Indian Antiquary Vol 41

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 152

148
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JUNE, 1912.
the headquarters of a subdivision in ancient times. Tiruvengadu and Kavirippûmpattinam were places situated in it. It seems, therefore certain, that Kil-Nangûr in the Shiyali taluka is identical with it. It is, thereforo, no wonder that Karikala had a special liking for Kåvirippumpattinam, that it was only three or four miles from Nångür whence his queen hailed.
He might probably have witnessed the annual destruction which the Kâ vêri river caused when it overflowed its banks during high floods and it may have led him to undertake the stapendore work of constructing high banks to the river to prevent the recurrence of the evil. By the way, it may be said that the irrigation of the Kavêrî delta had engaged the attention of early Ohola kings. Of the several branches which this river has, the Vennaru and the Arasil date back to times earlier than Kariküla 16 and most of the others are attributable to some of the members of the Chôļa dynasty whose names they bear even at the present day." The course of the river seems to have changed at an early date giving rise to a new source of irrigation to the country. Palaikavêri was the name by which the original river was known to distinguish it from the new, but it is not known if this diversion of the river was due to natural causes, or if it was the work of any particular person. Palaukavðri and Kollidam were in existence prior to the 7th century A. D.18 In spite of the diversion of water in these branches, the Kaveri seems to have carried much water and caused damage to the country during floods. Karikâla's services to the country in undertaking to build high banks and in opening now channels to improve the irrigation of the land, can not be over estimated. The banks are said to measure 1,080 feet in length, 40 to 60 feet in width, and 15 to 18 feet in height. They successfully prevented annual destruction for nearly fifteen centuries by the mere inertia of the storage of materials. It is not unlikely that the bands constructed by him were improved periodically. In all probability the ancient custom of parcelling out a few acres of land irrigated by the source among a few families who were required to take ut fixed quantities of mud or sand from the bed and throw them on the bund every year, was followed in the case of the Kaveri also.
We have already referred to the impetus given by Karikala to commerce and trade and this will appear in better light from the translation of Pattinappalai appended below. The poem was composed by Kadiyalür Rudraikannanar, who is reported to have received the munificent gift of sixteen lakhs of gold pieces as reward for his composition. We have also mentioned that Karikala's contact with the northern powers gave him an opportanity for settling a number of people in the south. The growth of civilisation during this period seems to have assumed a different turn. The impulse given to art and trade is specially noteworthy. The condition of the people improved to a considerable extent and every effort was made to increase their happiness and prosperity.
Extract from Pattipappali. The Chola conntry was irrigated by the Kivêri river which never failed in its supply even when there was no raia. The fields yielded sugarcane from the juice of which jaggery was prepared ; big bunches of plantains, cocoanats and arecanuts. Mango and palm trees abounded. There were also flower gardens covering large areas. The tanks of the country had high bunds l'esembling the form of the constellation Makha. Fragrant flowers of a variety of colours were produced near them.
The villages in the country adjoined each other and the houses had large compounds in front where they dried paddy. Here children amused themselves by dragging three-wheeled little cars. The doors of the houses bore tiger marks. The royal palaces were white bat soiled by the dust raised by cars and borses which were over moving in the streets.
The namos Vooni kuyattiyar and Arifiki!r assumed by poruogiudicate the existence of the two brunches of the K&veri.
17 It may be remarked that Viridla. Kirtimártidan (Kirtimin), Uyyakkopen and Modigondin are the surnames of some of the Chola kings of the leth aud Ilth centuries.
Several inscriptiong.meption Palank véri. This and Kollidam are referred to in the Deviram songs of the 7th oentury, A. D.