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palanquins, only with the permission of the King. Noblemen prided themselves on special privileges such as the cloth spread on the ground for them to walk upon, ornamental arches and awnings to be erected on the roads on which they travel, and the flourish of trumpets and drums to announce their arrival and departure. There were no less than seventy-two rights claimed by great landholders, but the nature of these rights does not appear from the deed.

Another deed issued during the reign of the same King Bhâskara-Iravi-Varmman records an endowment made to the Vishnu temple at Tirunelli (in the Wynad) by Porai Kilan or the Lord of Porayûr Nadu.^[1] The endowment was placed under the control of the “five hundred” of Poraiyûr. The five hundred were doubtless an assembly of the heads of 500 families of the Nadu. It appears therefore that in this ancient period, although the Kings had apparently unlimited power over the lives ard properties of their subjects, much of the local administration remained in the hands of the people themselves.^[2]

↑ An excellent facsimile and translation of this deed have been published by Dr. Hultzsch.—Indian Antiquary. Vol. XX. p. 285.
↑ “The six hundred were the supervisors and protectors of the Nad”—Malabar Manual, Vol.I. p. 267. Another deed mentions the 600 of Ramavala Nadu.—Malabar Manual Vol. II. p.122. These village republics continued in existence till the English annexed Malabar. “The Nad or country was a congeries of taras or village republics, and the Kuttam or assembly of the Nad or country was a representative body of immense power which, when necessity existed, set at naught the authority of the Raja, and punished his ministers when they did “unwarrantable acts.” These are the very words used by the Honorable Company’s representative at Calicut when asked to explain the origin of certain civil commotions which had taken place there in 1746. His report deserves to be quoted in full, for it gives a vivid insight into the state of things as it then existed. “These Nayars,” he wrote “being heads of the Calicut people, resemble the parliament, and do not obey the King’s dictates in all things, but chastise his ministers when they do unwarrantable acts.” Malahar Manual. Vol. 1, p. 89.

[1] An excellent facsimile and translation of this deed have been published by Dr. Hultzsch.—Indian Antiquary. Vol. XX. p. 285.

[2] “The six hundred were the supervisors and protectors of the Nad”—Malabar Manual, Vol.I. p. 267. Another deed mentions the 600 of Ramavala Nadu.—Malabar Manual Vol. II. p.122. These village republics continued in existence till the English annexed Malabar. “The Nad or country was a congeries of taras or village republics, and the Kuttam or assembly of the Nad or country was a representative body of immense power which, when necessity existed, set at naught the authority of the Raja, and punished his ministers when they did “unwarrantable acts.” These are the very words used by the Honorable Company’s representative at Calicut when asked to explain the origin of certain civil commotions which had taken place there in 1746. His report deserves to be quoted in full, for it gives a vivid insight into the state of things as it then existed. “These Nayars,” he wrote “being heads of the Calicut people, resemble the parliament, and do not obey the King’s dictates in all things, but chastise his ministers when they do unwarrantable acts.” Malahar Manual. Vol. 1, p. 89.

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