416 THE SANG ATTAR. Chap. XXV. 



carved pillars supporting the gallery on the opposite side, 

 with the lofty gojiuraiiu in the rear, rising as it were from the 

 graceful fronds of cocoanut-trees wliich waved over the roof 

 of the cloisters. Sacred monkeys were running about in all 

 directions over the roofs. 



The Sangattar or literary college of Madura held its sittings 

 in this cloister ; and Siva is said to have presented it with a 

 diamond bench which extended itself readily for such persons 

 as were worthy to be on a level with the sages of the San- 

 gattar, and excluded all who tried to sit on it without pos- 

 sessing the necessary qualifications. In other words, the 

 learned corporation of jMadura maintained a strict and exclu- 

 sive monopoly. One day a man of the Pariar or lowest caste, 

 named Tiruvallavar, appeared as a candidate for a seat on the 

 bench of Sangattar professors. The sages were indignant at 

 his presumption, but, as he was patronized by the Eajah, they 

 were obliged to give his book a trial. It was to find a place 

 on the bench, which the professors took care to occupy fully. 

 But the miraculous bench extended itseK to receive the book, 

 which expanded and thrust all the sages off into " the tank 

 of the golden lotus," and the Sangattar was abolished. This 

 took place in about the ninth century, and the work of Tiru- 

 vallavar, called hural, and consisting of 1330 aphorisms, still 

 exists, and is the oldest extant work in Tamil literature. 

 Though rejected by the Sangattar, on account of the low 

 caste of its author, it was received by the Eajah and people ; 

 and the college was abolished, or perhaps dissolved itself from 

 mortification at this defeat. 



In a corner of the cloister is the entrance to one of the 

 gopurams, and we went up to the top. Holding on by the 

 cobra's hood Mhich crowns tlie tower, there was an extensive 

 view of the town of Madura and surrounding country, with 

 its bright green rice cultivation, groves of j^almyra-palms. 



