Indian Antiquary Vol 56

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 211

OCTOBER, 1927)
THOMAS CANA AND HIS OOPPER-PLATE (RANT
185
The Quilon merchant mentioned in this Hindu tradition must be Sabriko. Probably there was a silting up of the Quilon harbour prior to 825 A.D., and also a destruction of the city by an encroachment of the sea. (See foot-note 60.) Quilon has now a fast receding sea coast. That must have been the case in old times also. For according to local tradition the church of St. Thomas, the famous marble pillar on the Quilon coast and several other structures are now said to be in the sea. (See also Paulinus : Voyage to the E. I., pp. 115, 127)-T.K.J.
Page 152, para. 1.-Ollas, properly ôlas. Õla in Malayalam is palm-leaf. Leaves of the palmyra palm (Borassus flabelliformis) and the talipot or fan-palm (Corypha umbraculifera), were and even now are used in writing. Ollas of copper means copper-plates in the shape of glas.
These copper plates seem to be none else than the existing plates of the Quilon church. The language of the inscription on these plates is old Malayalam (almost Tamil) with some names in Hebrew, Pahlavi and Arabic, and the characters used are (1) Grantha, (2) Vatteluttu, (3) Hebrew, (4) Pahlavi and (5) Kufic.
Having heard of copper-plates in a house in Tovalakkara, I made enquiries, but was told that no such things existed. Probably they exist, but, as visual, the owners are not willing to let others sce them. I know of several other copper-plates actually in existence, and have been long after them in vain. The owners, being ignorant, narrow-minded, and suspicious, are afraid of taking them out. In course of time these plates will be destroyed or melted for making brass végsels.-T.K.J.
Page 152, para. 1.-Gadejagal stands for kådisakal, enints.-T.K.J.
Page 152, para, 4.- The Queen of Changanate is the queen of Quilon. Gundara is Kuntasa near Quilon.-T.K.J.
Page 152, para. 4.-" Three big copper ollax." The Quilon Church copper-plates, Set 1, consisted of three plates, the last of which is now missing. This set is of rirra A.B. 880. Each plate of this set is 8.8 in. X 3.2 in. ("* two palms x four fingers ").
The Quilon Church plates, Set 2, of c. 880, originally had four plates (first plate now missing), ench 9.1 in. x 3.3 in. The rings of both these sets are now missing.-T.K.J.
Page 153, para. 1.--"Written on both sides." No, the obverse side of the first plate of Set 1 is left blank, as ugual. The "iron ring" is now missing.-T.KJ.
Page 153, last para.-" 13 versions." They are mere hearsay versions widely differing from the Portuguese translation of 1604.
True, these versions are not genuine. But we can get some nuggets of value out of them by careful crushing, washing and sifting..--T.K.J.
Page 163, note 63.-"Sanscrit version ", i.., A version in Malayalam language and characters. On analysis I find that du Perron's version is a medley of the inscription on--
The Quilon Church plates, (1) Set I, plate 1, reverse.
(6) Set 1. plate 2, obverse. (2) Set II, 2, observe.
(7)
2, reverse. 2, reverse
(8)
3, obverse and reverse, and # 3, obverse.
(9) Of A hearany version of the Thomas Cana plates. (5) ► » 3, reverse
-T.KJ. Page 154, para. 1.-"Contents valuable." Yes, because it gives us the names of witnesses engraved on the now missing plate 3 of the Quilon Church plates, Set I.-T.K.J.
Search for the Thomas Cana Copper-plates. (After I had written my article on the Thomas Cana copper-plates, I sent a copy of it to Mr. C. W. E. Cotton, Agent to the Governor-General, Madras Statos, Trivandrum, who wrote to Lisbon, asking that a search for the plates be made in the Torre do Tombo of Lisbon. On March 28, 1926, Mr. C.W.E. Cotton wrote to Mr. T. K. Joseph, Trivandrum (No. 1166-25)
“With reference to your letter, dated 11th June last, I have the honour to inform you that the two copper-plates characterized as the Magna Charta of the St. Thomas Christians of Malabar are not in the Torre do Tombo at Lisbon. His Majesty's representative in Lisbon
(3)