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SEPTEMBER, 1024] KOTTAYAM PLATE OF VIRA RAGHAVA OILAKRAVARTI
187
Lines 19-20. With the knowledge of tho Vênatu and Opunâțu (rulers) have we given these; with the knowledge of Eranâțu and Valluvanátu (rulers) have we given these.
Lines 20-21. Given for the time that sun and moon shall lost.
Lines 21-22. With the knowledge of the above, written by Nampi Chatayan, grand goldsmith of Kêraļam.
Notes and Comments on Some Peculiar E.r pressions in the Document. Chéramánlókaperuschetti means grand Chetti, i.e., merchant of Kêraļam. The word Chetti, though it means a merchant, is often used as the name of a caste and there is now & Chetti caste among the Hindus. Every one of them, whether he is a merchant or not, is called Chetti. That is the case now with the St. Thomas Christians of the northern parts. The low caste people add Chetti to the name of every Christian, whatever be his occupation. The Grand Cheçti of Keralam, therefore, means the head of all Chetties, i.e., the Christians of Keralam.
Manigramapattam or Manigramava//am? What is it that Iravi Korttan received, Mani. gråmapattam (title of Manigramam) or Manigramavattam (the place called Manigramam)? Though both readings are possible, I cannot find my way to accept the latter reading. Mani means a gem, and grámam a village, and therefore Manigramam is a village and a village cannot be given to an inclividual by the soveroign, but only some rights over it. It must be somewhere in or near Cranganore, if it were the name of a place. Now Iravi Korttan was of Makotaiyarpattinam. # suburb of Cranganore. We find also a powerful community called Manigrâmam in Quilon during the ninth century, and assuming Manigramam to be a village, we should have to suppose that there was a place called Manigramam at Quilon as well. Further, the sons of Manigramam as a powerful community are mentioned in Payyanûr Pottola, which is spoken of by Dr. Gundert as the oldest specimen of Malayalam composition he had ever seen. (Madras Journal of Literature and Science, Vol. XIII, part II, page 16.) This poem, being of the Northern district, evidently refers to the people of the north, not of Quilon. Let us suppose that the sons of Manigramam referred to in it were the inhabitants of the place called Manigramam, which we supposed was in existence in or near Cranganore and over which some sovereign rights were given to Iravi Korttan, a citizen of Makotaiyar-pattanam. Now such a supposition would lead us to believe that there were two places called Manigramam-one in or near Cranganore, another in Quilon, and that both places are entirely forgotten. We should also have to believe that, curiously enough, the people who inhabited tho Manigramam of Quilon and the Manigramam at Cranganore were both powerful pooples. Further, we should believe that some sovereign rights over the Manigramam of Cranganore, which was inhabited by a powerful people, were given to a citizen of Makotaiyar-pattanam, instead of their being given to the chief of that village itself. Is it not too much to be asked to believe all this?
On the other hand there is nothing strange in accepting the other reading Manigramapattam as the title of Manigramam. It may be asked what is meant by the title of Mani. gråmam. In the Tanu Iravi plates, Manigramam is used in the sense of Manigramakk&ryam. Just so the title of Manigramam means the title of Manigramakkaryam, which might mean a valued civic privilege of the time.
Makotaiyar-pattanam is sometimes written Mahodêvar Pattanam and Mahadevar Patta. nam. Sunderamürtti Nayanar, the ancient Tamil Poet, Rajendra Chola and some others speak of this pattanam and call it Makotai. Makotaiyar-pattanam, as it is in the plate, is therefore the correct spelling and means the town of the great Chera King.
