Kanchipuram was an important trading centre in the Pallava period. The merchants had to obtain license to market their goods.  

• Traders founded guilds and called themselves as sudesi, nanadesi, ainurruvar and others. Their main guild functioned at Aihole.  

• Foreign merchants were known as Nanadesi. It had a separate flag with the figure of bull at the centre, and they enjoyed the right of issuing vira-sasanas.  
• The jurisdiction of this guild stretched over entire south-east Asia.  
• The chief of this guild is registered in the inscriptions as pattanswamy, pattnakilar, and dandanayaka. Its members were known as ayyavole-parameswariyar. 

Source: Tamil Nadu state board.