Indian Antiquary Vol 42

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

Page 239

AUGUST, 1913.)
ON SOME NEW DATES OF PANDYA KINGS
227
1906 (45). From the base of the verandah enclosing the central shrine in the temple of Amritaghateśvara at Tirukkadaiyar (Tanjore District). Gift of land ; mentions the 41st year (of the king's predecessor ?) and the shrine of Vikrama-Oholichobaramudaiyår.
Date.-14th year of Jag. Vira Pandya : (no opithet) [Dban] ba. 10 Wed.; "Svati ;" (1) on Wednesday 22nd Dec. 1266, Dhan. ha. 10 and "Svati " ended at .94 and 44
respectively. (2) on Wednesday 16 Dec. 1310, Dhan.ba. 10 and "Svâti" ended at -55 and 57 respectively.
If the first of these days were the date intended, it would belong to the conqueror of "tļam, Kongu and Chola ;" but as no such conquest is explicitly referred to, we may adopt the second date which would then belong to Jat, Vira Påndya whose reign began in 1296 and lasted till at least 1342. He was the only Vira Påndya who could, so far as is known to us, refer in 1310 to & predecessor with 41 years of reign, that is, to his own (natural) father, Mâravarman Kulasekbara whose reign began in 1268, and who in 1310 was murdered by his legitimate son Sandara Pandya.
All the remaining dates of this Jat. Vira Pandya refer to the 40th and subsequent years of his reign. We know from the Muhummadan historians that Sundara Pandya, after murdering his father M&ravarman Kulasekhara in 1310, defeated his natural brother Vira Pandya but was after wards defeated by the latter with the help of "Madar Barmul," son of the daughter of the murdered Kulasekhara, and fled to Delhi. Vira Pândya's snccess and restoration to bis throne were of brief duration, because in or about 1312 he was attacked and defeated, and the city of Madara sacked, by the Muhammadans under Malik Kafur. We are told also that eight Muhammadan Chiefs raled over the Pandyap kingdom from 1810 till about 1958, and there is among the Pudukkottai datea a Hejra date A. H. 732 (= A.D. 1381-32). About 1340, however, the work of the reconstruction and reconsecration of the temples desecrated by the Muhammadan occupation was taken up under the auspices of Vira Pandya, who now reappears on the scene, always dating his reign from July 1296 when he seems to have been installed by his father as co-regent of the Pandyan Dominions.
† 1908 (122). From the east wall of the first prakdra of the Tiru Staļisvara temple at Tirupputtûr (Madura District). Sale of privileges pertaining to padik kdval by the salha of Tirupputûr (Madura District) to Avaiyan alias Málavachakravartin of Saraikkndi.
Date.-44th year of Jat. Vira Pandya ; 5th Dhanus; su, 1; Thursday, “Múla." On Thursday, 2 Dec. 1399 (= 5 Dhanus) sa. 1 and.“ Mûla" ended at •51 and 26 respectively.
1906 (393). From the north wall of the mandapa in front of the Satyagirina tha-Perumal temple at Tirumaiyam (Padukkottai). Records the sale of all rights connected with pädikdvali.
Date.-4 [5th] year of Jat. Tribh. Vira Pâqdya (no epithet); Dhanus; ba. 8; Wod. "Hasta." On Wednesday 13 Dec. 1840, ba. 8; and "Hasta" ended at 28 and 28 respectively.
†1908 (119). From the east wall of the first prâkâra of the Tirattaliśvara temple at Tirupputtûr (Madura District). Records that Avaiyan Periya Nayanar alias Višalayadêva, a native of Kuraikkuģi irrigated by the river) Ténaru in Adalaiyar nådu, consecrated again the image in the temple of Tiratta!fyâņda-NĀyapar which had been polluted by the occupation of the Muhammadans.
Date.-46th year of Jat. Tribh. Vira Pandya ; 14 Kataka ; Monday ; su. 5; "Uttara Palgupf." On Monday 12 July 1389, su. 5 and “Uttara Phâlguni" ended at .22 and .006 respectively; bat the day of the solar month was 15 Kataka not 14th [Regnal year 46 is apparently an error for 44). At p. 138 of Ep. Ind. Vol. XI, Prof. Jacobi gives 2 Aug. 1839 as the equivalent of this date ; but as he agrees with me as to the day of the solar montb, his “2 Aug." must be a lapsus calami for "12 July."
(The Epigraphist, on reading the impression again in my presence, was of opinion that the recorded year was clearly 46).
1908 (120). From the east wall of the first prdkára of the Tiruttaliśvara temple at Tirup. puttûr (Madura District). Records the Muhammadan occupation of the temple and its consecration by Visalayadeva mentioned in No. 49. He was on this account given certain special privileges in the temple by the priests of the temple.
Date.--44th year of Jaț. Vira Påndya; 21 Mithuna ; su. 12; Sund.; " Anuradha."