10 Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. [Jan* 



Section 7.— -Account oi Damara-pakam in the Arcot district. 



In the beginning of the era of Salivdhana this country (Tondaman- 

 dalam) was governed by the Curumbars, who built forts, and Kulcttun- 

 ga-chola, hearing that they were bad people, came and conquered the 

 land, which he gave to his posterity. After some time, in the days of 

 Vira-janibu-rayer^ one named Vira-vasanta-rayer acquired authority 

 in this mud fort, and changed the name to Vira-vasanta-puram, building 

 temples ; which after some time decayed, together with his authority. 

 In the time of Achyuta-rayer (of Bisnagar) an investigation was made 

 by him, who had a car made, and a fane built to Farada-raja, with 

 other similar matters. In the time oi Zalfecar Khdn the country went 

 to ruin. In the time of the Nabob Wallajah this mud-fort was attend- 

 ed to : a Killadar and a revenue-court vrere fixed there. In the great 

 disturbance, many people from the vicinity took refuge within it. The 

 fort is fifteen cawnies in extent. There follows a list of the fanes or 

 temples which are around it, together with sacred pools and porches. 



Section 8. — Account of ArzaMyachenan and Anjata-candan, who 

 ruled in the fort of Ayilanx in the Arcot district. 



Anciently all this surrounding country lyas waste, the above men- 

 tioned persons came from the north, and built fojts on the hills named 

 Cuthirai-tondi and Vaiyali-tondi, with a town named Arzagu-chenaiy 

 having a palace therein, with a surrounding wall and gates ^ they also, 

 formed a lower fort, and an upper citadel. These chiefs extended their 

 authority to some distance around, strengthened by fortified posts i 

 and, being without fear of superiors, they began to molest the common, 

 people. Matters being thus, about three-hundred years ago " our 

 forefathers'^ came from the district of Sri sailam in the north, to this 

 country ; from what cause is not known. By the permission of Fom- 

 munar, who built the fort of Vellore, they resided under his authority^ 

 and constructed a small military fort, becoming a check on the before- 

 mentioned marauding chieftains. They formed five villages into 

 one district,, and protected the people. From that time, downwards, 

 whether they held the land by sarvamaniyam (tax free) or by 

 artamaniyam (half tax) we do not know. Subsequently from the time 

 of Sahdulla Khan, they were accustomed to pay a small and easy 

 tribute. From the time of Rayaji's suhah, that easy taxation ceased, and 

 a regular tribute to the full extent was paid. In the time of the Nabob,^ 

 ^n consequence of the molestation of one named Sila-nayaken (suppos-* 

 %\ to be some predatory chief), we built a small fort of brick for pro« 



