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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1896.
daily for the god. This is considered one of the modes of propitiating a Hindu god, who heard her prayer, and she in due conrse conceived. Her old husband, however, suspected her of infidelity and discarded her. From that day forward the pagoda authorities also refused to accept the garlands of flowers she used to make for the deity. She was, however, resolute in her pious work, and placed the garlands daily on the temple steps notwithstanding and returned home. The flower garlands which she so left on the steps used to be seen the next day on the god's image, day after day. This miracle attracted the notice of the holy Brahmans, who tberefrom declared her immaculate, and said that the conception was the result of divine will. She was not, however, taken back into their own community, but a separate caste was started for her from that day, her occupation being making of flower garlands and other such temple service."
We are thankful to the Census Commissioner for having embodied these traditions in his Report ; but it would be idle indeed to criticise them. They would have been eren beneath our notice but for the currency and credence sach false derivations receive in this land, even when the etymology of a word lies, as in this case, unmistakably on the surface. Viriyan' is obviously the man with the vári, and rari in Tamil means a broomstick or rake - várukál and vúriyal being other derivatives, in everyday use, from the same root, vár, to collect, clean, or sweep. Sweeping the inner court of the temple was undoubtedly one of the special duties of the original Väriyar or Vårer, however much his descendants may now prefer the more leisurely and dignified function of tying up flower garlands for the use of the deity inside. Oar Váriyan, Adityan Adityan of Sattanûr, it will be observed, had also a garland of flowers to supply, but the extra payment of the cooked rice offerings fixed by the grant would shew that he had other functions to discharge and other remunerations to receive.
But whatever were the duties and emoluments of the Vâriyan in question, it is more important for us to note that the full name of the sovereign who ruled over Vêņid in 578 was Sri-Vira-Kerala-Mártåndavarman, which the metrical necessities of the slóka contracted into king Martanda. Equally, if not more important is the mention of the Kilapperur family name. It will be remembered that the earliest of our inscriptions giving this family designation is the one taken from Kadinaikulam, dated 389. I have not yet succeeded in finding out how the Vêņad royal house came to be associated with a village so far north as Kilappêrûr in the Chirayinkil tâluk. Further on we shall see how in subsequent times an important branch of the original stock assumed an exclusive right to this title. Already perhaps the royal family was getting split up into distinct branches, and it was found necessary thus to designate the branch to which the reigning sovereign of the time belonged.
But these doubts are nothing by the side of a more serious difficulty created by Mr. Shungoonny Menon. For whatever was meant by the addition of the Kilapperur family name in this particular case, the inscription leaves no room for the least doubt that Sri-ViraKerala-MÁrtándavarman was the name of the Vêņad sovereign in 578. But Mr. Shungoonny Menon tells a different story. Having noted the death of Keralavarman three months after he succeeded to the throne of his uncle Ravivarman in 557 M. E., the author says: "Keralavarma Kulaśdkhara Perumal was succeeded by his twin brother Chera-Udayamartaņdavarman. The reign of this sovereign was longer than that of all the Travancore monarchs. His Highness ascended the masnad while he was sixteen years of age and died at the ripe age of seventyeight after a reign of sixty-two years. His reign was of s mixed character, partly attended with prosperity, and partly with troubles and annoyances, as is natural during such a long period, in which many vicissitudes might be expected. His Highness Chêra-Udayamartandavarman performed the coronation ceremonies, and was styled Kulabókhara-Perumal. During the reign of this sovereign all the south-eastern possessions of Travancore on the Tinnevelly side were regained, and the sovereign often resided at Valliyûr and Chêramaha
• Ante, Vol. XXIV. p. 807.
