Administrative Functionaires

Sthanattars

They acted as the supreme executive body or committee which functioned like the Board of Trustees of the present day. In the hierarchy of temple officials, they stood high and occupied a predominant position. Endowments made over to the temples were entrusted with the sthanattars.^[1] They were to accept^[2] them on behalf of the temples and they agreed to undertake the services as specified therein.^[3] The sthanattars were to conduct worship,^[4] undertake repair^[5] and renovation works,^[6] for which lavish endowments were made over to them. For instance, the tax free gifts were entrusted with sthanattars for a sandhi, besides festivals and repairs. On certain occasions, orders (oiai) were issued to them to utilize the gift of lands for repairs of this temple. The sthanattars wielded enormous powers to sell or lease the temple lands.

The fourth inscription^[7] of Chola Rajendra I found on the fourth side of the same pillar lying on the ground in the eastern side of the temple prakara mentions the donation of 90 sheep for providing ghee to the learned Brahmanas (teachers) of the Salai and 30 sheep were denoted for providing butter milk for them while talking their mid-day meal. The same epigraph also mentions that the deed was requested by the sthanattars of the temple to record the same after getting permission from the Chola official’s viz., Nattiyathan and Solaiyathan^[8] of Arasur, under the subdivision of Pampurikurram, Korukkai Nitha Vinodhini Valanadu of Chola Mandalam. Moreover the epigraph also refers to the provision of potteries to the Salai, by the Potters of Munnur. The potters provided sufficient potteries for the use of the Salai where the scholars studied.

The same epigraph also makes mention the term Olai. The expression Olai is identified with an official called Thirumandira Olai or Thirumandira Olai Nayagam. This Thirumandira Olai and Thirumandira Olai Nayagam were the Revenue Board officials of the Cholas were existed in Munnjur region, and the existence of the Revenue Board known as Puravuvarithi naikalam in Munnjur temple. From this it is clear that the Munnjur Revenue Board was functioned in the Adavalleswarar temple complex itself.

Koil Kannakku

The temple accountants are referred to in inscriptions^[9] as koil kannakar^[10] or koil kannakku. Though the word koil kanakku^[11] literally means temple account, it is also used to mean the accountants of temples. Being an important officer, he was in charge of the income and expenditure of the temple. The responsibility of the temple accountants varied from temple to temple. This depended largely on the income, pujas and festivals and its role in the socio-economic life of the people. By virtue of his office, the accountant of the temple could be placed in the hierarchy^[12] of the executives of temple administration. They have to maintain the accounts^[13] of income and expenditure and submit the same for audit. Their presence was needed to buy or sell lands. For such deeds, the acknowledgement of the temple accountant was essential. It becomes evident that the income and expenditure on offerings during festival days were recorded by this official.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid.,

[2]:

A.R.E.,69 of 1919.

[3]:

Ibid.,

[4]:

A.R.E.,65 of 1919.

[5]:

Ibid.,

[6]:

A.R.E., 74 of 1919.

[7]:

Ibid.,

[8]:

Unpublished Inscription., See Appendix, No. 4.

[9]:

Ibid.,

[10]:

A.R.E., 75 of 1919.

[11]:

Ibid.,

[12]:

A.R.E., 50 of 1919.

[13]:

A.R.E., 56 of 1919.