Indian Antiquary Vol 54

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 43

FEBRUARY, 1925)
MISCELLANEA
which throw considerable light on the subject. One of these informs us that the stone is set after the name of the hero and the circumstances under which his death occurred are engraved on it. Another illustrative verse tells us that a string (káppu-nan or núl, Sans. rakaha-bandhana tantu) is tied round the stone, perfumes sprinkled, incense burnt and plenty of flowers thrown over it. Ghi is smeared on the stone, and it is set up with great pomp in the presence of all the friends and relatives of the deceased. Bards are then invited and paid liberally to sing the praises of the hero. Sometimes a covered stylobate is built round it, called the vira-salai. These facts are repeated in all subsequent grammars such as Víraso. liyam, Purapporul-venba-malai, and Ilakkana-vilakkam? etc. The custom of setting a stone could not have existed in the days of the author of that most modern of all grammars, the Ilakkanavilakkam. The curious custom is often referred to in ancient Tamil works, such as Kura!, Pattu-pattu, Purananû, u, 10 Kalladam, etc.11
From what we saw above, it appears that something like puja was offered to these stones. If then a simple phrase such as kal-nâțu gottam, ivu tamuttu irbbara kalgal eto, occurs without any land grant with it, we must apparently understand that a decent burial, with an inscribed memorial tablet, was given to the dead man. If, on the other hand, a land grant is made to the members of the family of the deceased, perhaps it was meant for the up-keep of the půja to the stone. Kalnadu then passes to another stage of connotation, and means that which is given for setting up the stone. Arayhow kalnddu does not mean the stony tract of land, as Mr. Rice understands.
MISCELLANEA. 1. THE KONKAN AND THE KONKANI
own.' In that sense that same class of Tamil LANGUAGE
Iterature uses the term in the following forms - 2. MONT D'ELI.
Kol, Kollai' and Kondi,' all of them alike
signifying plunder' or 'spoils of war.' ThereIn his review of the Konkan and the Konkani fore, ordinarily Kon-Kanam ought to mean the language by Dr. V. P. Charan, Mr. Edwardes sug- forest where any thing that can be taken possesgests a derivation for the term 'Konkan', deriving sion of by anybody that wishes to ; in other the word from Kongu' on the analogy of the words, it is a 'no-man's land, from which Kanarese form Tenkana. He rightly rejects the anybody can appropriate any thing that can be Sanskrit derivation of the word suggested by appropriated. This has reference mainly to the author as unconvincing, but his alternative driving off cattle, cattle grazing in the forest suggestion does not take us much nearer a con- could be taken possession of by anybody that vincing derivation of the word. The word Konkan cared.
cared.
The The
term term interpolated hat
interpolated between the two in its present form is the Kanarese form; merely means "great and gives the clearest but in classical Tamil literature, the term occurs possible indication that the two terms are intended in the Tamil form Kon-Kanam. What is more, to mean what they actually do in Tamil this region is treated as the kingdom of a chief. literature, namely 'vast.' So Konkan would tain, whose rulo extended over the neighbouring be the vast region of forest from which those territory even of Tulu. In one poem of the that chose might take possession of what Purandnari, the territory is spoken of as Kon. Perum-Kanam. The last werd in both the ex.
Whether this Tamil name was applied to a pressions means in Tamil 'forest.' The meaning of the first is not quite so clear. It comes from
foreign country, or whether it was actually Tamil the root 'kol', originally 'to take.' By 4 transi. land may be a more doubtful question; but all tion it comes to be taking that which is not one's the indications in classical Tamil literature give
5 Viradoliyam, verse, 15 of Porut-padalam and the commentary on it.
• Purapporul-verba-malai, Satrams, 12-14, of the Poduviyar-padalam, and the illustrative veres following them.
7 Ilakkana-silakkam, Satram, 619. 8 Kural, chapter on Palaichcheruklu, verso .
Pathu-pdttu, Malaipadukaddim, lime, 387-389 and its commentary. 10 Purandndru, verse, 221 and Agappd#, verse 131. 11 Also my paper on this subject in the Sendamil, Vol. III, pp. 68-61. 13 Poems : 104-156. Aham: 16, 97, 249. Naprinai : 391.