Who were the Patḍḳyas of Madura?

Summary

In this miscellany note, the author investigates the identity of the Paṭṭikās or Paṭṭakyas mentioned in Tamil inscriptions from Madurai. By examining epigraphic records, Tamil literary references and accounts of foreign travellers, the note proposes that the term referred to a guild of mercenaries or ceremonial guards attached to the Pandyan court. The author rejects earlier conjectures that they were a caste of priests or temple dancers, pointing out that the inscriptions situate them in military contexts and that they appear as donors of weapons. He links the Paṭṭikyas to similar groups known in South Indian polities, noting that they were often granted tax‑free lands in return for service. The note also considers the possibility of a foreign origin, suggesting that the term might derive from the Sanskrit paṭṭa (fillet or coronet) and could denote men who bore a distinctive head‑band as a badge of office. By collating these scattered clues, the author sheds light on an obscure aspect of medieval Tamil social structure and calls for further epigraphic exploration.