Temples in and around Madurantakam
by B. Mekala | 2016 | 71,416 words
This essay studies the Temples found around Madurantakam, a town and municipality in Kancheepuram (Kanchipuram) District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Madurantakam is one of the sacred holy places visited by Saint Ramanuja. It is also a region blessed with many renowned temples which, even though dating to at least the 10th century, yet they c...
Temple as a Provider of Jobs
The position of the temple as an employer providing work and the means of livelihood for a number of people is the most striking thing in this connection. The epigraphs inform that many servants had to perform various duties in the temple and were paid by grants of land. The list includes Siva Brahmanas, the drummers, the dancing girls, singers, stage managers, gardeners, potters, washer men and accountants (Manradi). Professors were appointed to teach the Vedas and there were men put in charge of conducting the hostel and hospital in the same place. Appointments to temple offices were generally hereditary.
The temple also employed laborers for temporary works such as executing repairs in the shrine and the wages paid took the form of gifts of land and a house site. Two carpenters served (Thachcharya) as recipients of land under this tenure, with the stipulation that they had to attend to the ten kinds of repairs (Dasakiriyai) in the temple. ‘Sirpasiriyan Maniyan Kayilayan’ (Sculptor) alias Viracholan Achcharyan was assigned land by the king for having built the temple of Viracholeeshwaram Udaiyar and for some other services in the temple at Uraiyur.[1]
The repairs of the temples were performed by two artisans, who were given the kanikkai or gift of an endowment called Tachariyakkani which meant apparently a tax-free land. The Uraiyur appraises of the appointment of a priest for two temples in that region with privilege to conduct worship, to settle people in its premises, collect dues, etc. and render some services on the payment of some fees.
The wages received by the employees are often reckoned in terms of land. Acharya bogam, Uvachakkani, Sirpasiriyakkani, Tachariyakkani and Manrattukkani were assigned to the services of priest (Achcharya), drummer (Uvachan), sculptor (Sirpasiriyan), carpenter (Tachcharya) and administrative officer (Manradi) respectively.[2]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
A.R.E., 403 of 1908; 138 and 188 of 1909.
[2]:
A.R.E., 137,144,188 of 1909 and 203 of 1920.