20 SOCIAL SCIENTIST built up or cultivated for public purposes. This area includes the village site (nattam), the irrigation tank and its banks, the residential area for the artisans and parayar (untouchable Harijans), shrines, ponds, streams flower gardens, portions occupied by toddy drawers and washermen, places occupied by all polluting castes (including barbers), roads, courts, cremation grounds, stables, threshing floors (kalam) and grazing grounds. Thus, when the kaniyatchikarar possessed kaniyatchi over land it meant not merely the right over cultivated land, but the right to control the use of the living space, built-up space, and all other parts in the village area.8 Saleable Rights The kani^atchikarars5 composite rights were saleable. What the kariiyatchikarar sold was apparently not just his share of cultivable land but his pangu (share) in the entire village (including waste lands and privileges). The following bill of sale dated 1780 illustrates this: The price having been settled at 38 star Pagodas in the curren^ coin of the day, in the presence of the rulers of the land, Mannalert and Manaikolavar, I have, for these thirty eight star Pagodas, written and given this bill of sale for my three-sixteenths share of the village of Sirudeiyur, the superiorities and privileges there to appertaining.9 The act of sale was couched often as a gift or daanam.10 According to Ellis, ^Mirasi right has been always and is saleable in the villages of Madras; but in those held in pasungarai or samudayam joint property, the land, strictly speaking is not transferable; but it is the indivisible right the mirasidar possesses to a share in the manyams, and merais, the cultivation of warapet, to the enjoyment of the nattam and backyards, the wastes, the road, wrils and water courses etc within the precincts of the village, that he can transfer by sale, gift, or mortgage"." By custom, the deed of sale had to be drawn up by the village karnam (accountant) and witnessed by fellow ka^iyatchikarars and representatives of the ruler.12 Modes of Co-Sharing There were two modes of co-sharing a village, known as pasunka' rai and arudikkarai^. According to the system of Pasunkarai or the system of complete sharing not only were the communal facilities of the "village shared, but even the cultivable land was periodically re-distributed in proportion to respective shares. The net produce was pooled and divided according ,o the share of each ki^iyatchi household in the village. Thus if in a /illage three kaniyatchikarar households have half, quarter and quarter