Public Auction is not a modern phenomenon, an age old system through which lands, goods and even human beings were placed as commodities of auction. It is an action through which sale of properties are made in public and perhaps the highest bidder takeaway the property. Private property might be sold in a public auction for various reasons; it may be seized through a government process to satisfy a judgement of court, or to liquidate a mortgage foreclosure, tax lien, or tax sale. Thirty-seven epigraphical records of Pudukkottai region, particularly of medieval period, records the sale of properties in public auction. Lands, plots, common land of village, tank, well, garden etc. were auctioned. The auctioned properties belonged to individuals, village and even various temples of the region, besides, many factors led to the auctioning of their properties in public. Properties auctioned, owners and bidders of the auction, issues that led to auctioning of the property and the auction system are gleaned through these inscriptions.
Pudukkottai district is known for its rich cultural heritage, its ancientness can be traced back to megalithic period. Various dynasties that ruled the Tamil Country also enriched the district with rich cultural deposits viz., Jaina vestiges, rock-cut cave temples and structural temples and the district is rich in inscriptions dating back to 2nd century BCE to 19th century CE. The inscriptions glean the political, social and economic condition of the region through the ages. The early medieval records shows the region under the sway of Muttaraiyas and as a buffer between the kingdoms of Pallavas of Kanchi and Pandyas of Madurai. The epigraphical records also bring to limelight the Muttaraiyas as feudatories of Pallavas of Kanchi and sometimes also as independent rulers. With the rise of Cholas in the mid of ninth century C.E. the region came under the sway of Imperial Cholas and by the mid of the thirteenth century C.E. under the Pandyas. Later with the expansion of Vijayanagar kingdom in the down south let to the establishment of Nayakdom. However, by fifteenth century onwards we see the disintegration of Tamil region without a strong empire, particularly in Pudukkottai region various petty chiefs emerged and there were frequent war or scuffle between them. This affected the social and economic condition of the region and the peasants bear the burden of taxation. This pushed the peasants to abscond or desolate the lands. In that some of the lands are brought for public auction.
The earliest record of public auction in Pudukkottai region is found in the 13th regnal year inscription of Maravarma Sundarapandya (1216 to 1238 C.E.) Among the thirty seven inscriptions thirty four belongs to Pandya period, one to Hoysala period and two to Vijayanagar period. The auction was conducted by the Urom, the village authorities, or the temple authorities or by the both. Sometimes, higher officials, the Nadu authorities also conducted the auction along with the above said local officials. There is also reference of auction done by the owner of the property. Usually, the auction was conducted in the mandram, a common assembling place in the village. The auction chant is a quite interesting phrase, the phrase goes in this way
………………………கொள்வாருளரோவென்று ஒருகாலாவது மிருகாலாவது முக்காலாவது முற்கூறி அழைக்க…………
… இம்மொழி கேட்டு நான் கொள்வேநென்று பிற்கூற…
‘innilam kolviruliro, orukaalavathum irukaalavathum mukkaalavathu murkuripirkura, nan kolvenendru pirkura’ which means is there anyone to buy this land, one time, two time, three time, repeatedly stating this phrase and finally the bidder stating that I will have this land. It is quite interesting to see the usage of the auction chant; the bid calling or the auction cry, a rhythmic repetition of numbers by auctioneers when taking bids at the auction. In addition, it is remarkable to mention there is no reference of competitive bidders in the auction.
Though auction emerged as a stray occurrence in the early stage of Pandya rule, in the later days one can identify more lands brought for bidding. Inscriptions gleans lands of individuals, village lands, temple lands, tanks, gardens, wells, even mutt as auction commodity. Nadu, Urom, temple authorities were the officials auctioned the properties, however at some instances auction was also brought forth by the owners of the land. In addition, the inscriptions also gleans the names of the vendors, vendee, the bid amount, arrangements for dues, method of auction etc. The inscriptions also brings to limelight the various causes for auction of lands. One of the major cause of public auction was tax burden, taxation that thrusted the owners of the land to inability to pay the tax and desert their land or abscond. An inscription brings to forefront even the treasury of a temple was empty due to taxation during Kannadiyar period probably the Hoysala incursion and pushed them to sell the devadana land. Breach of the tank and flooding also one of the cause, it created fallowness of the land and such lands remain uncultivable for long period of time, it includes both the temple land and Ur land. Such lands were also brought for auction, the sold tank and lands were to be reclaimed by the buyer and taxation was also fixed. The inscriptions picture the agrarian class, taxation, administration, economic conditions of Pudukkottai region in the medieval period. It also brings to limelight the political, economic instability and the gradual disintegration of the Pandya kingdom. The inscriptions of later days of Pandya rule gleans the rise of petty chiefs in Pudukkottai region. In consequence number of padaiparru villages i.e., military stations came into existence and frequent conflict among them further deteriorated the socio-political and economic condition of the region.