Thursday, January 28, 2021

Sethupathi inscriptions taken by Robert Sewel and Rangachari

 A Topographical List Of The Inscriptions Of The Madras Presindency

(collected Till 1915) With Notes And References"


These are the sethupathi inscriptions taken by Robert Sewel and Rangachari

in british goverment


MADURA TALUK 

















1 . C.P. No. 22 of Mr. Sewell’s List. — (Tamil.) In the District 

Court of Madura. Records a grant of property in some lands to a 

Siva temple dedicated to the god VisveSvara and the goddess 

Akhilandesvari, in S. 1691 (A.D. 1769) = Kaliyuga 4780, Virodhi, 

by Hiranyagarbha Ragunatha Setupati Kattar Avargal, lord of 

Tevainagara. The grant is said to have been made when “the 



MADURA TALUK 



1001 



Athipati, Narapati, Gajapati and Setupati kings were reigning over 

the countries of Cholamandalam, Tondamandalam, Yapanapatta- 

nam (Jaffna) and Yerumandalam (Ceylon).” 


82 . C.P. No. 23 of Mr. Sewell’s List. — (Tamil.) Records a grant 

of some lands by Muttu Kumara Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati, son 

of Kumara Muttu Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati, and son-in-law of 

Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha Setupati Kattar, to a Brahman 

in S. 1658 (A.D. 1736), Nala. 


ARUPPUKKOTTAI TALUK 


84 . C.P. Lo. 59 of Mr. Sewell’s List . — Records grant of lands for 

a charitable purpose, viz., for an Annadana matham, or place where 

food is cooked and distributed gratis, by the chief of Punnalpalai- 

nadu, Muttu Vaduganatha Periya Udaya Tevar, son of Vijaya 

Raghunatha Sevaran Periya Udaya Tevar, in S. 1681 (A.D. 1759), 

Pramadi. 

 

15 . 4160/1914. — (Tamil.) On a slab set up in a field two miles 

east of the same village. Records in Dundubhi (A.D. 1664) gift of 

land in the village of Bommakottai for the daily worship of Valavan- 

dal-ammai at Aruppukkottai by an agent (Tambi Udaiya Tevar) 

of Tirumalai Setupati Katta Raghunathadgva for the merit of the 

latter. The Government Epigraphist apparently thinks that the 

Tambi refe'rred to in this epigraph was the opponent of Dalavai 

Setupati, for whose sake Ramappaiya, the General of Tirumal 

Naik, led his celebrated campaign against Ramesvaram. But as 

a matter of fact the Tambi of the present epigraph was, it seems 

to me, a later man. See my History of the Naik Kingdom of Madura 

in Ind. Antq,, Dec. 1916, p, 201.


RAMNAD DISTRICT 



Il68 


71 . No. I of Tamil and Sanskrit Inscriptions, p. 57. — Over a 

figure of a Ramnad Zamindar between the third prakaram and 

the entrance to the Amman temple, left side. Records the name 

Hiranyagarbhayaji Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar. 

79 . No. 13 ibid. — On the front of the silver swinging cot in 

the Palliyarai. Records that it was the gift of Vijaya Raghunatha 

Setupati Katta Tevar, son of Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha 

Setupati Katta Tevar. The amount of silver and its cost given. 


80 . No. 14 ibid. — Over the figure of a zamindar on the left 

side of the passage from the third prakara to the entrance of the 

Amman temple. The name of Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha 

Setupati Katta Tevar recorded. 

81 . No. 15 ibid. — On the west wall of the first prakara. ,A 

record of S. 1545, Rudhirodgari, Mar 21, Wednesday, uttiram, 

saying that the Nadamalikai mantapam and “ Arudhamantapam ” 

were built by Kuttan Setupati Katta Tevar, son of Udaiyan Setu- 

pati Katta Tevar. 


82 — 87 . Nos. 16, 17, 181 19, 20 and 23 Records the 

names on their respective statues of Vaduganatha Tevar, Peria 

Udaiya' Tevar, Raghunatha Servaikaran, Pradhani Muttu Tiru- 

malappa Pillai and Rajarajesvari Amman and Sinnana Tevar. 


RAMNAD DISTRICT 


102 . 9 of 1915- — (Tamil.) In the same place, left side. A 

damaged record of the Pandya king Tribhuvanachakravartin 

Sundara-Pandyadeva in the eleventh year, Kanya, fifteenth day, 

Saturday, 12 , Magha. 


103 . C.P. No. 7 of igil. — (Tamil.) A record of Muttu Rama- 

lihga Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar, dated S. 1692, 

Vikriti, making gift of land for feeding people and providing a 

water-shed. [This Setupati was the adopted son of Hiranyagar- 

bhayaji Raghunatha Setupati and an opponent of the Nawab of 

Trichinopoly and the English. He was defeated by the latter near 

Trichinopqly in 1773 ) made prisoner and deprived of his posses- 

sions. He was restored by the Nawab in 1780, but deposed in 


1794 and sent as State prisoner to Madras. See Antiquities, Vol. I, 

p. 228.1 


104 . C.P. No. 90/1911* — (Tamil.) A record of Muttu Vijaya 

Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar (A.D. 1709 — 23) who performed 

the Hiranyagarhha ceremony, dated S. 1635, Vijaya, making gift of 

houses and lands at AttiyQttu to 14 Brahmana families. [He was 

known as Tiruvudaiya Tevar.l 


105 . C.P. No. 10 oj I911. — (Tamil.) A record of Tirumalai 

Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar (1645—1670), dated S. 1579 

(A.D. 1656), making a gift of land to Ahobalaiya of the Kaundinya 

gotra, 


106 . C.P. No. II 0/1911.— A record of Dalavai Setupati Katta 


thevar (A.D. 1604 2i), dated S. 1529 (A.D. 1607), making 


gift of five villages to the temple of Ramanathasvamin at Rames

varam. [This is No. 30 of Mr. Sewell’s C.P. list. He has however 

read the date wrongly as S. 1521. It has been edited in Tam. and 

Sans Insrrns., pp. 66 — 8.] 


107 . C.P. No. 12 of 1911. — A record of Dalavai Setupati 

(A.D. 1604 21), dated S. 1530, Plavariga, registering gift of eight 

other villages to the same temple. This is No. 32 of Mr. Sewell’s 

list and edited in Tam. and Satis. Inscrns., pp. 68 — 70. 


108 . C.P. No. 14 of 1911. — (Tamil.) A record dated in the 

year Nandana registering an agreement between the Dharmakarta 

Ramanatha Pandaram and the 512 Arya mahdjanas of the Ramesh 

varam temple. 


109 . C.P. No. 16 of 1911.— (Tamil.) A badly engraved record 

of a . . . Vijayan Setupati in the year Prabava. 


110 . Setupati grant No. 2 (in Tam. and Sans. Inscrns., pp 656) — 


In the possession of Raghunatha Gurukkal of Rameshvaram 

Records in S. 1529, expired, Plavahga, fourth lunar day in 



Ramnad taluk 



1171 



Adi, gift of lands by Tirumalai Udayan Setupati, on the occasion 

of his pilgrimage to the people of “ the five countries ” who served 

as priests and cooks in the Ramesvaram temple. 


111 . Setupati grant No. 5 {in Tam. and Sans. Incrns., pp. 70 — 72). — 

A grant of land by Raghunatha Setupati in S. 1581 (A.D. 1659), 

to a “ Mahratta Brahman Sankara Gurukkal and others.” The 

donor is called the son of Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha Setupati. 

The object of the grant was to provide for the comfort of Mahratta 

and other pilgrims who had now a priest of their own. 


112 . Setupati grant No. 6 {Ibid., pp. 72 — 4). — A record of 

S. 1580, expired, Hevilambi (Uttarayana, Hemanta Ritu, Sukla- 

paksha, new moon, Monday) recording a grant by Raghunatha 

Tirumalai Setupati Katta Tevar, son of Tirumalai Setupati Katta 

Tevar, to Sankara Gurukkal and others for conduct of Navaratri 

festival. 


113 . Setupati grant No. 7 {Ibid., pp. 75 — 8). — A grant, dated 

S. 1589, expired, Plavariga, Uttarayana, Vaikasi, Suklapaksha 3, 

Thursday, Punarvasu, by a Perumal Servaikaran of Pandi to the 

Ramesvaram temple for the merit of Tirumalai Hiranyagarbhayaji 

Raghunatha Tevar, son of Dalavai Setupati Katta Tevar. The 

objects of grant were the two villages Anandur and Paparikudi. 


114 . Setupati grant No. 8 {Ibid.,pp. 79-80). — A record of S. 1601, 

expired, year Chitra, Uttarayana, Purvapaksha, dvitlya in Makara 

Thursday and Sataya. Records the grant of villages by Raghu-^ 

natha Setupati Katta Tsvar, son of Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha 

Setupati Katta Tevar, for festivals and offerings. These were 

placed under the mirds of Raghunatha Gurukkal, son of Sankara 

Gurukkal. His functions, privileges and honours are enumerated. 

[The record is interesting for the insight it gives into the position 

and emoluments of the priesthood.] 


115 . Setupati grant No. g{Ibid.,pp. 81— 6). — A grant of S. I606, 

K. 4785, Raktakshi, Uttarayana, Vaikasi, Suklapaksha, new moon, 

Sunday, Vaisakha, by Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha Setupati 

Katta Tevar, to God Visvesvara and Goddess of Eluvapuri in 

Tennalainadu, in Kalayar koil Simai. The objects of the grant 

were the three villages Pudukkottai, Kallikkudi and Edayanvayal. 


116 . Setupati grant No. 10 {Ibid., pp. 83—7)- — -A. record of 

S. 1636, expired, Jaya (Chitrai 12, Monday, Sravana, Da^ami) by 

Hiranyagarbhayaji Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar, son 

of Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar. [This 

is a very interesting document which enumerates the various 

sources of revenue granted to the deities of Ramesvaram.] 


117 . Setupati grant No. II {Ibid., pp. 87 — 9 )- — A record of 

S. 1637, Manmatha, Mar 2, Monday, giving the details of an agree- 

ment between Ramanatha Pandaram and Vitthala Nayakar, son of 




RAMNAD district 

118 . Setupati grant No. 13 {Ibid., pp. 90-92).— A record of 

S. 1655, expired, Saturday, full moon, Karttikai lO, Rohini (year 

Pramadicha), recording the grant of the village of Kulattur to God 

Sabhapati of Tevai (Ramnad). 


119 . Sejupati grant No. 14 {Ibid., pp. 92 — S)* — A record of S. 1656, 

expired, Ananda, Karttigai, Aparapaksha Trayodai, Monday, 

Svati. Records a grant of villages by Hiranyagarbhayaji Kumara 

Muttu Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati, son of Hiranyagarbhayaji 

Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar, to God Velayudhasvami of 

Palni. 


120 . Setupati grant No. {Ibid., pp. 95 — 8). — A record, dated 

in S. 1659, Nala,Uttarayana, Hemanta Ritu, Pushya Krishnapaksha, 

Amavasya, Thursday, Sravana nakshattra, made by Muttu Vijaya 

Raghnatha Setupati Ayyar Avargal, the son of Kumaramuttu 

Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati Avargal who was the nephew of 

Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha Setupati Avargal. Records the 

gift of the village of MudalQru or Govindarajasamudram to Rama- 

nayya, the son of Kalanidhi Konayya of the KaiypagOtra, A 4 va- 

layana Sutra and Rig Sakha. 


121 . Setupati grant No. I6 {Ibid., pp. 98 — 100). — A record, 

dated S. 1585, expired, Subhanu Pushya, Aparapaksha- Amavasya, 

Monday, Uttira nakshattra. Grants the hereditary priesthood 

( pur obit a-khdniydksh) of the Setupati family by Hiranyagarbhayaji 

Ravikula Muttu Ramaliriga Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati t

Raghunatha Gurukkal, the son of Tatta SivarUma Bhatfar of the 

Kasyapagotra, Apastamba Sutra and Yajus Sakha. 


122 . Setupati grant No. 17 (Ibid., pp. 100 — 3). — A record, 

dated S- 1706, expired, Sobhakrit, Chaitra Suklapaksha, Guru- 

vasara-Ashtami-Punarvasu. Records grant of the village of 

Seppodukondan or Mutturamalirigapuram to Krishna "Aiyarigar, 

son of Seshadri Aiyarigar of the Harltagotra, Apastamba sutra and 

Yajus sakha, during Mesha-Sarikranti, by Muttu Ramaliriga Vijaya 

Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar, descendant of Ravikulasekhara 

Hiranyagarbhayaji Raghunatha Setupati Katta Tevar, The 

village was in Kaiki nadu. 

123 . Setupati grant No. l8 {Ibid., pp. 103— 5).— A record, dated 

S. 1705, expired, K. 4884, Sobhakrit, Mithuna, Suklapaksha-Trayo- 

dasi, Anusha, Friday. Records grant of the village of Bhuvane 4 - 

varapuri or Mudindanavayal in the Brahmade^a of Varagunavala- 

nadu to Sarikaraliriga Gurukkal, the son of Mantranatha Gurukkal 

by Hiranyagarbhayaji Muttu Ramaliriga Vijaya Raghunatha 

Setupati Katta Tevar. 


Sivagahga. 


167 . C.P. No. 28 of Mr. Sewell’s List. — Dated in S. 1706 (A.D. 

1784), K. 4885, Sdbhakrit, Chitrai 5. By this document the then 

Zamindar of Sivagahga makes over certain lands in sarvamanyam 

(freehold) to a Muhammadan named Mottai Fakir Saheb of Siva- 

gahga. The Zamindar’s name is given as “ Muttu Vaduganatha 

Tevar, son of Vijaya Raghunatha Sivanna Periya Udaya Tevar.” 

[The dates are not quite consistent. This is the same as C.P. 19 

in Tam. and Sans. Inscrns., pp. 105 — 7.] 



Tiruvadanai Taluk. 


Hanmnantagiidi. 


279 . 4080/1907. — (Tamil.) On stones lying in front of the 

Malavanatha (Jaina) temple. A fragment of record in S. I 455 » 

expired, of the Vijayanagara king whose name is lost. One of 

them mentions Jinendramarigalam alias Kuruvadimidi . . . 

in Muttooru-khrram and Ahjukottai in the same kurram. 


280 . In the local masjid. A stone epigraph recording gift of 

' lands to a Mussalman in S. 1595 (A.D. 1673) by Tirumalai Setupati 


Katta Tevar. {Antiquities, Vol. I, p. 298.] 


281 . A C.P. grant in the masjid. Records gift of lands to a 

Mussalman in S. 1666 (A.D. 1744) by Muttukumara Vijaya 

Raghunatha Setupati, son of Muttu Vijaya Raghunatha Setupati 

and grandson of Hiranyagarbhayaji Muttu Vijaya Raghunatha 

Setupati. {Ibid., p. 298.] 

Tiruvadanai. 


283 . 433 0/ 1914.— (Tamil.) On the main gopura of the Adi- 

ratne 4 vara temple, -right of entrance. Registers in S. 1557, Yuva, 




TiRUVADANAi tALUIC 



1197 



Tai, fourteenth day, 4 u. di. Paurnami, Pushya, fiortesponding to 

January 12, A.D. 1636, an order of Tirumalaiyan that each village 

had to pay one kdhi, one panam and one kalam of paddy to the 

temple of Adanai Nayakar for the merit of Sethpatidevar. [The 

local god was so called because, it is said, Bhrigu got relief from 

God Siva from the goat’s head and elephant’s body with which 

he had been cursed by sage Durvasas.] 


285 . 435 0/1914. — (Tamil.) On the .same gopura ; left of en- 

trance. A record in the sixteenth year of the Pandya king Mara- 

varman alias Sundara-Pandya “ who having taken the Chola 

country was pleased to perform the anointment of heroes and the 


-anointment of victors at Mudigondacholapuram.” The stone is 

cut off at the right end. Seems to register a gift of land. 


286 . 436 0/1914. — (Tamil.)  On a slab set up near the tank in 

the same temple. Records in S. 1642, Vikari, the digging of the 

Stiryaputkarani tank in front of the temples of Adanai Nayakar 

and Anbirpiriyada-Amman for the merit of Muttuvayiravanatha 

Setupati Kattadevar. 


 287 - 288 . Mr. Sewell mentions two C.P. grants in the temple, 

dated S. 1601 (A.D. 1679) recording gift of lands by Hiranya- 

garbha Setupati. [Antiquities, Vol. I, p. 302.]