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Velir

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TheVelir[1][2][3][4][5]were aroyal houseof minor dynastic kings and aristocratic chieftains inTamilakamin the early historic period ofSouth India.[6]They had close relations withChera,CholaandPandyarulers through ruling and coronation rights.[7][8][9]Medieval inscriptions and Sangam literature claim that they belong to theYadu dynasty.[10][11][12]Velir may refer to master of land.[13]

Velir
A statue of the Sangam period Velir king
CountryIndia
Current regionSouth India
TitlesSatyaputra
Connected familiesAy
Athiyamān
Irunkōvēl
Ilanji Vel
Malayamān
Nanan
Vēl Pāri
Vel Avi Pekan

Origin

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A 12th-century statue of Agastya

ThePurananuru,one of theEight AnthologiesofSangam literature,praises KingIrunkōvēl,a 49th generation descendant of the Vēlir clan whose ancestors appeared from the pitcher (தடவு) of a Northern sage (Agastya), and said to have ruled Thuvarai (Dvārakā) with a fort containing tall huge walls made of bronze.[14]According to a commentary onTholkappiyam,the earliest long work ofTamil literature,eighteen clans of the Velirs came from the city ofTuvarapatiunder the leadership of the sageAgastya.[6][15][16]The legend goes that all the gods and sages went to the Himalayas to attend the marriage ofSivawithParvatidue to which the earth started tilting to one side. Agastya was then requested to proceed south to restore the balance. On his way south, Agastya married Lopamudra and is said to have brought with him sage Jamadagni's son Trnadhumagni or Tholkappiyar, the author ofTamilgrammar, and eighteen members of theVrishnifamily along with eighteen crore Velir and Aruvalar.[17]It has been suggested by some like Thapar and Champakalakshmi, that the ancestors of the Velir may have been related to the Yadava of Dvaraka and the inhabitants of the postHarappanChacolithic Black and Red ware sites. According to Thapar, the Yadava may have belonged to a non Indo-Aryan language group.[15]They eventually reachedTamraparni,and as the Velir-Perumakan group, cultivated its ancient society as a political, sociocultural and economic structure in South India and Sri Lanka.[18]

HistorianR._Nagaswamywrites that quite a number of these velirs were indigenous and natives of tamil country but some of the velirs seem to have migrated from dvaraka.[19]

TheIrunkōvēlkings trace their lineage to the clan ofKrishna;one of the inscriptions at Kodumbalur belonging to one of the kings in the Irunkovel line, namely Tennavan Irunkōvēl.[12][20]TheMoovar Koilrecord of Irukkuvel chiefBoothi Vikramakesarilauds his father, Samarabirama, asYadu-vamsa-ketu(Banner of the Yadu race).[12][21]Historians consider theAyvelirs originated from the pastoralists ofAyarsand they gained preeminence at an early stage in Tamil history.[22][23][24]

History

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The Velir were prominent in theSangam periodof Tamil polity, economy, and society. They are traced to theYadavas(Yadu descent) ofDvarakaand linked up with all important dynasties ofSouth Indiaincluding theChalukyas,Hoysalas,andAndhras.[25]In Sangam literature, they are portrayed as independent chieftains who ruled in bordering areas of three major ruling dynasties, had considerable collective power and marriage alliances withThree Crowned Kings.[26]"

While most of the rulers are substantiated by epigraphs and literatures, some of their history of ruling some dynasties is not recorded.

Also, some of the medieval dynasties of the western half of the peninsula claim to be descended fromYadhavaslineage and the Ay chiefs ofAy dynastyof the ninth century A.D. claim to be theVrishni-kulaas also theMushikakings who link themselves withHaihayaorigins.[31]ThePeriya Puranamdescribes about a Haiheya clan kingEyarkon Kalikama Nayanar,he was a Vellalar saint and Commander-in-chief of the Chola army.[32][33]The Ay velir chieftains, who settled down in Ay county (near Kanyakumari), were quite prominent in Tamil Nadu during the sangam age.[34]

TheChalukyasandKadambasbelonging to Manavya gotra as being the descendants of the original ancestress Hariti.[35]The Karmandala Satakam states that the Velirs of karmandalam belong to the same "Manavya" Gotra.[36]The Chalukya kings were calledVelpularasarandVelkulattarasarby some communities, that is kings overVelcountry (pulameans region or country).[37][38]Later day references to them in Choļa inscriptions puts the Chalukyas under the Velir community ruling in Deccan.[30]

Tamilakamin theSangam Period

TheAy Velswere one such Velir group that ruled the territory in and aroundVenadduring the Sangam period. The word Venad is derived fromVel-nadu, that is the country ruled byVelchieftains.[39]We know of a queen of Vikramaditya Varaguna, an Ay king of 9th century who is referred to as Murugan Chenthi and as Aykula Mahadevi from inscriptions. Her father, an Ay chief called Chathan Murugan is described as a Vennir Vellala that is a Vellala by birth,[40]in the Huzur plates of king Karunandakkan, the predecessor of Vikramaditya Varaguna.[41]

TheIrunkōvēllines of Velir kings are considered to be of the same stock as theHoysalasas in one of the Sangam poems, the ancestor of the Irungovel chieftain is said to have ruled the fortified city of Tuvarai. This city is identified with the Hoysala capitalDwarasamudraby some historians.[42]Also, the legend of the chief killing a tiger (Pulikadimal) has a striking resemblance to the origin legend of the Hoysalas where "sala" kills the tiger to save a sage.[43]As per historian Arokiaswami, the Hoysala title "Ballala" is only a variant of the Tamil word "Vellala".[44]The Hoysala kingVeera Ballala IIIis even now locally known as the "Vellala Maharaja" inThiruvannamalai,the town that served as their capital in 14th century.[45]

The Irungovel chieftains were related to theCholasthrough matrimony.[46][47]These princes assumed both the Chola and Irungovel titles like for example there was one Adavallan Gangaikonda Cholan alias Irungolan during the time ofKulottunga Iand then there was a certain Sendamangalam Udaiyan Araiyan Edirili Cholan alias Irungolan during the reign ofKulottunga III.[48]

Kaluvul was a velir chieftain of Kamur who fought against the chera supremacy.[49][50]Perum chera irumporai along with fourteen chieftains attacked kamur but perum chera irumporai was impressed with Kaluvuls resistance in battle field and let him rule kamur and accepted friendship from him.[51].Some of the velirs under Kaluvul joined the chera after the defeat.[52]

Sangam literature

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ThePurananuru,one of theEight AnthologiesofSangam literature,praises KingIrunkōvēl,a 49th generation descendant of the Vēlir clan whose ancestors appeared from the pitcher (தடவு) of a Northern sage (Agastya), and said to have ruled Thuvarai (Dvārakā) with a fort containing tall huge walls made of bronze.[14]

Velir chiefs

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Moovar KoilTemple Complex built by Irunkovel chieftain Boothi Vikramakesari

Athiyamān Nedumān Añciand his son Ezhini, wereAthiyamānchieftains, based in Tagadur (present day village located inDharmapuri district). They were contemporaries ofAuvaiyar.The Sangam poem "Thagadur yathirai",now lost, was written about his battle with the Chera king. Another Velir wasIrunkōvēlwho ruled over Konaadu, the area in and aroundPudukottai,with their capital inKodumbalur.[53]They belong toKallarfamily,K. A. Nilakanta Sastrimentions in his study.[54][55]Nannan was another Velir chieftain who hailed fromTulu Nadu.[56]Yet another Velir chief was Pekan of the Vel Avi family who ruled over Pothini, the modernPalaninearMadurai.[citation needed]Other ancient Velir chiefs of repute include Alumbil Vel, Alandur Vel,Ilanji Veland Nangur Vel.[57]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Pruthi, R.; Sharma, B.R. (1995).Buddhism, Jainism and Women.Encyclopaedia of women society and culture series. Anmol Publications. p. 99.ISBN978-81-7488-085-7.
  2. ^Sivaratnam, C. (1964).An Outline of the Cultural History and Principles of Hinduism.Stangard Printers. p. 36.Retrieved12 December2022.
  3. ^Chakravarti, A. (1953).Tirukkural(in Lithuanian). Diocesan Press. p. 25.
  4. ^Orr, L.C. (2000).Donors, Devotees, and Daughters of God: Temple Women in Medieval Tamilnadu.South Asia Research. Oxford University Press. p. 209.ISBN978-0-19-535672-4.Retrieved12 December2022.
  5. ^Iyer, L.A.K. (1968).Social History of Kerala: The Dravidians.Monographs on man in India. Book Centre Publications. p. 4.Retrieved12 December2022.
  6. ^abMahadevan, Iravatham (2009)."Meluhha and Agastya: Alpha and Omega of the Indus Script"(PDF).Chennai, India. p. 16.The story of the southern migration of the Vēḷir from Dvārakā under the leadership of Agastya is narrated by Naccinarkkiniyar in his commentary on Tolkāppiyam (pāyiram; Poruḷ. 34). According to this legend, the gods congregated on Mount Meru as a result of which the earth tilted, lowering Meru and raising the southern quarter. The gods thereupon decided that Agastya was the best person to remedy this situation and requested him to proceed to the South. Agastya agreed and, on his way, visited Tuvarāpati' (Dvārakā) and led the descendants of neṭu-muṭi-an|n|al (Viṣṇu or Krṣṇa) including eighteen kings, eighteen families of the Vēḷir and the Aruvāḷar' to the south, where they settled down clearing the forests and cultivating the land.
  7. ^de Laet, S.J.; Herrmann, J. (1996).History of Humanity: From the seventh century B.C. to the seventh century A.D.Routledge. p. 382.ISBN978-92-3-102812-0.Retrieved12 December2022.
  8. ^Singh, K.S.; Thirumalai, R.; Manoharan, S.; Anthropological Survey of India (1997).Tamil Nadu.People of India. Affiliated East-West Press [for] Anthropological Survey of India. p. 1647.ISBN978-81-85938-88-2.Retrieved12 December2022.
  9. ^Cuppiramaṇiyan̲, C.V.; Tirunāvukkaracu, K.T.; International Institute of Tamil Studies (1983).Historical Heritage of the Tamils.Publication (International Institute of Tamil Studies). International Institute of Tamil Studies. p. 269.Retrieved12 December2022.
  10. ^Padmaja, T. (2001).Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: History, Art, and Traditions in Tamilnāḍu.Institute of Asian Studies. pp. 33–35.ISBN9788170173984.
  11. ^van Bakel, M.; Hagesteijn, R.; van de Velde, P. (1994).Pivot politics: changing cultural identities in early state formation processes.Het Spinhuis. p. 175.ISBN978-90-5589-007-1.Retrieved22 December2022.
  12. ^abcAyyar, K.R.S.; Government Museum (Chennai, India) (2002).Inscriptions in the Pudukkóttai State.Commissioner of Museums, Government of Tamilnadu. p. 15.Retrieved20 December2022.
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  14. ^abHart, G.L.; Heifetz, H. (2002).The Four Hundred Songs of War and Wisdom: An Anthology of Poems from Classical Tamil, the Purananuru.Translations from the Asian Classics. Columbia University Press. p. 127.ISBN978-0-231-51252-7.Retrieved16 May2023.
  15. ^abPivot politics: changing cultural identities in early state formation processes By M. van Bakel page 165: "The Velir were an instrusive group in South India... It is now suggested that (...) may have been associated with theYadavaof Dvaraka... "[1]
  16. ^Romila Thapar.Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations.Orient Blackswan, 1978 - India - 341 pages. p. 224.
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  56. ^Rohan Peter, Utsav Manihara (2001).Culture of Creativity: Footprints of Indian Civilization, Volume 3 of Panorama of Indian Culture.Dominant Publishers and Distributors. p. 10.ISBN8178880253.
  57. ^Seneviratne, Sudharshan (1994). "The Twilight of the Perumakan: South Indian Polity Restructured and Incorporated". In van Bakel, Martin; Hagesteijn, Renée; van de Velde, Piet (eds.).Pivot Politics: Changing Cultural Identities in Early State Formation Processes.Amsterdam: Het Spinhuis. p. 172.ISBN978-90-5589-007-1.
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