiyakāmam or Udayakäma was no doubt situated in her own jägir in her husband's dominions. The mention of the Ganga king's regnal reckoning in dating Sömaladēvi's record appears to be due to the fact that it was drafted at the Ganga capital. The grant of Anangabhima III in favour of the Kāñchipuram temple was apparently made similarly in absentia. But the partiality shown by the Ganga queen and her husband to a Vaishnava shrine in the Tamil country may suggest that she was related to the Chōļa royal house. It will thus be seen from the above discussion that there is hardly any proof in favour of the suggestions that the Ganga king Anangabhima III was for a time stationed at Kāñchi together with his qneen Sõmaladevi and that he conquered the Tamil country as far as the Tanjore-Tiruchirappalli region in the south. .
The inscription under discussion mentions two villages, viz., Tarallakshmi and Sāgarapatimă which were the subject of the grant made by Govinda, a general of the Ganga king Anangabhima III. The exact situation of the villages is not mentioned in the record and it is difficult to locate them.
TEXT
1 Siddham? Svasti [*] Prõddhata-hētivāhi-dhvänta-dhansie-dyutijyamana-dainya-jala
dhi(dhi)2 nimagna-di(di)n-ānātha-baran-aika-taraņēr-bhagavataḥ srimad-Anisya*]ákabhima
1811, Vol. VI, No. 1067.
* There are other instances of similar grants. Mr. P. B. Desai draws my attention to No. 154 of 8I1, Vol.. XI (Part ii, pp. 1928.) which registers the gift of the village of Kanakāpura in Kundur 500 (Dharwar District) for burning incense in the temple of Somanāthadova of the Saurashtra vishaya (Kathiawar) by Mahamandalisvara Jayakēsidēva, at the time of his marriage, under the direction of his father-in-law and overlord Chalukya Vikramditya VI (1076-1126 A.C.). As pointed out to me by Mr. P. Acharya, the Antarudrs vishaya, in which the village granted by Sómaladēvi was situated, is mentioned in the Chaurasi plate of the Bhsuma-Kara king Sivakara II and has been identified with the modern Antarodha Pargana in the Sadar Subdivision of the Puri District of Orissa (Misra, Orissa under the Bhauma Kings, p. 8).
• There are many inscriptions in temples like those at Simhachalam and Srikūrmam, which are big prasastis. These were apparently not composed on the spot but were carried by the donors with the intention of engraving them in the temples after having made the donations desired.
It may be conjectured that Sómaladēvi was a sister or daughter of the Chola king Rajaraja III. But her name (exhibiting some Kannada influence) in that case may suggest that she was born of a Kannada princess.
Even if it may be believed that Anangabhima III was actually present at Kanchipuram on the occasion of his own grant (No. 445 of 1919), it should better be explained in a different way. He might have visited the temple as a pilgrim. Such instances are not unknown in the inscriptions of South India. Mr. M. Venkataramayya draws my attention to SIT, Vol. IV, No. 428, and No. 29 of 1908. The first of these two records registers a gift of land made in favour of the god at Jambukēgvaram (Tiruchirappalli District) by JÄkhadēvi, queen of Rahula Jājaladēva, son of Bhimadeva of the Saubhapa (Chauhan) kula. The other inscription is a GAhadavala record of 1110-11 A.C.. which was found in the temple at Gangaikondacholapuram in the same district (ARSIE, 1908, Part II, p. 66). In the present state of our knowledge, it is impossible to believe that the Chauhans or the Gahadavālas invaded the Tamil country. The grants in question must have been made either in absentia or in the course of tours of pilgrimage. .. From impressions preserved in the office of the Government Epigraphist for India at Ootacamund.
* Expressed by aymbol. . Read dhva msi-.
