archaeologytamil

An Advanced Sluice Knob mechanism, 1100 years ago, as inscriptions @ NodiyurMaruthan Lake, reveals.

1100 years old stone inscription has been discovered at Gandarvakottai, Pudukottai District,  by The President of  Pudukottai Archaeological  Research  Forum Mr. Rajendran, Founder ManganurMr.Manikanadan& Team consists K.Somasundaram, Teacher, Students of Gandarvakottai Boys Higher Secondary School Mr.Balamurugan, Mr.Suthivarman, Mr.Harharasudan, Saravanana, Local Guide Mr.Chellaiah and Mr.Nagarajan.

As Mr. Manikanadan explained

This Village called NodiyurPattinam in those days was under the division of ‘KeezhSengilinadu’. Until 17^th Century it was flourishing as the local Sivan Temple inscriptions detailing about Water Irrigation Details, Tax Collection and maintenance of ThirugnanaSammandarMath .

And Stones for constructing Udaiyar Temple near Tanjore had been taken from here, Killiyur Hill of  NodiyurPattinamin AD 1196, as King Kulothunga III inscrioption explains.

The discovered inscription says 10^th Year of King Rajakesari Aditya, a person called Mangalanalloor Vilakkan Eran Ranasinga Mutharaiyan of  KeezhSengilinadu, installed this irrigation knob, Sluice Valve (Kumizhi) to control the Maruthan Lake Water flow .

Actual inscription in tamil 





““shasvaththi sree govi raajakesari panmarkkuyaandu (paththaa)vathu keezhsenkili naattu mangala nalloor vilakka aeran iranasinga muththiraiyan saeviththa kumizhi”

By the style of inscription and details, this 1100 years old, as experts clarified.

 This Maruthan Lake was setup after clearing the forests as it comes under Marutham Land ( Cultivation Fields).

In those days there are many types of Sluice Gates. But this kind of knob can control the water flow precisely.

As Tamilnadu got less amount of rain fall, our ancestors knew the value of water and its storage. So they created  more lakhs and tanks.

After Thiruppurambiyam war, NirupathungaPallava with son Abarajithan fought VaragunaPandian with the help of Adiya I  Son of VaijayalayaChola  and won the battle. After that Adiya I expanded his dynasty until Chengalpattu. And had Mutharaiyars under his ruling, used them well in management. So this RanasingaMutharaiyan was under Adiya I, created this sluice.

Who is this RanasingaMutharaiyan?

As  per Chetty Thirukkonam Temple inscription in Udaiyarpalayam taluk, Perambalur District. It mentions the name of the God as Ranasinga Eswaran. So as pallava use this ‘Singa’ surname, this mutharaiyar too might have used as RanasingaMutharaiyan. Eran means Farmer using plough.

So this inscription explains the relation between chola&Mutharaiyar and Mutharaiyar’s connection with Sri Lanka with this Ranasinga Name and talks about the finer methods of  water managements.