The merchant community called the DiSai-ayirattainnurruvar play an important Part in the affairs recorded in 4 inscriptions dated between the 2nd and 14th year of Parakesari (Uttama-Chola). Portions of the man dapa in the temple at Tumvidaimarudur are said to have been the gift of a regiment called the KaikkSlapperumpadai who named them after their elders ( dchchamar ) the Tigai (Disai) Ayirattainurravar. Similarly an endowment of land was made to the temple at Tiruvilakkudi (No. 170) by a merchant by name Sankayan Manran Nanadesiya Eduttapada-Muttasetti, who placed it in charge of the Disai -Ayirattainurruvar of that place.
A body of the same name is said to have made a gift to the temple at Vedaranyam on behalf of a merchant of Karuvur by name Senan Maratakasetti (No. 216). Lastly an inscription at Tiruvilakkudi (No. 459) records the construction (or renovation ?) of a portion of the stone temple by the Vajanjiyar and NanadeSiya Disaiyayirattainurruvar who are said to be part residents of this place (having temporary sojourn) and the completion of the same on their behalf by one Tirukkarralippichchan (also mentioned in No. 355). It would appear from all these that this class was an organisation of 1,500 families spread over different countries for purposes of trade and knit together by some socialregulations. They seem to have been connected with the Valanjiyar (No. 459) who had settlements in South Ceylon ( M.E.R . 1927, II, 46). It is not known however Avhether they had any relation with th eManigramam guild of merchants mentioned in No. 417 from Kuttalam (Tirunelveli) of the reign of Parantaka and in Volume XIII, Nos. 26 and 28. This guild figures in inscriptions from very early times and seems to have been wielding great influence not only in their own home-country of South India but also over a wide area of the world outside, in which they had their trading establishments.
South Indian Inscriptions Vol.19