Cāḷuvaṉ Kuppam, time of Nantippōttaraiyaṉ, year 12

Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Contributor: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Summary: Pillar inscription recording a donation of gold for providing food a the time of the Karttikai festival in Tiruviḻicil.

Language: Tamil (tam) [Grantha (grantha), Tamil (tamil)].

Repository: Pallava (tfa-pallava-epigraphy).

Identifier: DHARMA_INSPallava00505.

File path: DHARMA_INSPallava00505.xml.

Version: 2026-08-14 13:33 (d9e9623), last modified 2026-07-17 15:32 (ecb0276).

Edition

⟨Zone 1⟩

⟨1⟩ svasti śrī ⟨na⟩n=ti-

⟨2⟩ -p-pōtt-arai-

⟨3⟩ yaṟkku paṉ-

⟨4⟩ ṉ-iraṇṭ-āva⟨tu⟩

⟨Zone 2⟩
⟨5⟩ (śrī)-mā-malla-
⟨6⟩ -purattu kīrai-
⟨7⟩ -p-piriyaṉ
⟨8⟩ tiru-¡I!ḻiccil
⟨9⟩ (sa) [*] (hāsi)(ra)

⟨Zone 3⟩
⟨10⟩ śrīkku patiṉ
⟨11⟩ kaḻañcu po-
⟨12⟩ ṉ kuṭuttā-
⟨13⟩ ṉ Ataṉ po-
⟨14⟩ li-y-ūṭṭu ko-
⟨15⟩ ṇ-
⟨16⟩ ṭu
⟨17⟩ kārt-
⟨18⟩ tikai-
⟨19⟩ -y kār-
⟨20⟩ tti-
⟨21⟩ kai (nā)-
⟨22⟩ ṉṟu
⟨23⟩ viḻā-
⟨24⟩ -c ce-
⟨25⟩ yt’ ū-
⟨26⟩ ṭṭu-
⟨27⟩ vō(m ā)-
⟨28⟩ ṉō-
⟨29⟩ m sapai-
⟨30⟩ yōm
⟨31⟩ Ivv-ūrum
⟨32⟩ kīrai-p-piri-
⟨33⟩ yaṉukk’ oṭ-
⟨34⟩ ṭi kuṭuttō-
⟨35⟩ (m)

Apparatus

⟨1⟩ ⟨na⟩n=ti° ⬦ nanti° I B; nandi R • The correct reading has been assessed from photos (Subramanian 2005–11–04; 2008, by Emmanuel Francis).

⟨4⟩ °āva⟨tu⟩ ⬦ I; °āva⟨5⟩tu R; °āva(tu) B.

⟨9⟩ (sa)[1+](hāsi)(ra) ⬦ I; sa[2+]bhiasira R; capaiyō [2+] B.

⟨17⟩ kārt⟨18⟩tikai⟨19⟩-y kār⟨20⟩tti⟨21⟩kai ⬦ I R; kāt⟨18⟩tikai⟨19⟩-y kā⟨20⟩tti⟨21⟩kai B.

Translation

⟨1⟩ Prosperity! Fortune!

⟨1–4⟩ Twelfth year of Nantippōttaraiyaṉ.¹

⟨5–13⟩ Kīraippiriyaṉ of the (glorious) Māmallapuram gave ten kaḻañcus of gold for […] ⟨of/at⟩ Tiruviḻicil.

⟨13–30⟩ We, the members of the assembly have become those who, with the interest of that ⟨gold⟩, will provide food (ūṭṭuvōm), when celebrating (ceytu) the festival at the time of Karttikai² ⟨in the month of⟩ Karttikai.

⟨31–35⟩ We commit ourselves to give³ to/for Kīraippiriyaṉ of this village.

Bibliography

Edited in Irājavēl 2006 (Āvaṇam 17.23.1), in Rajavelu 2008, in B.

This digital edition by Emmanuel Francis, based on the previous editions. The distinction between initial and medial vowels, and between Grantha and Tamil letters could not be implemented with full confidence. The present digital edition is thus provisional and should be revised with proper visual documentation.

Primary

[I] Irājavēl, Cu. 2006. “cāluvaṅkuppam cila putiya kalveṭṭukaḷ.” Āvaṇam 17, pp. 127–129. Pages 127–128, item 1.

[R] Rajavelu, S. 2008. “Recent discoveries near Mamallapuram.” In: Airāvati: Felicitation volume in honour of Iravatham Mahadevan. Chennai: Varalaaru.com, pp. 177–190. Pages 181–182, item 1.

[B] Badhreenath, Sathyabhama. 2015. Śāḷuvan̤kuppam excavations 2005-07. New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India. Pages 147–149, item 1.

Secondary

Subramanian, T.S. 2005–11–04. “Another surprise in Mamallapuram.” Frontline 22 (22), pp. 130–134.

Notes

1. Sanskrit Nandin + Tamil Pōttaraiyar. That is, the Pallava king Nandin.
2. See MTL, s.v. kārttikai: “4. cf. kārttika. The full-moon day in the month of Kārttikai when every house is beautifully lit with lamps”.
3. That is, to have the deposited gold used for the purpose indicated.

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<lb n="5"/><hi rend="grantha"><unclear>śrī</unclear></hi>-mā-malla

<lb n="6" break="no"/>-purattu kīrai

<lb n="7" break="no"/>-p-piriyaṉ

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Ataṉ po

<lb n="14" break="no"/>li-y-ūṭṭu ko

<lb n="15" break="no"/>ṇ

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<lb n="31"/>Ivv-ūrum

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<rdg source="bib:Irajavel2006_01 bib:Badhreenath2015_01">nanti°</rdg>

<rdg source="bib:Rajavelu2008_01">nandi</rdg>

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<rdg source="bib:Rajavelu2008_01">sa<gap reason="lost" quantity="2" unit="character"/>bhiasira</rdg>

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<lb n="20" break="no"/>tti

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<p n="1">Prosperity! Fortune!</p>

<p n="1-4">Twelfth year of Nantippōttaraiyaṉ.<note>Sanskrit Nandin + Tamil Pōttaraiyar. That is, the Pallava king Nandin.</note></p>

Kīraippiriyaṉ of the <unclear>glorious</unclear> Māmallapuram

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<supplied reason="subaudible">of/at</supplied> Tiruviḻicil.

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<p n="13-30">We, the members of the assembly have become those who, with the interest of that <supplied reason="subaudible">gold</supplied>, will provide food <supplied reason="explanation"><foreign>ūṭṭuvōm</foreign></supplied>, when celebrating <supplied reason="explanation"><foreign>ceytu</foreign></supplied> the festival at the time of Karttikai<note>See MTL, s.v. <foreign>kārttikai</foreign>: <quote>4. cf. <foreign>kārttika</foreign>. The full-moon day in the month of Kārttikai when every house is beautifully lit with lamps</quote>.</note> <supplied reason="subaudible">in the month of</supplied> Karttikai.</p>

We commit ourselves to give<note>That is, to have the deposited gold used for the purpose indicated.</note>

to/for Kīraippiriyaṉ of this village.</p>

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<p>This digital edition by Emmanuel Francis, based on the previous editions. The distinction between initial and medial vowels, and between Grantha and Tamil letters could not be implemented with full confidence. The present digital edition is thus provisional and should be revised with proper visual documentation.</p>

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