Thondaimandala Mudaliars
Encyclopedia
Thondaimandala Mudaliar is a Tamil
caste in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
. They trace their lineage to the ancient Chola Velirs (relatives of the Chola Dynasty). Sekkizhar
, the author of the Periyapuranam, was from this community.
, the Vēlir migrated from the Gangetic plains of ancient Dvārakā under the guidance of the sage Agastya
. This is described by Nacchinarkkiniyar in his commentary on the Tolkāppiyam
(Payiram; Porul.34). The sage Agastya took with him 18 families of Vēls or Vēlirs
and their kings from Tuvarai (identified with Dvārakā) in the north, and migrated south. Irunkōvēl
, a Vēlir King of the Irunkōvēl line and a contemporary of Karikala Chola
(circa 270 BCE), mentions his lineage and traces it back 49 generations to one of the kings of their ancestral home in Dvārakā. This is repeated by the poet Kapilar
when he sings to Irunkōvēl and asks him to marry the two daughters of his close friend and patron Vēl Pāri
, another Vēlir king.
Sekkizhar
, one of the most prominent members of this community, is referred to as Ganga-Kula Tilaka, and his lineage is extolled in various pieces of medieval Tamil literature, the most notable among them being his biography by Umapati Sivacharya. He was born in Kunrattur and would soon rise to become the Chief Minister of Kulothunga Chola II
.
s migrated north with the Chola King Karikala Chola
(ruled around 270 BCE) after he conquered Thondaimandalam from the Kurumbar
s, a nomadic tribe also known as the Aruvalars. He parcelled out the land to the Vellalar chiefs, now known as the Thondaimandala Mudaliars, and divided the territory into 24 Kottams or districts: Pulal, Puliyur, Eekadu, Manavur
, Chenkkadu, Payur, Eyil, Thamal, Uttukadu, Kalathur, Chembur, Amur, Eethoor, Venkundram, Palkunram, Ilankadu, Kaliyur, Chriukarai, Paduvur, Kadikai, Chenthirukai, Kunrapattiram, and Venkadam Velur.
/Muttaraiyar community ruled over the Tanjore district in Tamilakkam
. They controlled the fertile plains of the Kaveri region. When the Cholas came to power, the Muttaraiyar were turned into feudatories. Muttaraiyar literally means King of three territories. They built many temples for Siva
. One of the most famous from this clan was Peru Muttaraiyar, who was known for his great wealth and grand feasts. Two stanzas (200, 296) of Nāladiyār
, one of the works of ancient Tamil literature, is dedicated to him. One of their titles was Lord of Tanjore.
During the period of Ko Rajakesarivarman Rajaraja Chola I
, we know of at least one high ranking chief and a feudatory of the Chola from this community: Śēkkizhār Araiyan Sankaranarayanan, also known as Chola-Muttaraiyan. Araiyan, which is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit
Raja or King, in this context means a chieftain or a governor. The title Chola Muttaraiyan means that he was a subordinate of the Chola King and was the Lord of the Muttaraiyar people.
, (the enlightened one), is the author of Sivagnanabodham and is considered the father of modern Shaivism
. Some historians like P.T Srinivasa Iyengar identify the Kalabhra king Achyuta Vikranta with Achyuta Kalappala, while others like Krishnaswami Aiyangar refute this theory. Iyengar holds the view that Achyuta Vikranta of Kalabhra kula was the same person as Achyuta Kalappala, and that Kalabhra in Pali
becomes Kalappala in Tamil. He he also proposes that Achyuta Vikranta was Tamil, as the three Tamil kings (Chera
, Chola, and Pandya) sing to him in Tamil when they are displaced and imprisoned.
mandalam was the region around Aragalur
and was ruled by the clan of Banas
. They were feudatories of the Chola and the Pallava
. One member of this clan was Ekambavānan or Ekamabara Mudaliyar. The son of a rich landlord and a Bana prince, he was tutored by the poet Kambar
. Tradition has it that on one occasion, the three kings, Chola, Chera, and Pandya, paid him a visit. His wife welcomes the kings and informs them that he had just left for the fields. To this, the three kings crack a joke that he has gone to plant the fields and that it was not an appropriate job for a prince. Enraged by the ridicule of the kings regarding agricultural operations, the wife retorts that her husband would indeed plant the crowns of the three kings in the fields.
When Ekambavanan returns, his wife informs of the visit of the kings and he immediately goes after them and takes them to task. The three kings realize their mistake and pay homage to Ekambavanan, who then releases them.
, the author of the Tamil hagiography Periyapuranam or The Great Purana, consisting of the life stories of the 63 Tamil Saiva Saints or the Nayanar
s, hailed from this community. Kulottonga was a devotee of Lord Siva Nataraja of Chidambaram and continued the reconstruction of the cult center of Tamil Shaivism
begun by his predecessors. At the same time he was enchanted by the Jain epic Jivaka Cintamani. To wean him away, Sekkizhar composed and sang the Tamil
epic Periyapuranam.
The Periyapuranam was composed during the 12th century during the reign of Kulothunga Chola II
. Sekkizhar introduces his brother as Thondaimān Pallavaraiyan, the Lord of Thondaimandalam and the king of the Pallava
s. When Thondaimandalam was affected by a famine, Sekkizhar sacrificed all his wealth in support of the people. For this act, the Chola king conferred upon him the title Thondaimandalam nindru kātha Perumāl (the great one who stood in front and saved Thondaimandalam). Here we have an inscription of him from the Amman shrine of the Kunnattur, Sriperumbudur Taluk on the west wall of the Amman shrine, Tirunagēśwara temple:
Tundaganādudaiyān literally means as the one who owns Tundaganādu which is the Sanskritized form of the Tamil Thondaimandalam.
Initially a feudatory of Rajaraja Chola III
(ruled 1216 to 1256), Kōpperunchingadēva I lived in one of the most turbulent times of the Chola and the Pallava
empires. He had numerous titles, a few of which were Alagiya Siyān (the handsome lion), Sakalabhuvana Chakravarthin (the emperor of the universe), and Avaniyālapirandān (born to rule the world). From multiple inscriptions, we know that he bore numerous titles and would assume the titles of all his ancestors: Ātkondadēvan, Gāngēyan, and Tamilnādu Kātha Pallavaraiyar or Tamilnādu Kātha Perumāl. In one of his inscriptions he is described thus (about mid 13th century):
The Chola empire was rife with corruption and was surrounded by hostile states waiting to make a move. He had to frequently suffer incursions by the Hoysalas into Thondaimandalam. Finally, the breaking of the treaty by king Maravarman Sundara Pandya and the blind eye turned by Rajaraja Chola III would enrage him so much that he would decide to take on the reigns of the Chola empire. He marched to Sendamangalam and imprisoned the Chola king and become the guardian of young prince Rajendra Chola III
. Rajaraja Chola III appealed to the Hoysala emperor Vira Narasihma, who was matrimonially related to the Chola family, for help. The Hoysala emperor realised the weak state of affairs in the Chola empire, and took this opportunity to expand his own empire. Kopperinchinga submitted briefly and released the Chola emperor.
After having released Rajaraja Chola III, Kopperunchinga I retreated, regrouped. He decided to take a stand one last time. He dispatched his son, Kopperinchingadēva II. Born to Kōpperunchingadēva I and his wife Silāvathi, he fought the Hoysalas in the north-west, the Telugu Tikkas in the north, and the Pandyas in the south. He razed the Hoysala empire in the north-west, planted a pillar of victory, assumed the title Karanataka mana mardhana, and then performed the Tulahabara (weighing oneself against gold and precious gems) with the huge war booty at Tillai (Chidambaram
). He installed Rajendra Chola III on the throne and they worked together to regain some of the lost territories of the Chola empire). It is for this reason that he is described in his inscription as the Sun to the Lotus tank (of Chola).
was the Vellala Dalavoy (Chief Office Holder) of the Vijayanagar viceroy Viswanatha Nayaka (1529–64). He took power in the rich Tamaraparani rice lands. He is credited with founding the palayam or small principalities system ruled by petty chiefs called poligar or palayakarars. He divided the Pandya kingdom into 72 palayams and commanded the 72 dry-zone poligar chiefs. The Thousand Pillar Hall in the Meenakshi Temple was constructed by him in 1569. At the entrance of the Mandapam, there is a statue of him seated on horseback.
Ariyanatha Mudaliar
was a pre-colonial military figure and enjoyed a cult status in southern Tamil Nadu. He became a tutelary patron figure amongst some of the region's cattle-keeping groups.
stated that "the great sage Vashista took the crown from ancestors of Vallal Sadaiyappa Mudaliar and crowned the King Rama".
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
caste in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. They trace their lineage to the ancient Chola Velirs (relatives of the Chola Dynasty). Sekkizhar
Sekkizhar
Sekkizhar was a poet and scholar of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, a Saiva saint contemporary with the reign of Kulothunga Chola II. He compiled and wrote the Periya Puranam , 4253 verses long,recounting the life stories of the sixty-three Shaiva Nayanars, the poets of Shiva who composed the liturgical...
, the author of the Periyapuranam, was from this community.
Sangam and Medieval Tamil literature
According to Sangam literatureSangam literature
Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam...
, the Vēlir migrated from the Gangetic plains of ancient Dvārakā under the guidance of the sage Agastya
Agastya
Agastya was a Tamil/Vedic Siddhar or sage. Agastya and his clan are also generally credited with uncovering many mantras of the Rig Veda, the earliest and most revered Hindu scripture, in the sense of first having the mantras revealed in his mind by the Supreme Brahman...
. This is described by Nacchinarkkiniyar in his commentary on the Tolkāppiyam
Tolkappiyam
The Tolkāppiyam is a work on the grammar of the Tamil language and the earliest extant work of Tamil literature. It is written in the form of noorpaa or short formulaic compositions and comprises three books - the Ezhuttadikaram, the Solladikaram and the Poruladikaram. Each of these books is...
(Payiram; Porul.34). The sage Agastya took with him 18 families of Vēls or Vēlirs
Vellalar
Vellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
and their kings from Tuvarai (identified with Dvārakā) in the north, and migrated south. Irunkōvēl
Irunkōvēl
Irunkōvēl also Irungkōvēl, Irukkuvēl, Ilangōvēlar was a title of the Irunkōvēl line of Tamil Velir kings. The Irunkovel line of kings ruled over Kō nādu identified with the Kodumbalur and surrounding areas in ancient Tamilakkam...
, a Vēlir King of the Irunkōvēl line and a contemporary of Karikala Chola
Karikala Chola
Karikala Chola or Karikala Chozhan was one of the great Tamil kings of Early Chola during the Sangam period. He was the son of Ilamcetcenni and ruled around 270 BC....
(circa 270 BCE), mentions his lineage and traces it back 49 generations to one of the kings of their ancestral home in Dvārakā. This is repeated by the poet Kapilar
Kapilar
Kapilar was a Sangam poet. He was a contemporary of Karikala Chola, Irunkōvēl and Vēl Pāri. He was the close friend and confidant of Vēl Pāri, one of the Vēlir kings.-Life:He was born into a Brahmin family in Tiruvadavur in the Pandyan Kingdom...
when he sings to Irunkōvēl and asks him to marry the two daughters of his close friend and patron Vēl Pāri
Vēl Pāri
Vēl Pāri was the title of the line of Tamil Vēlir Kings who ruled Parambu nādu and surrounding regions in ancient Tamilakkam. The most famous among them lived towards the end of the Sangam era and was the patron and friend of poet Kapilar. He is extolled for his benevolence and for his patronage of...
, another Vēlir king.
Sekkizhar
Sekkizhar
Sekkizhar was a poet and scholar of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, a Saiva saint contemporary with the reign of Kulothunga Chola II. He compiled and wrote the Periya Puranam , 4253 verses long,recounting the life stories of the sixty-three Shaiva Nayanars, the poets of Shiva who composed the liturgical...
, one of the most prominent members of this community, is referred to as Ganga-Kula Tilaka, and his lineage is extolled in various pieces of medieval Tamil literature, the most notable among them being his biography by Umapati Sivacharya. He was born in Kunrattur and would soon rise to become the Chief Minister of Kulothunga Chola II
Kulothunga Chola II
Kulothunga Chola II was a 12th century king of the Chola Dynasty of the Tamil people of South India. He succeeded his father Vikrama Chola to the throne in 1135 CE. Vikrama Chola made Kulothunga his heir apparent and coregent in 1133 CE, so the inscriptions of Kulothunga II count his reign from...
.
Migration
48,000 VellalarVellalar
Vellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
s migrated north with the Chola King Karikala Chola
Karikala Chola
Karikala Chola or Karikala Chozhan was one of the great Tamil kings of Early Chola during the Sangam period. He was the son of Ilamcetcenni and ruled around 270 BC....
(ruled around 270 BCE) after he conquered Thondaimandalam from the Kurumbar
Kurumbar
Kurumbar or Kurumans or Kurubaru caste are shepherds of South India. They are indigenous people of India. Even though they are called in different names like 'Kurumans', 'Kurumbar' or 'Kuruba' and these names are synonyms and one and the same. They speak Kuruman tribal Kannada language. Their God...
s, a nomadic tribe also known as the Aruvalars. He parcelled out the land to the Vellalar chiefs, now known as the Thondaimandala Mudaliars, and divided the territory into 24 Kottams or districts: Pulal, Puliyur, Eekadu, Manavur
Manavur
The historical village of Manavur lay 54 kilometers from Chennai on the Central-Arakkonam rail route. This village dates back to as early as the 7th century...
, Chenkkadu, Payur, Eyil, Thamal, Uttukadu, Kalathur, Chembur, Amur, Eethoor, Venkundram, Palkunram, Ilankadu, Kaliyur, Chriukarai, Paduvur, Kadikai, Chenthirukai, Kunrapattiram, and Venkadam Velur.
Nāladiyār
During the pre-Chola period, the chiefs of the MuthurajaMuthuraja
Mutharaiyar or Muthuraja are a community of landowners who ruled over Kaveri Delta Region before the Cholas. Mutharaiyar earlier were a line of kings and were for a long time feudatory to the Pallavas, ruling part of Tamil Nadu in Southern India...
/Muttaraiyar community ruled over the Tanjore district in Tamilakkam
Ancient Tamil country
The Sangam period is the classical period in the history of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other parts of South India, spanning about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE...
. They controlled the fertile plains of the Kaveri region. When the Cholas came to power, the Muttaraiyar were turned into feudatories. Muttaraiyar literally means King of three territories. They built many temples for Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. One of the most famous from this clan was Peru Muttaraiyar, who was known for his great wealth and grand feasts. Two stanzas (200, 296) of Nāladiyār
Nalatiyar
Naaladiyar is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Naaladiyar contains 400 poems, each containing four lines...
, one of the works of ancient Tamil literature, is dedicated to him. One of their titles was Lord of Tanjore.
During the period of Ko Rajakesarivarman Rajaraja Chola I
Rajaraja Chola I
Raja Raja Chola I born Arunmozhi Thevar , popularly known as Raja Raja the Great, is one of the greatest emperors of the Tamil Chola Empire of India who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE...
, we know of at least one high ranking chief and a feudatory of the Chola from this community: Śēkkizhār Araiyan Sankaranarayanan, also known as Chola-Muttaraiyan. Araiyan, which is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Raja or King, in this context means a chieftain or a governor. The title Chola Muttaraiyan means that he was a subordinate of the Chola King and was the Lord of the Muttaraiyar people.
Sivagnana Botham
The Kalappālar clan was an ancient and powerful Tamil clan which finds mention in Tamil literature. They embraced Saivism among other sects and religions. Two of the most famous from this clan are Achyuta Kalappālarāyan and his pious son Meykanda Deva. Achyuta Kalappālarāyan was a powerful chieftain or king, while his son, Meykanda DevaMeikandadevar
Meikanda Thevar was a Hindu poet and expert in Hindu metaphysics and theology.-Personal life:Meikandadevar was born Seetavana Perumal at the town of Vennei-nallur situated on the river Pennar.-Works:...
, (the enlightened one), is the author of Sivagnanabodham and is considered the father of modern Shaivism
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
. Some historians like P.T Srinivasa Iyengar identify the Kalabhra king Achyuta Vikranta with Achyuta Kalappala, while others like Krishnaswami Aiyangar refute this theory. Iyengar holds the view that Achyuta Vikranta of Kalabhra kula was the same person as Achyuta Kalappala, and that Kalabhra in Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
becomes Kalappala in Tamil. He he also proposes that Achyuta Vikranta was Tamil, as the three Tamil kings (Chera
Chera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
, Chola, and Pandya) sing to him in Tamil when they are displaced and imprisoned.
Ekambavānan
MagadaiMagadai
Magadai or Magadai Mandalam was a Tamil dynasty that flourished during the 13th and 14th centuries near the modern-day Aragalur. Aragalurudaiya Ponparappinan Rajarajadevan, alias Magadesan, was the Bana chief who ruled this region around 1197...
mandalam was the region around Aragalur
Aragalur
Aragalur is a village in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is about 6 km from Thalaivasal and 70 km from Salem.-Etymology:...
and was ruled by the clan of Banas
Bana Kingdom
The Banas were a dynasty of South India, who claimed descent from the asura Mahabali. The dynasty takes its name from Bana, the son of Mahabali. The Banas faced opposition from several neighbouring dynasties and served some major dynasties such as the Cholas and Pandyas as feudatories, sometimes...
. They were feudatories of the Chola and the Pallava
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
. One member of this clan was Ekambavānan or Ekamabara Mudaliyar. The son of a rich landlord and a Bana prince, he was tutored by the poet Kambar
Kambar
Kambar was a medieval Tamil poet and the author of the Tamil Ramayanam known as Kambaramayanam, the Tamil version of Ramayana. Kambar also authored other literary works in Tamil such as Erezhupathu,Silaiezhupathu, Kangai Puranam and Sarasvati Anthati.-Life:Kambar belonged to the Ochchan or Occhan...
. Tradition has it that on one occasion, the three kings, Chola, Chera, and Pandya, paid him a visit. His wife welcomes the kings and informs them that he had just left for the fields. To this, the three kings crack a joke that he has gone to plant the fields and that it was not an appropriate job for a prince. Enraged by the ridicule of the kings regarding agricultural operations, the wife retorts that her husband would indeed plant the crowns of the three kings in the fields.
When Ekambavanan returns, his wife informs of the visit of the kings and he immediately goes after them and takes them to task. The three kings realize their mistake and pay homage to Ekambavanan, who then releases them.
Periyapuranam
SekkizharSekkizhar
Sekkizhar was a poet and scholar of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, a Saiva saint contemporary with the reign of Kulothunga Chola II. He compiled and wrote the Periya Puranam , 4253 verses long,recounting the life stories of the sixty-three Shaiva Nayanars, the poets of Shiva who composed the liturgical...
, the author of the Tamil hagiography Periyapuranam or The Great Purana, consisting of the life stories of the 63 Tamil Saiva Saints or the Nayanar
Nayanar
Nayanar can refer to:*Nayanars, Shaivite saints from Tamil Nadu, India.*Nayanar , an honorific title used by certain clans of Nair caste from the north Malabar region of Kerala, India.*Nayanar, title used by Isai Vellalar of Tamil Nadu...
s, hailed from this community. Kulottonga was a devotee of Lord Siva Nataraja of Chidambaram and continued the reconstruction of the cult center of Tamil Shaivism
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
begun by his predecessors. At the same time he was enchanted by the Jain epic Jivaka Cintamani. To wean him away, Sekkizhar composed and sang the Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
epic Periyapuranam.
The Periyapuranam was composed during the 12th century during the reign of Kulothunga Chola II
Kulothunga Chola II
Kulothunga Chola II was a 12th century king of the Chola Dynasty of the Tamil people of South India. He succeeded his father Vikrama Chola to the throne in 1135 CE. Vikrama Chola made Kulothunga his heir apparent and coregent in 1133 CE, so the inscriptions of Kulothunga II count his reign from...
. Sekkizhar introduces his brother as Thondaimān Pallavaraiyan, the Lord of Thondaimandalam and the king of the Pallava
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
s. When Thondaimandalam was affected by a famine, Sekkizhar sacrificed all his wealth in support of the people. For this act, the Chola king conferred upon him the title Thondaimandalam nindru kātha Perumāl (the great one who stood in front and saved Thondaimandalam). Here we have an inscription of him from the Amman shrine of the Kunnattur, Sriperumbudur Taluk on the west wall of the Amman shrine, Tirunagēśwara temple:
Tundaganādudaiyān literally means as the one who owns Tundaganādu which is the Sanskritized form of the Tamil Thondaimandalam.
Initially a feudatory of Rajaraja Chola III
Rajaraja Chola III
Rajaraja Chola III succeeded Kulothunga Chola III on the Chola throne in July 1216 CE. Rajaraja came to the throne of a kingdom much reduced in size as well as influence...
(ruled 1216 to 1256), Kōpperunchingadēva I lived in one of the most turbulent times of the Chola and the Pallava
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
empires. He had numerous titles, a few of which were Alagiya Siyān (the handsome lion), Sakalabhuvana Chakravarthin (the emperor of the universe), and Avaniyālapirandān (born to rule the world). From multiple inscriptions, we know that he bore numerous titles and would assume the titles of all his ancestors: Ātkondadēvan, Gāngēyan, and Tamilnādu Kātha Pallavaraiyar or Tamilnādu Kātha Perumāl. In one of his inscriptions he is described thus (about mid 13th century):
The Chola empire was rife with corruption and was surrounded by hostile states waiting to make a move. He had to frequently suffer incursions by the Hoysalas into Thondaimandalam. Finally, the breaking of the treaty by king Maravarman Sundara Pandya and the blind eye turned by Rajaraja Chola III would enrage him so much that he would decide to take on the reigns of the Chola empire. He marched to Sendamangalam and imprisoned the Chola king and become the guardian of young prince Rajendra Chola III
Rajendra Chola III
Rajendra Chola III was the son of Rajaraja Chola III who came to the Chola throne in 1246 CE. Although his father Rajaraja III was still alive, Rajendra began to take effective control over the administration...
. Rajaraja Chola III appealed to the Hoysala emperor Vira Narasihma, who was matrimonially related to the Chola family, for help. The Hoysala emperor realised the weak state of affairs in the Chola empire, and took this opportunity to expand his own empire. Kopperinchinga submitted briefly and released the Chola emperor.
After having released Rajaraja Chola III, Kopperunchinga I retreated, regrouped. He decided to take a stand one last time. He dispatched his son, Kopperinchingadēva II. Born to Kōpperunchingadēva I and his wife Silāvathi, he fought the Hoysalas in the north-west, the Telugu Tikkas in the north, and the Pandyas in the south. He razed the Hoysala empire in the north-west, planted a pillar of victory, assumed the title Karanataka mana mardhana, and then performed the Tulahabara (weighing oneself against gold and precious gems) with the huge war booty at Tillai (Chidambaram
Chidambaram
Chidambaram is a fast growing industrial city in Eastern part of Tamil Nadu and the taluk headquarters of the Cuddalore district. It is located in 58 km from Pondicherry, 60 km from Karaikal, and 240 km south of Chennai by rail...
). He installed Rajendra Chola III on the throne and they worked together to regain some of the lost territories of the Chola empire). It is for this reason that he is described in his inscription as the Sun to the Lotus tank (of Chola).
Ariyanatha Mudaliar
Ariyanatha MudaliarAriyanatha Mudaliar
Ariyanatha Mudaliar was the Vellala Delavoy and the able Chief Minister of the greatest of the Nayaka domains established by the Vijayanagar viceroy and later ruler of Madurai, Viswanatha Nayak...
was the Vellala Dalavoy (Chief Office Holder) of the Vijayanagar viceroy Viswanatha Nayaka (1529–64). He took power in the rich Tamaraparani rice lands. He is credited with founding the palayam or small principalities system ruled by petty chiefs called poligar or palayakarars. He divided the Pandya kingdom into 72 palayams and commanded the 72 dry-zone poligar chiefs. The Thousand Pillar Hall in the Meenakshi Temple was constructed by him in 1569. At the entrance of the Mandapam, there is a statue of him seated on horseback.
Ariyanatha Mudaliar
Ariyanatha Mudaliar
Ariyanatha Mudaliar was the Vellala Delavoy and the able Chief Minister of the greatest of the Nayaka domains established by the Vijayanagar viceroy and later ruler of Madurai, Viswanatha Nayak...
was a pre-colonial military figure and enjoyed a cult status in southern Tamil Nadu. He became a tutelary patron figure amongst some of the region's cattle-keeping groups.
Ceremonies
The members of this community held the right of handing over the crown at the time of coronation ceremony (mudi-sootu vizha) of kings and religious heads. In the Tamil classical literature, Kamba-ramayana, Kavi-chakravarthy KambarKambar
Kambar was a medieval Tamil poet and the author of the Tamil Ramayanam known as Kambaramayanam, the Tamil version of Ramayana. Kambar also authored other literary works in Tamil such as Erezhupathu,Silaiezhupathu, Kangai Puranam and Sarasvati Anthati.-Life:Kambar belonged to the Ochchan or Occhan...
stated that "the great sage Vashista took the crown from ancestors of Vallal Sadaiyappa Mudaliar and crowned the King Rama".
Historical personalities
- SekkizharSekkizharSekkizhar was a poet and scholar of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, a Saiva saint contemporary with the reign of Kulothunga Chola II. He compiled and wrote the Periya Puranam , 4253 verses long,recounting the life stories of the sixty-three Shaiva Nayanars, the poets of Shiva who composed the liturgical...
, the author of the Tamil hagiography Periyapuranam or The Great Purana consisting of the life stories of the 63 Tamil Saiva Saints or the Nayanars hailed from this community.
- Thirunavukkarusu Nayanar, also known as Appar, one of the 63 NayanarsNayanarsThe Nayanars or Nayanmars were Shaivite devotional poets of Tamil Nadu, active between the fifth and the tenth centuries CE...
, celebrated by Sekkizhar in his epic Periyapuranam hailed from this community. He was a contemporary of Tirugnanasambandhar (younger of the two) and lived during 7th century. SambandharCampantarTirugnana Sampantar was a young Saiva poet-saint of Tamil Nadu who lived around the 7th century CE....
affectionately referred to him as appa(father). Though born into an orthodox saivite family, Appar initially embraced Jainism and was known as Dharmasena. He would later convert back to Saivism and travel to many places and undergo ordeals to show his devotion to SivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. He would sing one of his hymns in praise of SivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
at Vaitheeswaran KoilVaitheeswaran TempleVaitheeswaran Temple or Pullirukkuvelur is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located in Tamil Nadu, India. Shiva is worshipped as Vaitheeswaran or the "God of healing" and it is believed that prayers to Vaitheeswaran can cure diseases. It is one of the nine Navagraha temples associated...
.
- Kotpuli NayanarKotpuliKotpuli was a Nayanar saint of South India. He was one of the 63 Nayanars hailing from Nattiyantankuti. He was so attached to Lord Siva that he allotted a heap of paddy in the form of huge hill in each of the Siva temples to feed the Saiva devotees....
, one of the 63 Nayanars hailed from Nattiyantankuti. He was so attached to Lord Siva that he allotted a heap of paddy in the form of huge hill in each of the Siva temples to feed the Saiva devotees.
- Vallal Sadaiyappa Mudaliar, a rich 12th-century Vellala chief who had residences at Puduvai (Pondicherry) and Thiruvenainallur. He was known for his philanthropic activities. He was a close friend and a patron of Tamil national poet Kambar, who wrote Ramavataram and Pararajasingam.
- Ambi Aramvalartha Mudaliar was a minister during the reign of KrishnadevarayaKrishnadevarayaŚrī Kriṣhṇa Devarāya , , , and also known as Krishna Devarayulu in some inscriptions was the famed Emperor of the Vijayanagara Empire who reigned from 1509–1529 CE.He is the third ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty. Presiding over the empire at its zenith, he is regarded as an icon by many Indians...
(1509-1530 AD).
- Andhaka Kavi Vira Raghava MudaliarAndaka Kaviviraraghava MudaliarAndaka Kaviviraraghava Mudaliar was a famous Tamil poet. He was born blind. However, he possessed a unique talent for poetry.- Poetical works :...
was a poet of the 16th century. He was from Pon-vilaintha Kalathur.
- Maavai Kumaraswamy Mudaliar administered the districts of MaduraiMaduraiMadurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
, TirunelveliTirunelveliTirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
, and Trichy from 1688 to 1700. His son-in-law, Aarai Aagappa Mudaliar, administered these areas from 1701 to 1726. Since Aarai Alagappa Mudaliar had no children, he handed over the authority to his sister’s son-in-law, Dalavoy Kumaraswamy Mudaliar, whose direct descendants enjoy the title of "Dalavoy" to this day.
- Subramanya Mudaliar, a patron of arts and literature, was a Minister in the Pudukottai Kingdom. He is a direct descendant of SekkizharSekkizharSekkizhar was a poet and scholar of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, a Saiva saint contemporary with the reign of Kulothunga Chola II. He compiled and wrote the Periya Puranam , 4253 verses long,recounting the life stories of the sixty-three Shaiva Nayanars, the poets of Shiva who composed the liturgical...
.
Freedom fighters
- Muthuranga MudaliarMuthuranga MudaliarMuthuranga Mudaliar was a well known freedom-fighter from Nasarath pettai near Poonamallee in Thiruvallur District. He participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942 along with Prakasam, V. V. Giri, M. Bhakthavatsalam, K. Kamaraj and other freedom fighters...
: A well known freedom-fighter; hailed from Vanavarayar Gothram of Nasarath Pettai near PoonamalleePoonamalleePoonamallee is a town in the Poonamallee taluk of the Thiruvallur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
in Thiruvallur District
Social work
- Sarojini VaradappanSarojini VaradappanSarojini Varadappan is an Indian social worker from the state of Tamil Nadu. She is the daughter of former Chief Minister of Madras, M. Bhaktavatsalam.- Early life :...
, Indian freedom-fighter and social activist; daughter of M. BhaktavatsalamM. BhaktavatsalamMinjur Bhaktavatsalam was an Indian lawyer, politician and freedom fighter from the state of Tamil Nadu. He served as the Chief Minister of Madras state from October 2, 1963 to March 6, 1967...
Literature
- Makaral Karthikeya MudaliarMakaral Karthikeya MudaliarMakaral Karthikeya Mudaliar was a renowned scholar and a poet of 19th century from Veyttur, near Madurantakam. He had authored a number of Tamil books such as Velir varalaatru maanbu, Aathichudi Muthar Viruthiyurai, Tamil Solvilakkam and Mozhi nool -References:...
: A scholar and poet in the 19th century who hailed from Veyttur, near MaduranthakamMaduranthakamMaduranthakam is a town and a municipality in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town is known for the man-made and second largest lake in Tamil Nadu, the Maduranthakam Lake. It is believed to be built by the Chola King Uthama Choza, also called as Maduranthakar, during...
. He authored a number of Tamil books, including Veleer varalaatrumanbu, Tamil Solvilakkam, and Mozhi Nool.
- Mahavidwan Vasudeva MudaliarMahavidwan Vasudeva MudaliarMahavidwan Vasudeva Mudaliar was a renowned poet from Chettipalayam near Pothanur in Coimbatore District. His poetic verse called Thalapuranam in praise of The Lord Skanda is at Thirumuruganpoondi...
: A from ChettipalayamChettipalayamChettipalayam is a suburb of Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu, India. The place and its vicinity is also home to Kari Motor Speedway and the Coimbatore Golf Club. It is located 17 km away from Coimbatore Junction. There is also a railway station in Podanur nearby...
near PothanurPothanurPothanur is a panchayat town in Namakkal district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Demographics: India census, Pothanur had a population of 13,967. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Pothanur has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male...
in CoimbatoreCoimbatoreCoimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
District
- Raosahib Vellakal Pa. Subramania MudaliarPa. Subramania MudaliarPa. Subramania Mudaliar was a renowned poet of 19th century from Vellakal, Tirunelveli District. He had written a number of Tamil books such as Kombi virutham and Akaligai venba and a book on Tamil literature . He had pioneered the translation of veterinary texts from English into Tamil.-References:...
: A Tamil poet of the 19th century who hailed from Athur Mappothiyar gothram of Vellakal, TirunelveliTirunelveliTirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
District
- Rasikamani T.K. Chidambaranatha MudaliarTK Chidambaranatha MudaliarT. K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar was a well known Tamil scholar from Tenkasi. He was considered as one of the founding authors of Tamil renaissance movement. He had authored Tamil books such as Ithaya Oli and Kambar tharum Ramayanam. He was popularly known as "Rasigamani". He was a great researcher...
: A scholar and author of Kambar tharum Ramayanam; hailed from Athur Mopothiyar Gothram of TenkasiTenkasiTenkasi pronounced as is a town and a municipality in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the foothills of the Western Ghats near the Courtallam Waterfalls.Tenkasi is also famous for saaral...
Arts and music
- Salem K.Meera a Karnatic musician in Salem
- KS RaviKumar, a cinema director
Politics
- C. Muttukumarasami MudaliyarC. Muttukumarasami MudaliyarChunampet Muttukumarasami Mudaliyar was the hereditary zamindar of Chunampet in Chingleput district and politician who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council for three consecutive terms from 1904 to 1907. His son Arunachala Mudaliar was a popular politician of the Justice Party....
, Indian politician and hereditary zamindarZamindarA Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
of ChunampetChunampetChunampet is a village in the Cheyyur taluk of Kanchipuram district in India. It is located 99 kilometres from Chennai and 22 kilometres from Madurantakam on the Madurantakam-Marakkanam road. It was the seat of the zamindari of Chunampet during the colonial era...
. Member of the Madras Legislative Council 1904-7 - S. Muthiah MudaliarS. Muthiah MudaliarS. Muthiah Mudaliar CIE was an Indian politician and legislator of the Justice Party and later, the Swarajya Party and an independent minister in the Madras Presidency. He is largely remembered for introducing the Communal Government Order implementing reservations in the Presidency.Muthiah...
, Minister in the Composite Madras Government, 1928-1930 as a member of the Indian Justice PartyIndian Justice PartyIndian Justice Party is a political party of India that was established by Dr. Udit Raj.-External links:* *...
. He was the author of the Communal Government Order in Madras PresidencyMadras PresidencyThe Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
in 1928. - Sir P. T. RajanP. T. RajanSir Ponnambala Thiaga Rajan was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from April 4, 1936 to August 24, 1936. He was also the last President of the Justice Party....
(1892–1974): Justice Party politician and Chief Minister of Madras Presidency in 1936 - Palanivel Rajan (1933–2006): Politician of the Dravida Munnetra KazhagamDravida Munnetra KazhagamDravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
. Speaker, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, 1996–2001. Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (2006). - M. BhaktavatsalamM. BhaktavatsalamMinjur Bhaktavatsalam was an Indian lawyer, politician and freedom fighter from the state of Tamil Nadu. He served as the Chief Minister of Madras state from October 2, 1963 to March 6, 1967...
(1897–1987): Indian freedom fighter and leader of the Indian National CongressIndian National CongressThe Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. Chief Minister of Madras state from 1963 to 1967. - O. V. AlagesanO. V. AlagesanOzhalur Viswanatha Mudaliar Alagesan was an Indian politician and freedom fighter from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He served as a member of the Indian Parliament from 1951 to 1957, 1962 to 1967 and from 1971 to 1979....
(1911–1992): Indian politician and leader of the Indian National Congress. Minister of External Affairs in the Union Government and Minister of Railways. He resigned his post after a railway accident at AriyalurAriyalurAriyalur is a Municipality in Ariyalur district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.-Geography:Ariyalur is a municipality and headquarters of Ariyalur District in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is rich in limestone resources. Big industrial houses like Birlas , India cements, Dalmia cements, Madras...
, Tamil Nadu. - V. R. NedunchezhiyanV. R. NedunchezhiyanV.R. Nedunchezhiyan was a former finance minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He was also the acting chief minister of Tamil Nadu in two tenures .He was born at Thirukkannapuram in a Hindu Mudaliar family...
(1920–2001): Founding member of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. President of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (1962–1967). Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1969 and 1987. He was Education Minister in the Dravida Munnetra KazhagamDravida Munnetra KazhagamDravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
(DMK) Government and Finance Minister in the AIADMK Government during the M. G. RamachandranM. G. RamachandranMaruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
period and the J. JayalalithaaJ. JayalalithaaJayalalithaa Jayaram ; born 24 February 1948) commonly referred to as J. Jayalalitha, is the Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. She is the incumbent general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian party. She is called Amma and Puratchi Thalaivi by her...
period. He held portfolios as Minister for more than 25 years in the State of Tamil Nadu. - Professor K Anbazhagan: General Secretary, DMK Party. He was Minister for Health, Minister for Education, and is currently Finance Minister. He has served for more than 25 years as Minister in the Government of Tamil Nadu.
- P. ShanmugamP. ShanmugamP. Shanmugham was the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Pondicherry . He served from March 22, 2000 to October 27, 2001.- Notes :...
: Former Chief Minister of Pondicherry - Jayanthi NatarajanJayanthi NatarajanJayanthi Natarajan is an Indian lawyer and politician. She is a member of the Indian National Congress and has been thrice elected Member of Parliament representing the state of Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha. Since July 2011, she has been the Minister of Forests and Environment.-Early...
- M.P. and congress politician, granddaughter of M. BhaktavatsalamM. BhaktavatsalamMinjur Bhaktavatsalam was an Indian lawyer, politician and freedom fighter from the state of Tamil Nadu. He served as the Chief Minister of Madras state from October 2, 1963 to March 6, 1967...
. She was Minister of Aviation and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India.
Further reading
- Thondaimandala Mudaliars Vamsavali (1st & 2nd editions),
- Thondainadum athan tholkudiyum by Sri.C.S.Kannayiram,
- The great temple of Madurai published by Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Thirukkoil, Madurai