Weavers, Artisans and Other Professionals

 

It is a fallacy often held by many people that agriculture was the only profession in which our villages found employment and livelihood.  

In Bharat, before colonization and the subsequent industrial revolution, people engaged in the manufacture of similar products lived in a cluster, for the ease of sharing of knowledge, tasks, and for the power of collective negotiations.

Skilled Craftsmen – Artisans working with metal, wood etc. produced the necessary implements for agriculture, defense, and other manufacturing requirements lived in many villages.

Weavers and related crafts people making the famed textiles of Coromandel had lived in many villages around Thirupporur.

The 1770 British Survey revealed about 15000 (23 % of the total) households in the Chengalpattu district were engaged in banking, commerce and trade. In addition, around 40000 households must have been spinning cotton yarn to provide for all the weaving done by the weaver households in the district. # 

Here is a sample of textiles produced in that era from the British museums sourced from the net : 

Inscriptions in many temples record their presence over the centuries. The manner in which their livelihood was affected in last three centuries needs to be documented after a detailed study.

Forced Delivery of Goods, Squeezing of Primary Producers and Market Manipulation have been generally observed to be the features of predatory practices followed by forces whether inland or foreign.

From the surviving Inscriptions in temples recording their presence, we find the following information.

The weaving community of Kaikolars

Kaikolars as a community were said to be former soldiers of the Chola army, who took to weaving later.

Maanaampathy

1.      Thirukkara Iswara Temple Inscription No 228/1930-31 -

Records the rates of taxes to be paid by the Kaikolars and the Smiths settling in the new street in the southern side of the temple Tirukkarapuramudaiya Nayinar after granting Remission on looms for the first three years.

It is more like a Tax incentive provided in the current times!!

2.     A slab in the village - Inscription No 218/1930-31 -

 Records that when, as a result of a temple dispute between the Kaikkolas and the merchants of Vaanavanmahadevi, the former were about to leave the place, Dalavay, Sengama Nayaka , the agent of the king ordered that they could remain in the village and that the merchants had no concern in the temples of Udaiyavar, Perumal and Pillayar

 Thiruvaanakoyil  - Thiruvaaleeswara Temple –

1.    Era Jatavarman Sundara Pandya – ARIE No 1910 / 284

Unfinished, seems to register sale of house-sites to the weavers & the Devaradiyars of the temple of Thiruvaalakkoyiludaiya Nayanar at Vittur, the northern hamlet of Madhurantaka Chaturvedimangalam, a Taniyur in Jayamkondachola Mandalam

2.     Era Rajanarayana Sambuvarayar – ARIE No 361/1911

Gift of 15 cows for half a lamp by one of the Kaikkolar belonging to the temple of Tiruvaalakkoiyilludaiya Nayanar. Mentions the measure Rajakesari Naazhi

3.     Era Bokkanna Udaiyar Son of Vira Ariraya ie Harihara II – ARIE No 356/1911

 Purchase of land at Puduppakkam by Venaavudaiyan , one of the Kaikkola Mudalis of the temple, perhaps for presentation to it.

  Kolathur 16/1934-35 – Vijayanagar Era

Inscription near the village Well.

 Tax rates imposed on certain Kaikolas of Kolathur and Velichai. The taxes have been referred to as காசாயம், பலபட்டடை.

 Kalattur– Era - Maravarman Sundara Pandya Deva at

Munkudumeeswara Temple – ARIE No 342/1911

Gift of land for offerings to the temple by Kaakkunayakan one of the Kaikkolars of the temple. Mentions Gangaikonda Chaturvedhimangalam

343/1911

Gift of land for offerings by Aaludaiyanayaka, another Kaikkolar of the same temple

344/1911

Gift of land for offerings by Mallaandai, third Kaikkolar of the same temple. The persons mentioned in the previous 2 inscriptions were his brothers

Kottadimangalam – Era Sambuvarayar - Stone lying on the tank bund

ARIE No 1932-33/89

Much damaged. Appears to fix the rates of some taxes to be paid by the professional communities of KoRRamangalam

  

Sembakkam – On a slab set up in the village - 1933-34 / 113

Seems to fix the rates of various taxes.

Tharikkadamai (Tax on Looms)

Purakkalanai by the residents and new settlers of the village

 

Nellikkuppam – A slab set up in the village - Era Nayaka – ARIE No 52 / 1934-35

Records gift of oil,  by oil mills and taxes - by Kadiri Nayaka to light the lamp at the temple of Thirukuliiswaram Udaya Nayanar at Kondangi

 

Thirukachchur – ARIE 55/1932-33 -Era -Maravarman Veera Pandya deva

Registers a sale by the temple of a tenancy right, kaani vilai of the village Punniyam originally purchased as tirunamattukkaani from the assembly of Pulippakkam to the Kaikkolars and the Kaikkola Mudhalis of Thirukkachchiyur consequent on the relinquishment of the tenancy by the previous cultivators.

 

Madambakkam – Dhenupureerswarar Temple

Era -Vijayanagar -Virasri Kumara Devaraya ARIE No 319/1911

1.      Records that eight house sites of the sthanathaar being lost to them, fresh sites were provided for, in the street of Kaikkolar. Mentions Sirreri Aaludaya Nayainar at Madampakkam alias Ulaguyyavandha Chola Chaturvedimangalam in Nedunkundra Nadu, a district of Aayiraveliparru, a sub- division of Puliyur Kottam alias Kulothunga Chola Valanadu, Jayankonda Chola Mandalam.

  The village communities also comprised of 

Metal, Wood and Stone workers, 

Teachers, 

Accountants, 

Potters, 

Barbers, 

Musicians, 

Dancers, 

Police, 

Sweepers, 

People who took care of the Lakes, sluices and buildings, rendering varied services.

Curiously, every village had a snake doctor, apart from the general vaidyars.

 Everyone had a role to play making the villages robust units.

# Source Page 279, Shri Dharampal, India's Polity, Its Characteristics and Current Problems, 1992