38 



On the Syrian and Jewish [No. 9, new series. 



" and Onadoo, a have we given it; with the knowledge of Erna- 

 " doo and Vulwanadoo,*' have we given it; we have given it for 

 " the time that the Sun and Moon shall endure. " With the 

 " knowledge of the above has this been written and engraved by 

 " the hand of Nambi Chadayen, Grand Goldsmith of the Chera- 

 " man country." 



According to the well known and absurd practice of Hindu 

 authors, the above Copper Plate No, I as a preliminary states 

 that the country had been ruled by the successors of Veera Kerala, 

 the original Prince, for " many hundred thousands of years" It 

 seems therefore quite unnecessary for me to make any comment 

 on so vain and foolish a preface. 



It is quite clear that this document was given by Veera Raghava 

 Chucravurti in the year when Jupiter was in Capricornus, and 

 Saturn in Pisces, and on Saturday, on the 21st of the month Mee~ 

 nour (March and April) and on the day governed by Rohani the 

 4th Asterism, therefore to find out the date of the document in 

 question, it is imperative on us to undertake to ascertain when the 

 above mentioned phenomena occurred during the administration 

 of the Peroomals, or indeed at any other period, either antecedent 

 or subsequent to it. If this task be patiently persevered in, we 

 cannot fail to attain the object of our desire. 



Previous to the institution of the Collom Era in Malabar (i. e. 

 1030 and odd years ago) by Shunkara Achariar, it was usual to 

 insert in documents either the number of the days elapsed of the 

 present age called the Kali-yoogom, or else the Zodiacal sign in 

 which Jupiter and Saturn then severally stood, adding thereto the 

 month, date, and the day of the week, and the Asterism of the day. 

 Moreover it should be borne in mind that in ancient times if in any 

 year Saturn or Jupiter stood for more than one-third thereof in any 

 one of the Zodiacal signs, it was usual to call the whole year after 

 those signs, affixing the names of Saturn and Jupiter. Even after the 

 Collom Era had commenced, and that year together with months 

 and dates came into use, the former method also was occasionally 



a. The deputy chieftains of those two districts. 



b. Deputy chieftains of those two districts now known as the Ernaad 

 and Vulvanad Talooks of Malabar Proper. 



