A Wealthy 17th-Century Shanar Woman Who Left a Legacy Through Her Charitable Donations.

Introduction

Veeravanallur, formerly known as Veerakeralanallur, is a village in the Thovalai taluk of the Kanniyakumari district. This village is home to the ancient Sivapandi Andar stone monastery. Within this monument, two large inscriptions have been discovered, shedding light on the region's past.

These inscriptions were first identified by Dr. T. T. Thavasimuthu Maran and later documented by Dr. S. Thamarai Pandian of the International Institute of Tamil Studies. The inscriptions provide valuable historical insights, detailing donations made by a Pandya king, a wealthy Shanar (Nadar) woman named Rama Nachiyar, and a Vellalar accountant named Pandya Perumal [note 1].

The 1678 AD Inscription of the Monastery

The first inscription is located on the northern side of the entrance to the stone monastery. Engraved in the form of a copper plate, this inscription dates back to 1678 AD. It records that a later Pandya king constructed the Veerakerala Nallur stone monastery in 1641 AD and formalised a donation through a royal charter. As suggested by Dr. S. Thamarai Pandian, this Pandya ruler may have been either Varagunarama Pandya or a successor within the Pandyan lineage of a subsequent era.

The inscription further states that in 1678 AD, a woman named Rama Nachiyar from the Shanar caste donated her lands in Veerakerala Nallur to the monastery. The land she contributed is recorded to have yielded 18 1/4 padaks (Tamil unit of weight) of paddy (approximately 146 kilograms of paddy) [note 2].

The 1683 AD Inscription of the Monastery

The second inscription, located on the southern side of the monastery, was engraved in 1683 AD. It records that Rama Nachiyar, the daughter of Shanar Nainar and Andichi from the Shanar community, settled a debt of 1,150 rupees owed by the Sivapandi Aandar stone monastery.

Additionally, the inscription states that she made further contributions in the form of monetary donations and land grants to support the monastery. Notably, a Vellalar (Pillaimar) named Pandiya Perumal is recorded as having referred to Rama Nachiyar with great reverence, addressing her as Our Mother.

Conclusion

These inscriptions indicate that Rama Nachiyar, a Shanar woman, not only possessed considerable wealth but also commanded respect from communities contemporaneously regarded as upper caste. The evidence presented here dispels the long-held misconception that individuals bearing the caste designation Shanar were exclusively hereditary practitioners of toddy-tapping and traditionally impoverished. Furthermore, analysis of ancient sources confirms that the term Shanar or Sanar derives from the original caste designation Sanror.

Notes

1. The terms Sanrar, Sanravar and Sanar are variants of the term Sanror. This is because of a common linguistic feature in Tamil. For instance, the word Kaṉṟu (meaning "calf") and its variant Kaṇṇu are essentially the same word with different pronunciations. The Nadars today were previously known as Sanars or Shanars.
2. One padaku is roughly equivalent to eight kilos.

See Also

• From oblivion to light: Reconstructing Nadar community's history through recently discovered ancient documents.
• Connecting the Dots: Understanding the Relationship Between the Noble Sanrors and the Nadar Community.