________________
334
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
hundred years old, as the earliest accounts of the grant were given from it. In all probability it was made about four hundred years ago.
The actual date of this grant cannot be ascertained, as the date given in it is uncertain; but it cannot be later than the eighth century A.D., for of two other similar grants in possession of the so-called Syrian Christians one presupposes its existence, and one of these I have ascertained to be of 774 A.D., while the other belongs to the beginning of the ninth century. Nor can the grant now published be older than the beginning of the eighth century, as the many Grantha letters in it are too developed to be of an earlier date.
As I have already twice printed the Vatteluttu alphabet, it is useless to give a transcript of the Tamil, especially as it would involve the preparation of a number of special types. Taking Dr. Gundert's and Mr. Ellis's translations as guides, I would propose to translate it as follows:-†
Translation.
Svasti Śri. The King of kings has ordered (This is) the act of grace ordered by His Majesty Śri Parkaran Iravi Vanmar wielding the sceptre and reigning in a hundred thousand places, (in) the year (which is) the opposite to the second year, the thirtysixth year, (on) the day he deigned to abide iu Mayirikkôdu.§ We have given to Is uppu Irabban | Ansuvannam (as a principality), and seventy-two proprietory rights (appertaining to the dignity of a feudal lord), also tribute by reverence (?) and offerings, and the profits of Ansu vannam, and day-lamps, and broad garments (as opposed to the custom of Malabar), and palankins, and umbrellas, (No. I.) and large drums, and trumpets, and small drums and garlands, and garlands across streets, etc., and the like, and seventy-two free houses. We have relinquished the dues by weight and duties. Moreover we have granted by this document on
The Jews of Cochin themselves say it was granted in the year 4139 of their era of the creation or A.D. 379.Wilson's Lands, &c. vol. II. p. 678.-ED.
The order of the plates as marked on the original impression sent to the Editor had got confused, and this has unfortunately been perpetuated in the accompanying lithograph-II. comes first, then I., and then III.
t? Bhaskara Ravi Varm &.
§ This is explained in the Hebrew version by Cranganore, and Mayiri is, no doubt, the original of the Mouziris of Ptolemy and the Periplus of the Red Sea. It is (according to local tradition) the part where the
[DECEMBER, 1874.
copper that he shall not pay the taxes paid by the houses of the city into the royal treasury and the (above-said) privileges to hold (them). To Isuppu Irabban, prince of Ansuvannam, and to his descendants, his sons and daughters, and to his nephews, and to (the nephews) of his daughters in natural succession, Ansavannam (is) an (No. III.) hereditary estate as long as the world and moon exist. Śrî.
I, Kovarttana Mattânḍan, * prince of Vên âdu, know this deed.
I, Kôtai Siri Kandan, prince of Venuvalin âd, know this deed.
I, Mâna Vepala Mâna Viyan, prince of Era lanâḍu, know this deed.
I, Irayaran Sâttan, prince of Valluvanadu, know this deed.
I, Kôtai Yiravi, prince of Neḍumpuraiyûrnâḍu, know this deed.
I, Mûrkkan Sâttan, of Kilpaḍainâyakam (? Commander of the Eastern army),
know this deed.
The writing of Pôlanaya Kilvâya Kêlappan, engraved (?) by Vanragaisêri Kandan.
It is remarkable that the witnesses are all local chiefs, so there can be no doubt that Yusuf Rabbân was admitted to a similar position by their consent.
The site of An suvannamtis not known; and, though it must be part of the country around Cranganore, there is little use looking for it. Every town in South India which is known to foreigners by one name (e.g. Madras, Tanjore) in reality consists of a larger or smaller number of hamlets, each with its distinct name; and as one or the other of these rises in importance by being made a royal residence, or the harbour being altered, or for similar reasons, the whole town changes its name with strangers. Hence the difficulty of identifying some towns in South India which were formerly well
known.
Travancore lines end, opposite to Cranganore but across the back-water, and is the only place on the south-west coast (as I have ascertained by personal inspection of the ports) which corresponds with the minute description given in the Periplus.
i.e. Yusuf Rabban.
Koyil, i.e. King's or God's house (Kô + il). Govardhana Martanda.
+ Dr. Gundert has ascertained beyond doubt that this word (lit. five colours) does not mean some privilege (as had been supposed), but is the name of a place: Madras Journal, XIII. pt. ii. p. 13.
