It is common to give Navagandams and arigandams to Kotravai. Soldiers, Convicts and even common people vow to kotravai that they will sacrifice either 9 parts of the body (Navakandam) or the life itself (arikandam)
This was so common and popular that every other kotravai statue of pallava-chola days will show kotravai with two bhaktas near her feet - one giving navakandam and another arikandam. A very good example is in draupathi ratha of mamallapuram.
Soldiers gave up their soul so that their king can win a certain battle. Endowments were given to family of the desceased
Convicts who were about to be hanged had the option of sacrificing themselves for their goddess. This practice existed even upto 14th century - marco polo records it.
Common man gave up his life for some venduthal. He requests something to goddess and offers his life in return
These are things difficult to digest now. We are vieweing history with 21st century mindset. So what we are seeing is not the true history at all. We only see what we want to see not the truth. Because their thought process was so different from ours. Concept of time was different. Concept of life and death was totally different.
We are not in a position to comprehend it properly
Very much true, Gokul... Those were the times when the pace of life was slow and the theory of life and death was different. In our times,'kazhuvetruthal' would be considered a heinous act, but in those days even the saint Manickavasagar did accept that.