LAND GRANTS AND TEMPLE ECONOMY IN THE CHENGAM REGION: EVIDENCE FROM MEDIEVAL TAMIL INSCRIPTIONS

Abstract

Medieval Tamil inscriptions from the Chengam region contain clear records of land granted to temples and the conditions attached to those grants. These inscriptions, mostly from the Chola and later medieval periods, describe the type of land donated, its boundaries, irrigation sources and the taxes or revenues assigned to the temple. In many cases, they also mention the purpose of the grant, such as maintaining temple lamps, conducting daily worship, or supporting specific rituals. The donors named in these records include local chiefs, officials and private individuals, showing that temple support came from different sections of society. The inscriptions often specify whether the land was wet or dry, how it was measured and whether it was exempt from certain taxes. Such details provide direct evidence of the agrarian system and revenue structure of the region. They also show that temples were not only religious centres but holders and managers of productive land. Through these inscriptional records, it becomes possible to understand how temples functioned in the economic life of medieval Chengam and how land, revenue and ritual obligations were closely connected.