Velirs
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| Velir | |
| Official language | Tamil |
| House | Velir (Satyaputo) - Fraternity of Truth |
| Family Dynasties | *Athiyamān *Malayamān *Vēl Pāri *Vēl Āviyar *Irunkōvēl |
The Velir were a royal house of minor dynastic kings and aristocratic chieftains in Tamilakam in the early historic period of South India.[1][2] They were vassals and rivals of the Ventars (Chera, Chola and Pandya kings).[3] They had close relations with them through marriages and coronation rights.[4][5]
History
According to the Tholkappiyam, the earliest work of Tamil literature, the Velirs came from the city of Dwarka under the leadership of sage Agastya and belonged to the Yadu clan.[1][6][7]
Potsherds with early Tamil writing from the 2nd century BCE found in excavations in Poonagari, Jaffna bear several inscriptions, including the clan name "vela", a name related to "velir" from the ancient Tamilakam.[8]
Velir chiefs
Athiyamān Nedumān Añci and his son Ezhini, were Adigaman chieftains, based in Tagadur. They were contemporaries of Auvaiyar. The Sangam poem "Thagadur yathirai", now lost, was written about his battle with the Chera king. Another Velir was Irunkōvēl who ruled from Koval (modern day Tirukovilur) on the banks of the Pennai, (the present Ponnaiyar River) which presently discharges into the sea at Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. It is likely that the course of the river has changed to the south over many centuries. Other Velir chiefs of repute include Alumbil Vel, Alandur Vel and Nangur Vel[9]
The Kongu Velir dynasty ruled Kongu Nadu, while the Vel Pari dynasty produced numerous kings ruling Parambu Nadu, the most popular of whom was a close friend of the poet Kapilar.[citation needed] The Irunkōvēl line ruled over Ko Nadu and their most famous ruler, Pulikadimal, was a contemporary of Karikala Chola and Kapilar.[citation needed] The most heralded of the Āviyar line was Vaiyāvik Kōpperum Pēkan, a contemporary of the poet Paranar, and renowned for his generosity.[citation needed] The Malayamān Velir dynasty ruled Nadu Naadu around Tirukoilur, their royal emblem featured a horse and their most famous king was Malaiyamān Thirumudi Kāri.[citation needed] Both he and his son Thaervann Malaiyan assisted the early Cholas and Cheras. The most famous Velir dynasty was the Athiyamān dynasty, and this dynasty's powerful and most famous king was Athiyamān Nedumān Añci. His son Elini ruled Kudiramalai of the ancient Jaffna kingdom and Vanni, a co-ruling contemporary of the famous king Korran. These kings belonged to a prolific Tamil horseman tribe.[10][11] The ancient Tamil Naka Oviyar tribe of the Velir house, whose nation stretched to the Tamil emporiums of Mantai and Kudiramalai, included the king Nalliyakkotan who ruled this region and is paid tribute to in the Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai.
Each of the Velir dynasties ruled from their own capitals and utilized the seaport of Arikamedu.
See also
References
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- ↑ Pivot 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 the Yadu of Dvaraka..."[1]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Historical heritage of the Tamils, page 256
- ↑ Kolappa Pillay Kanakasabhapathi Pillay. (1963). South India and Ceylon. University of Madras. pp. 39
External links
- T.P. Sankaran Kutty Nair. Agenda. Sanskrit in South India
