Know the Etymology: 392
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Varippaththaan-cheanai

வரிப்பத்தான் சேனை
Varippattāṉ Cēṉai

Varippaththaan+cheanai

The shifting cultivation field of a person belonging to the temple service community

Varippaththaan	(singular); Varippaththaar (plural), also Varippaththar: temple service families, also noted as Varip-pidiththaan Mooveazhu kudi and Aing-kudip-pa'ndaaraththaar (the 21 families of Varip-pidiththaan and the five-family-temple servants or store/ treasury keepers), who were brought to serve the ancient Siva temple at Trincomalee in the times of Ku'lak-koadan, referred to as a Chola ruler (Tamil, Koa'neasar Kalveddu, c. late 16th century- early 17th century, narrating events of the past); Varip-pattu: probably the original way of spelling Varip-paththu (Tamil, Kangkuveali inscription c. 14th century CE); 1. Probably from bonded service as devotees; Vari: (noun) bondage; (verb) to bind, tie, fasten (Tamil, DED 5264); Pattu: grasp, hold, acceptance, adherence, affection, affinity, love, attachment, devotion (Tamil, DED 4034); 2. Probably from Vaari-paththar or Vaari-pattar: temple service committees of bonded devotees or holders of temple service committees; Vaari: temple administration or temple service (Tamil, inscription, 961 CE, SII, xiii, 114); Pattu, Paththu: right to hold (Tamil, DED 4034, inscription, 1196 CE, SII, vii, 1041); 3. Probably from Vaaripaththaar; Vaariyam, Vaarikam: committees for temple administration or village administration (Tamil, inscriptions, 804 CE, SII, xiv, 37; 987 CE, SII, xiii, 3); Vaariyar: members of the temple or village committee (Tamil, inscription, SII, xiv, 36)
Varippidiththaan	Vari+pidiththaan: another name for Varippaththar (Tamil, Koa'neasar Kalveddu, 7); 1. Vari-pidiththu: probably employing and bringing some one as bonded to a service (Tamil, Thirukkoa'naasala Vaipavam, 1889); from Vari: bondage (Tamil, DED 5264); 2. Probably from the duty of temple revenue collection; Vari: revenue (Tamil, DED 5266); 3. Probably from Varisai: mark of honour, insignia (Tamil, DED 5269); Pidi: (verb) to hold, to capture, to adhere (Tamil, DED 4148); Pidippaar: those who hold lamps etc., in temple festivals (Tamil, inscription, SII, iii, 128):
Aingkudip-pa'ndaaraththaar	Aing+kudi+pa'ndaaraththaar: the five-clan/family people of temple service; a title of status given to five of the best Varippaththar families (Koa'neasar Kalveddu 10); Pa'ndaaram: treasury, storehouse (Tamil inscriptions, 850 CE, SII, vi, 453); Pa'ndaari, Pa'ndaaram: one who is in-charge of the treasury or one who keeps accounts of the treasury of a temple or village (Tamil, inscription, 961 CE, SII, xxiii, 255; 1001 CE, SII, vii, 858)
Thaanaththaar	families parallel and opposite to Varippaththar in temple service (Tamil, Koa'nesar Kalveddu, verse 11, also prose section); literally meaning the people of a station or of a sacred place; people in the service of a temple, officials of a temple (Tamil, inscriptions, 1500 CE, IPS, 596); 30 families of people who were brought from the Chola country and were settled for the purpose of performing certain specific duties such as maintaining the treasury, keeping accounts and selected women from the families performing ritual dances at the Trincomalee temple (Koa'neasar Kalveddu, verse: 5, 6); from Sthaana: place of abode (Sanskrit, CDIAL 13753); Sthaanam: temple premises (Tamil, inscription, 961 CE, SII, xiv, 91); Sthaanaththaar, also Thaana-pathi: temple priests or officials (1020 CE, CHEN, xix, p. 167-168); Thaanikar: temple priests or officials (961 CE, SII, xiv, 91); Thaanam: priests or people who officiate temple duties (937 CE, SII, vii, 517); Thaanap-perumakka'l: temple priests (985 CE, SII, xix, 383); Thaana-ka'nakku: the person who writes temple accounts (1606 CE, TAS, vp, 114-115)
Cheanai	shifting cultivation field (Eezham Tamil); Heana: shifting cultivation field (Sinhala); Punam: shifting cultivation field or slash and burn cultivation field (Tamil, Changkam diction); upland fit for dry cultivation, shifting cultivation on the hills (Tamil, DED 4337); jungle capable of irregular cultivation (Malayalam, DED 4337); note the P/ H/ Ch change.

Varippaththar or Varippaththaar is the identity of a temple service community of the past in Eezham Tamil.

Varippattu is the spelling noticed in a 14th century CE Tamil inscription, issued in connection to the Trincomalee temple and found at Kangkuveali near Trincomalee.

Details about Varippaththar could be found in the Eezham Tamil historiographical literature Koa'neasar Kalveddu, a record on the Siva temple at Trincomalee, written probably in the late 16th or early 17th century based on much earlier records.

Narrating earlier events of the times of a ruler, Ku'lak-koadan, who is mentioned as a person of Chola lineage, the literature notes that Thaanaththaar and Varippaththar were the identities of families brought separately from the Chola country by the king, for performing stipulated duties at the Siva temple of Trincomalee.

Koa'neasar Kalveddu is perhaps the most detailed source to know the identity and functions of Thaanaththaar and Varippaththar. But it neither means that the communities have come only at a particular time and were exclusive to the Trincomalee temple nor it means that they always came from outside.

The terms only mean certain professionals hereditarily bonded to temples and such communities were affiliated to many temples in the island. For instance, some families living close to the temple at Punnaalai in Jaffna still retain the identity Thaanaththaar. Also note that the place name Varippaththaan-cheanai comes from Ampaa'rai district.

* * *

According to Koa'neasar Kalveddu, 30 families of Thaanaththaar and 21 families of Varippaththar were brought to Trincomalee by king Ku'lak-koadan.

While the priests of the temple were Pasupatas (a non-Brahmin Saiva sect), the lordship over the temple and temple-service families, including the delivery of justice in penal matters, as well as the rule of Trincomalee city were placed under a Vannimai (kinglet) called by the title, Thani-u'n'naap-poopaalan.

The verse part of Koa'neasar Kalveddu notes the temple duties separately assigned to Thaanaththaar and Varippaththar by King Ku'lak-koadan. Temple accountants and dancers have come from Thaanaththaar. See citations below for the duties of Varippaththar.

Later, during the times of King Kayavaaku (Gajabahu), two families of Brahmins following Makuta Agama replaced the Pasupatas as priests. A further schedule of duties stipulated by this king, as narrated by the prose part of Koa'neasar Kalveddu, comes out with vivid and minute details of the services that have to be rendered by Thaanaththaar and Varippaththar during marriage and death ceremonies of the two chiefs of the Brahmins (Iru-paakai-muthanmai), in addition to the temple duties.

Perhaps to avoid discontinuity or confusion in separately assigned duties or to have checks and balances in the affairs of the temple, the two share-holding Brahmin families as well as Thaanam and Varippaththu were strictly instructed to keep up the opposite identity and never marry between them.

* * *

While reference to Thaanaththaar as temple service people (from Sthaana in Sanskrit) often comes in the inscriptions of Tamil Nadu dating from 10th century CE, the identity and term Varippaththar seems to be peculiar to Eezham Tamil.

Koa'neasar Kalveddu notes that Pa'ndaaraththaar was a title of status given to five recognized families among the 21 Varippaththar families.

Koa'neasar Kalveddu also comes out with an alternative term Varippidiththaan for Varippaththu. A 19th century writing Thirukkoa'naasala Vaipavam uses the verb form “Vari-pidiththu-vanthu,” while talking on the king bringing the Varippaththar families to Trincomalee.

The word form Varip-pattu, noticed in Kangkuveali inscription, which is earlier in time, is significant in explaining the etymology, as Pattu and Pidippu are synonyms in meaning adherence, attachment, annexation, capture, seizure etc. The suffix Paththu in Varip-paththu is therefore a changed form of Pattu.

The word Vari has several meanings in Tamil, but 'bondage' seems to be the appropriate meaning for Vari in this context (Tamil, DED 5264).

People attached or acquired by bondage (to temple), seems to be the literal meaning of the phrase Varippaththar or Varippaththaar.

In an alternative explanation, Vari could be a shortened form of Vaari, meaning temple service committee and Pattu in this context may mean having a hold. The phrase Pattu-pidiththal has been used in Tamil inscriptions to mean securing hold in a temple administration (1196 CE, SII, vii, 1041)

* * *

Vari as bondage or obligation:

“…kadanum variyea” (Pingkala Nika'ndu, 10: 1002)

“…கடனும் வரியே” (பிங்கல நிகண்டு, 10: 1002)

Vari means bondage or obligation


Vari-pidiththal as bringing someone on bond or agreement:

“Kaaraiyooril irunthu irupaththoru kudiyai vari pidiththu vanthu vi'lai:nilam muthaliyavaika'laiyum koduththuth thirukoa'namalai nakaril kudiyiruththiya pinpu” (Thirukkoa'naasala Vaipavam, Akileasa Pi'l'lai, 1889)

“காரையூரில் இருந்து இருபத்தொரு குடியை வரி பிடித்து வந்து விளைநிலம் முதலியவைகளையும் கொடுத்துத் திருகோணமலை நகரில் குடியிருத்திய பின்பு” (திருக்கோணாசல வைபவம், அகிலேச பிள்ளை, 1889)

21 families were brought on bond or agreement from Kaaraiyoor (probably Kaaraikkaal); they were given with cultivation lands etc., and after settling them in the Trincomalee city…

* * *

Vaari as a committee or sub-committee of specific duty in temple administration:

“Sree koayilil vaari cheykin'ra sapai” (Tamil, inscription, 961 CE, SII, xiii, 114)

“ஸ்ரீ கோயிலில் வாரி செய்கின்ற சபை” (Tamil, inscription, 961 CE, SII, xiii, 114)

The committee doing a specific duty of administration in the temple


Pattu as administrative hold in a temple:

“Ik koayil pattu pidiththa ma'naloor vaathulan” (Tamil inscription, 1196 CE, SII, vii, 1041)

“இக் கோயில் பற்று பிடித்த மணலூர் வாதுலன்” (Tamil inscription, 1196 CE, SII, vii, 1041)

Vaathulan of the village of Ma'naloor, who took hold of the administration of this temple

* * *

References on Varippaththar/ Varippidiththaan

“Vallathoru vannimaiyum thaanaththaarum varippaththumaam ivarka'l vanthavaa'rum” (Koa'nesar Kalveddu 2)

“வல்லதொரு வன்னிமையும் தானத்தாரும் வரிப்பத்துமாம் இவர்கள் வந்தவாறும்” (கோணேசர் கல்வெட்டு 2)

The story of the arrival of the mighty Vannimai (chief), Thaanaththaar (people in the service of temple) and Varipaththar (another type of people in the service of temple)


“Veanthan innum aran thozhumpitku aa'l poathaathena

  Ninainthu mee'ndea kaarai

Vaayntha va'la:naadu chen'ru varippidiththaan

  Mooveazhu kudi vaazhvaarai

Chearnthu…” (Koa'neasar Kalveddu, 7)


“வேந்தன் இன்னும் அரன் தொழும்பிற்கு ஆள் போதாதென

  நினைந்து மீண்டே காரை

வாய்ந்த வளநாடு சென்று வரிப்பிடித்தான்

  மூவேழு குடி வாழ்வாரை

சேர்ந்து…” (கோணேசர் கல்வெட்டு, 7)

The king [Ku'lak-koadan], thinking that people are not sufficient for the service of Siva, went back to the Kaarai country (probably Kaarai-kaal in the Chola country) and approached 21 families of Varippidiththaar


“….Kayavaaku raasanum vara…mannavan anna vannimai thannaiyum thanmamudaiya thaanam varippaththaiyum nanmaiyudaiya a:n:naaddavar yaaraiyum…” (Koa'neasar Kalveddu Akaval 2-7)

“….கயவாகு ராசனும் வர…மன்னவன் அன்ன வன்னிமை தன்னையும் தன்மமுடைய தானம் வரிப்பத்தையும் நன்மையுடைய அந்நாட்டவர் யாரையும்…” (கோணேசர் கல்வெட்டு அகவல் 2-7)

As the king Kayavaaku (Gajabahu) came, [he addressed] the Vannimai [of Trincomalee] equal to the king and the righteous Thaanam and Varippaththu (temple officials) and all the people of the country (of Trincomalee)

* * *

Varip-pattu as earlier spelling of Varip-paththu:

“Malai(yil) vanniyanaarum eazhooril adapparka'lum koodi thampiraanaar koa'nai naathanukku kangkuvealiyil ve('liyum) pul nadap(pu)m aaka viddoam [followed by the usual imprecation] yippadikku yira'ndu muthalimai thaanam varippattum” (Kangkuveali inscription, c. 14th century CE, S. Pathmanathan)

“மலை(யில்) வன்னியனாரும் ஏழூரில் அடப்பர்களும் கூடி தம்பிரானார் கோணை நாதனுக்கு கங்குவேலியில் வெ(ளியும்) புல் நடப்(பு)ம் ஆக விட்டோம் [followed by the usual imprecation] யிப்படிக்கு யிரண்டு முதலிமை தானம் வரிப்பற்றும்” (Kangkuveali inscription, c. 14th century CE, S. Pathmanathan)

In a meeting of the Vanniyanaar (kinglet) of Trincomalee and the seven village chiefs, we endowed (land) as expanse and grassland at Kangkuveali, to the God of Trincomalee. [Followed by the usual imprecation] thus declare the two chief priests, Thaanam and Varipattu

* * *

Duties assigned to the Varippaththaar families in the Siva temple at Trincomalee:

“Sannithiyil neevir cheyyum thozhumpu umakku

  Naamuraikkath thaan neer kea'lum

Nannayagnchear paddaadai koythalodu

  Paththira pushpameduththal thoorththal

Minnuni'rai vi'lakkeattal tha'lisai thaddu

  Muddivaika'l vi'lakkal niththam

Unnathamaay nellathanaik kuththal

  Aamayanthe'liththal vi'raku chearththal”


“Cheyya nadanasthreekku moodduvakai

  Koddalodu chi'rakkap paadal

Aiyama'ra natpalikkup paavaadai

  Iduvathuvum athuveayan'rith

Thuyya chu'n'nam kodiyeattal i'rakkalodu

  Chumaththalum chaantharaiththeaythal

Meyyenavea aalayaththud pa'nika'laith

  Thuppuravaaka vi'langkach cheyveer” (Koa'neasar Kalveddu, 8, 9)


“சன்னிதியில் நீவிர் செய்யும் தொழும்பு உமக்கு

  நாமுரைக்கத் தான் நீர் கேளும்

நன்னயஞ்சேர் பட்டாடை கொய்தலொடு

  பத்திர புஷ்பமெடுத்தல் தூர்த்தல்

மின்னுனிறை விளக்கேற்றல் தளிசை தட்டு

  முட்டிவைகள் விளக்கல் நித்தம்

உன்னதமாய் நெல்லதனைக் குத்தல்

  ஆமயந்தெளித்தல் விறகு சேர்த்தல்”


“செய்ய நடனஸ்த்ரீக்கு மூட்டுவகை

  கொட்டலொடு சிறக்கப் பாடல்

ஐயமற நற்பலிக்குப் பாவாடை

  இடுவதுவும் அதுவேயன்றித்

துய்ய சுண்ணம் கொடியேற்றல் இறக்கலொடு

  சுமத்தலும் சாந்தரைத்தேய்தல்

மெய்யெனவே ஆலயத்துட் பணிகளைத்

  துப்புரவாக விளங்கச் செய்வீர்” (கோணேசர் கல்வெட்டு, 8, 9)

[The king Ku'lak-koadan said] Listen to what I tell you on the services you should do at the temple: making fine silk cloths, gathering sacred leaves and flowers, sweeping, brightly lighting lamps, cleaning the trays in which food is offered to the deity and other miscellaneous vessels, excellently pounding (husking) paddy daily, sprinkling cow-dung water, gathering firewood, playing musical instruments and singing to the dance of the fair dancing women, rolling out carpets for the processions, making pure talc, (duties associated with) flag hoisting and lowering, carrying deities (during processions), and making sandal paste – sincerely perform these duties in the temple cleanly.

* * *

Varippathar as Aing-kudip-pa'ndaaraththaar:

“Neerpaayum pa'l'lave'li nelvi'laiyum tharai

  Avarkku nisamaay eenthu

Yaarkkariya aingkudikkup pa'ndaaraththaar

  Enavea pavusum eenthu…” (Koa'neasar Kalveddu, 10)


“நீர்பாயும் பள்ளவெளி நெல்விளையும் தரை

  அவர்க்கு நிசமாய் ஈந்து

யார்க்கரிய ஐங்குடிக்குப் பண்டாரத்தார்

  எனவே பவுசும் ஈந்து…” (கோணேசர் கல்வெட்டு, 10)

[The king Ku'lak-koadan] Endowing to them (Varippaththar) the irrigated paddy-growing fields at Pa'l'la-ve'li (low-ground expanse) with full rights and for five best families among them rendering the status title, Pa'ndaaraththaar …

* * *

Thaanaththaar and Varippaththar as two different and opposite clans doing temple service:

“Thaanam varippaththu ennum aran thozhumpaarkku'l

  Ikalaar tharkkam vanthaal

Maanapangkamadaiyaamal naduththeerppathaar

  Enavea mathuraiyoor chen'ru

Aanamathik kularaaman thaniyu'n'naap

  Poopaalan thanaik ko'narnthu

Theanamar poonthodai maarpan thirukkoa'nai

  Nakar arasu cheyya vaiththaan” (Koa'neasar Kalveddu, 11)


“தானம் வரிப்பத்து என்னும் அரன் தொழும்பார்க்குள்

  இகலார் தர்க்கம் வந்தால்

மானபங்கமடையாமல் நடுத்தீர்ப்பதார்

  எனவே மதுரையூர் சென்று

ஆனமதிக் குலராமன் தனியுண்ணாப்

  பூபாலன் தனைக் கொணர்ந்து

தேனமர் பூந்தொடை மார்பன் திருக்கோணை

  நகர் அரசு செய்ய வைத்தான்” (கோணேசர் கல்வெட்டு, 11)

If any unresolved confrontation comes between the two servants of Siva, i.e., Thaanam and Varipaththu, who will adjudicate without dishonour coming; so, the honey-flower-garland-chested [the king Ku'lak-koadan] went to Mathurai and brought the lunar dynasty Rama (righteous person), Thani-u'n'naap-poopaalan (the lord who doesn't eat alone), and made him to rule the Trincomalee city.


“Enthakkaalaththukkum irupaakai muthanmai manusharka'l orupaathaikkorupaathai ko'lvana koduppana pa'n'ni irupaakaiyum on'raay nadakkappadaathu. Thaanam varippaththaarum appadiyea oruvarkkoruvar ko'ndu koduththu oru vamsam aakappadaathu. Enthakkaalamum muthanmaikku muthanmai ethirik kudiyaakavum thaanam varippaththum appadiyea ethirik kudiyaakavum irukka vea'ndiyathu” (Koa'nesar Kalveddu prose section citing the order of King Kayavaaku)

“எந்தக்காலத்துக்கும் இருபாகை முதன்மை மனுஷர்கள் ஒருபாதைக்கொருபாதை கொள்வன கொடுப்பன பண்ணி இருபாகையும் ஒன்றாய் நடக்கப்படாது. தானம் வரிப்பத்தாரும் அப்படியே ஒருவர்க்கொருவர் கொண்டு கொடுத்து ஒரு வம்சம் ஆகப்படாது. எந்தக்காலமும் முதன்மைக்கு முதன்மை எதிரிக் குடியாகவும் தானம் வரிப்பத்தும் அப்படியே எதிரிக் குடியாகவும் இருக்க வேண்டியது” (Koa'nesar Kalveddu prose section citing the order of King Kayavaaku)

At no time, the people of the twin-sharing chiefs (two chief priests) should become one by giving and taking (marrying) between them; the same should be followed by Thaanam and Varippaththu. They should not become one clan by giving and taking (marrying) between them. At all time, the families of the two chief priests should be opposite to each other. Similarly, Thaanam and Varippaththu also should be opposite clans [thus ordered king Kayavaaku].

* * *

Varippaththaan-cheanai is a village in I'rakkaamam division of Ampaa'rai district

First published: Wednesday, 18 February 2015, 20:06