87 The Island and Bridge of Sivasamudram, [January 



rishis after this lived in great tranquillity for a long period, and then 

 passed away to the other world, from which time the island became 

 desolate till Terucholara yen discovered the place. 



Terucholarayen, of the Cshatriya caste, was a petty king of 

 Karaladesem, on the Malabar Coast, who having by some accident 

 fallen into the great sin called Brahmahalyd (slaying a Brahman), 

 found it necessary, in compliance with the behests of the S^dstras, 

 to proceed to the river Cdveri to expiate his sin, by performing de- 

 vout ceremonies, building temples, and distributing alms. As he 

 travelled in search of a place where he miiiht accomplish his intend- 

 ed purpose, he came to the island of Sivasainadram, where the river 

 Cdveri nearly terminates ; and deeming it a suitable place, he settled 

 himself there, and became the first king of the island. Here he^ ex- 

 erted all his authority, and applied all his resources to the erection 

 of temples, provided for the performance of daily pujds and ceremo- 

 nies, and granted agrahdrams to the Brdhmans. He also ob- 

 tained possession of twelve other villages on the western side of the 

 neighbourhood of the island. The population was at this t:me com- 

 paratively small and poor. In his reign the Rangaswdmi pagoda 

 was erected. These possessions were governed by him in peace 

 about a thousand years ago ; and after his death, Vishnu vardh- 

 ANEN,his only son, succeeded him, and ruled over the kingdom in 

 peace till the day of his death, when he was succeeded by his son 

 Srirangarayen. The reigns of these three sovereigns are suppos- 

 ed to have lasted about eighty years; and after the death of Sri- 

 rangarayen, the island and its dependencies went to decay for a 

 short time. 



After a lapse of time, Gangarayen, a petty prince of Umattun 

 in the district of Mysore, also of the Cshatriya caste, but of the 

 sect of Siva, is said to have visited the desolate island; and finding 

 it quite in a ruined state, he took measures for its improvement, 

 and built a fort with gates of brass, and a bridge on each of the 

 branches of the Caueri, by which the island is formed. He also 

 repaired the dilapidated pagoda of Rangaswdmi, and enlarged the 

 ruined pagoda of Somes^waraswdmi^ which is said to have been 

 found on the island when Terucholarayen, the first king, took 

 possession of it. This prince is said to have committed suicide by 

 plunging himself into the cataract which is formed by the western 

 branch of the river. The following are said to have been the cir- 

 cumstances which led to this desperate act. 



It is stated that in Gangarayen's reign a chakler, named Um- 



