Two inscriptions at Sundararaja Perumal Temple at Nangavaram, Karur district, brought to limelight the desilting of a lake (Eri) in that village and operation of a ferryboat service on it. One inscription (SII VIII, 651)* is a sale deed, and another inscription (SII VIII, 652)* seems a follow-up of the former and details about the maintenance work of the lake and the ferryboat. These inscriptions mention the village as Sri Arinjigai Chathurvedi mangalam, a devadana brahmadeya in Uraiyur Kurram.
The Sabha of Sri Arinjigai Chathurvedi mangalam, sold its land ‘Aathiyudaiyan chutru’ in this village to Karkadai Triyalokian alias Kodandarama Marayan of Kodumbalur in Urattur kurram. The boundaries of the land are given; Eastern boundary, to the west of Davasigal land and Nangaikudi devadana, Southern boundary, to the north of the Sabha….sei….kolli land, Western boundary, to the east of the boundary stone leaving land about twenty yardstick and to its east, northern boundary, to the south of the channel that divert from the Mathuranthaga Thennaru. The land that lies between the above said four boundaries were sold and got the price as eighty kalanju of pure gold measured in Ooradukal. The price fixed, accepted and got for the land was declared final and registration of the sale deed between the Sabhaiyom of Arinjigai Chathurvedi mangalam and Karkadai Triyalokian of Kodumbalur was made in the register office (Avanakali). It was also stated that expenses relating to the registration were also inclusive in the price fixed for the land.
The other inscription that simply starts with the sacred beginning without the king name details that Kodumbalur Karkadai Triyalokian endowed the ‘Aathiyudaiyan chuttru’ for the maintenance and operation of one ferryboat service in the lake. For the maintenance and operation certain arrangements were made by the Sabha of Arinjigai Chathurvedi mangalam. Nine people were employed for the above said job and they were remunerated from the yield of the endowed land. Among the nine, six were employed to desilt the pond, one to supervisor the desilting job, two were entrusted for the overhauling of the boat and one employed as ferrymen. The job had to be carried throughout the year and the wages for the various labour were fixed and to be paid out of the harvest of the gifted land. The wages were fixed for the whole year.
The six people employed to desilt the pond were to remove daily 140 basket of silt from the lake and they were also to spread the dredged silt at the bunt and this job should be done throughout the year. The six labourers entrusted for this job were provided with the daily wage of a padhakku of paddy for each and collectively for the six persons it was one kalam of paddy, collectively for one year it was 360 kalam of paddy to be given to the six labourers along with food and dress. The inscription mentions the term ‘சோறும் புடவையும் உட்பட’ and the daily wage of one padhakku of paddy forms their remuneration.
The remuneration for the supervisor was daily a kuruni and four nazhi of paddy collectively forty-five kalam of paddy for the year, both for Carpenter and blacksmith, who works for the repair of the boat get the wage of yearly two kalam, a thuni and a padakku of paddy each. And the ferryman should get two kalam of paddy yearly. Due to the damage of the part in the inscription, it is not able to define the consolidated sum of paddy, however is could be of around 415 kalam of paddy yearly to be remunerated for the labourers and that remuneration had to be procured from the land Aathiyudaiyan chutru that was endowed by Kodandarama Marayan of Kodumbalur. The endowment was declared enduring.
The inscription further states that the Sabha of Arinjigai chathurvedi mangalam took the responsibility of cultivation of the land and to remit the above defined wages enduringly. It is also stated that if they failed in their responsibility in future, the ruler of the respective period should punish the Sabha. It was accepted by the Sabha to record the endowment of Kodandarama Marayan in stone.
It is quite interesting to note that the inscription mentions the size of the basket to be used for removing the silt. The size of the basket was to the capacity that fills a thuni padhakku of paddy.
These two inscriptions are quite interesting, reveals the inland water transportation system and also bring to forefront many interesting facts of medieval period; economic transactions, remuneration system, activities of local administrative body, public works for the benefit of the village, various paddy measures etc. Eri with ferry service denotes the existence of a huge water body in the village, but such huge water body is found nowhere at present in the Nangavaram village, probably defunct or shrunk to a pond.
*South Indian Inscriptions Vol. VIII, 651 and 652.