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284
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(OCTOBER, 1895
provisionally call him Vira-Keralavarman II., - the prefix Vira, which occurs invariably in all the known old names of the dynasty, being preserved to us in the names of the village where the record is found. We shall, of course, await the result of further researches to convert the presumption into a fact.
IX. But no such scruples need be entertained in pronouncing that on the 25th of Medam 871, the ancient throne of Vènad was occupied by Bri-Vira-Ramavarma-Tiruvadi. My anthority for this statement is a long Vatteluttu record in nine lines, inscribed on the southern wall of a small temple, in a village now called Kunangaraj, to the south-east of the Vellâņi fresh-water lake, about eight miles to the south of Trivandram. It would read thus in translation :
Vatteluttu No. 60. Old Malayalam.
m. Kunangarai Inscription of Vira-Ramavarman, "Hail! Prosperity! In the Koilam year 371, with Jupiter in Cancer, and the sun 24 dass old in Aries, is made the following grant :- The loyal chieftains of Sri-Vira-RamavarnaTiruvadi, graciously rulirg over Vêņåd, inake over in writing, as a solemn gift ratified with water, the locality of) Sériklul, in Cheikottain, belonging to the sait chieftains, to Vaua Madhava Naravarn Vinnagar Alván of Tirukkunagirai, to provide for all luis daily expenses. and one sacred perpetual lamp. From this time forwards, the manager of the temple of Tiruk. kunagarai shall, under the supervision of the Six Hinndred of Venid and of the district oflicer and ngents, tatke solo possession of all things whatsover in this Sérikkul, with the exceptiouof the pndaly Jam, granted already ander command by the said chieftains to meet the expenses of the Bhattirakı of Neliyûr, and the manager shall duly sopply, according to the regulated measurement, four will of rice of proper quality for holy offerings, and also one sacred perpetual lamp. The paddy per year required to provide the daily offerings of four nili of rice, exclusive of pounding charges, amounting to 10 kil (?) and 24 kalam, and the ghi and thread, required every day for the sacred perpet sal lamp, should be supplied without failure. The expenses shall be met out of the proceeds of the lira!' lands on both the sides, the lower and the ligler, of Cheûkottårn, and also the higher tields and Koduskarai compound, both falling under the kiranmai tenure, as well as from the (labour of the) predial slaves there. anto attached, all of which shall be now forth with taken possession of (by the said manager). If the supply fails once, double the default shall be paid. If twice, twice the default and fine. If thrice, the Six Hundred, the officers, and the Valaniyars of the 18 districts shall institute inquiries, and see to the carrying out of this arrangement without failure, as long as the moon and the stars endure. Pillars73 having been raised so as to mark and include the four limits thereof, this séri (or portion of a village) is granted, under the tirucidaiyáttam tenure, according to royal command; all of which facts (the following) do know and can attest), vis., Kandan Kandan of Takka Kokka compound, Keralan iśvaran of Tanamaņkottam, Âdi Tiruvikraman Parnan, and Govindan Kumaran of Patili. This is in my hand, Kandan Udaiyanan of Kaitavay (signature)."74
Thus then, beyond all doubt, there reigned over Vêņad on the 25th Mêdam 371 M. E. or about the beginning of May 1196, Sri-Vira-Ramavarma-Tiruvadi, This date is bat 23 years and a month later than that of Sri-Vira-Udaiyamârtândavarman at Tiruvattar (inscription No. VI.) - the last firm ground we have. The interval cannot surely be considered too large for one reign, supposing we are constrained by further researches to reject, as foreign to the dynasty, both Aditya Rama of the Gośà la inscription, and Kerala varman II. of the Arringal fragments. But the latter contingency, at any rate, as far as Aditya Rama is concorned, is so far improbable, that it may be well set aside, except in the way of satisfying
T3 Tiranam is the word used, which means, according to Dr. Gundert, post with an inscription or device.' T4 The rost of the persone here named do not sign the deod, each says only he knows.'
