Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/27

Rh courtezan’s street and the streets where dwelt the goldsmiths, corn dealers, cloth merchants, jewellers, &c. The temple of Sva known as Velliambalam or “the silver shrine” appears to have been the grandest building in the city. There were other temples dedicated to Vishnu, Baladêva, Subramanya and Chintadêvi, and there were separate monasteries for the Buddhist, Brahminic and Nigrantha ascetics.

Madura was doubtless the most famous and important town in Tamilakam at this period, being the capital city of the Pandyas, who were renowned as the most powerful of the Tamil kings, and munificent patrons of poets. What distinguished it however from other towns in the Tamil country were the high towers over the four gates of the fort. Hence it was familiarly known as Nân—mâdak—kûdal or the “Cluster of four towers. The name was sometimes shortened into Mâdak—kûdal, or Kûdal. The site of this ancient Madura or Kudal was most probably Pala Madura (or old Madura,) now in ruins, which is situated at a distance of about six miles to the south-east of the modern town of Madura. The ruins are now on the northern bank of the Vaigai, whereas ancient Madura stood on its southern bank; but it is quite possible that the river had changed its course since the destruction of the old city. That Madura was in danger of being destroyed by the Vaigai may be inferred from a poet’s description of Pandya in the following words: “Lord of the fortified city, whose walls knew of no siege by any other enemy, but the waters of the Vaigai when it is swollen with floods.” Outside the fort of Madura, resided those men who led a life of religious devotion and poor classes of people such as the Pânar and other lower castes.

West of Madura was the hill Parankunru sacred to Subra-