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The Velir (also known as Vellalar) were a royal house of minor dynastic kings and aristocratic chieftains in
Tamilakam Tamiḻakam (Tamil: தமிழகம்; Malayalam: തമിഴകം), refers to the geographical region inhabited by the ancient Tamil people, covering the southernmost region of the Indian subcontinent. Tamilakam covered today's Tamil Nad ...
in the early historic period of
South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
. They had close relations with Chera, Chola and Pandya rulers through ruling and coronation rights. Sangam literature and inscriptions claim that they belong to the Kshatriya dynasty of Yadu (legendary king).


Origin

According to the '' Tholkappiyam'', the earliest work of
Tamil literature Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution. Contributors to the Tamil literature are mainly from T ...
, eighteen clans of the Velirs came from the city of '' Tuvarapati'' under the leadership of the sage
Agastya Agastya ( kn, ಅಗಸ್ತ್ಯ, ta, அகத்தியர், sa, अगस्त्य, te, అగస్త్యుడు, ml, അഗസ്ത്യൻ, hi, अगस्त्य) was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the I ...
.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
Yadava The Yadava (literally, descended from Yadu) were an ancient Indian people who believed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Abhira, Andhaka, Vrishni, and Sat ...
of Dvaraka..

/ref> The legend goes that all the gods and sages went to the Himalayas to attend the marriage of Shiva, Siva with
Parvati Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...
due 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 of
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...
grammar, and eighteen members of the
Vrishni The Vrishnis (Brahmi: ''vri-shņi'') were an ancient Vedic Indian clan who were believed to be the descendants of Vrishni. It is believed that Vrishni was the son of Satvata, a descendant of Yadu, the son of Yayati. He had two wives, Gandhari a ...
family along with eighteen crore Velir and Aruvalar. 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 post
Harappa Harappa (; Urdu/ pnb, ) is an archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal. The Bronze Age Harappan civilisation, now more often called the Indus Valley Civilisation, is named after the site, which takes its name from a mode ...
n Chacolithic Black and Red ware sites. According to Thapar, the Yadava may have belonged to a non Indo-Aryan language group. They eventually reached
Tamraparni Tamraparni (Sanskrit for "with copper leaves" or "red-leaved") is an older name for multiple distinct places, including Sri Lanka, Tirunelveli in India, and the Thamirabarani River that flows through Tirunelveli. As a name for Sri Lanka The r ...
, and as the Velir-Perumakan group, cultivated its ancient civilisation as a political, sociocultural and economic structure in South India and Sri Lanka. The
Irunkōvēl Irunkōvēl, also known as ''Irungkōvēl'', ''Irukkuvēl'', and ''Ilangōvēlir'', was a title of the Irunkōvēl line of Velir kings. The Irunkovel line of kings ruled over ''Konadu'' identified with the Kodumbalur and surrounding areas in anc ...
kings trace their lineage to the clan of
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
; one of the inscriptions at Kodumbalur belonging to one of the kings in the Irunkovel line, namely Tennavan Irunkōvēl, declares that he belonged to the Kshatriya dynasty which is descended from
Yadu (legendary king) Yadu () is the founder of the Yadu dynasty in Hinduism. He is described to be the eldest son of King Yayati, and his queen, Devayani. Legend According to a narrative found in the Mahabharata, and the Vishnu Purana, Yadu refused to exchange ...
. The
Moovar Koil Moovar Koil or "The Three temples" is a Hindu temple complex situated in the village of Kodumbalur, 36 kilometres from Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu, India. These temples were constructed by the Chola Dynasty, Chola feudatory and Irukkuvel chieftain ...
record of Irukkuvel chief Boothi Vikramakesari lauds his father, Samarabirama, as ''Yadu-vamsa-ketu'' (Banner of the Yadu race). Historians consider the Ay velirs originated from the pastoralists of Ayars and they gained preeminence at an early stage in Tamil history.


History

The Velir were prominent in the
Sangam period The Sangam period or age (, ), particularly referring to the third Sangam period, is the period of the history of ancient Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Sri Lanka (then known as Tamilakam) spanning from c. 6th century BCE to c. 3rd century CE. ...
of Tamil polity, economy, and society. They are traced to the
Yadava The Yadava (literally, descended from Yadu) were an ancient Indian people who believed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the Abhira, Andhaka, Vrishni, and Sat ...
s (Yadu descent) of Dvaraka and linked up with all important dynasties of
South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
including the
Chalukyas The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
,
Hoysalas The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later moved ...
, and
Andhras Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
. 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 with
Three Crowned Kings The Three Crowned rulers, or the Three Glorified by Heaven, or World of the Three or The Tamil Kings, primarily known as ''Muvendar'', refers to the triumvirate of Chera, Chola and Pandya who dominated the politics of the ancient Tamil ...
. "Karmandala sathakam" a 12th-century work states that the Velirs (The eighteen groups of Vellalar) who ruled Karmandalam (Regions of Southern Karnataka and North Tamil Nadu) were branched-off from: *
Haihayas The Heheya Kingdom (also known as Haihaya, Haiheya, Heiheya _sa.html" ;"title="nowiki/> sa">हैहय was a kingdom ruled by the Yadava people, who claimed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. One of the mo ...
* Kadambas * Nulambas *Vaidhumbas * Dhandakas *
Satavahanas The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the lat ...
*
Kalachuris The Kalachuris ( IAST: Kalacuri), also known as Kalachuris of Mahishmati, were an Indian dynasty that ruled in west-central India between 6th and 7th centuries. They are also known as the Haihayas or as the Early Kalachuris to distinguish them ...
*
Pallavas The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana dynasty, with whom they had formerly served as f ...
*
Andhras Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
* Kunthalas *Dhayanas * Yadhavas *
Hoysalas The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later moved ...
*
Rashtrakutas Rashtrakuta ( IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing the ...
*
Chalukyas The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
* Banas * Moryas * Thondayars 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 from Yadhavas lineage and the Ay chiefs of
Ay dynasty Ay (short from of Ayar) was one of the Tamil dynasties which controlled the south-western tip of the peninsula, from the early historic period up to the medieval period.The clan traditionally held sway over the harbour of Vizhinjam, the fert ...
of the ninth century A.D. claim to be the Vrishni-kula as also the Mushika kings who link themselves with
Haihaya The Heheya Kingdom (also known as Haihaya, Haiheya, Heiheya _sa.html" ;"title="nowiki/> sa">हैहय was a kingdom ruled by the Yadava people, who claimed to be descended from Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. One of the mo ...
origins. The
Periya Puranam The ''Periya‌ purāṇa‌m'' (Tamil: பெரிய‌ புராண‌ம்), that is, the ''great purana'' or epic, sometimes called ''Tiruttontarpuranam'' ("Tiru-Thondar-Puranam", the Purana of the Holy Devotees), is a Tamil poetic ...
describes about a Haiheya clan king
Eyarkon Kalikama Nayanar Eyarkon Kalikkama Nayanar, also known as Kalikkamanar, Kalikamba Nayanar, was a King of Heheya Kingdom, Haihaya (Eyar), Commander-in-chief of the Chola army, a Nayanars, Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hinduism, Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is gener ...
, he was a Vellalar saint and Commander-in-chief of the Chola army. The Ay velir chieftains, who settled down in Ay county (near Kanyakumari), were quite prominent in Tamil Nadu during the sangam age. The
Chalukyas The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
and Kadambas belonging to Manavya gotra as being the descendants of the original ancestress Hariti. The Karmandala Satakam states that the Velirs of karmandalam belong to the same "Manavya" Gotra. The Chalukya kings were called ''Velpularasar'' and ''Velkulattarasar'' by some communities, that is kings over ''Vel'' country (''pula'' means region or country). Later day references to them in Choļa inscriptions puts the Chalukyas under the Velir community ruling in Deccan. The Ay Vels were one such Velir group that ruled the territory in and around
Venad Venad was a medieval kingdom lying between the Western Ghat mountains and the Arabian Sea on the south-western tip of India with its headquarters at the port city of Kollam/Quilon.Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Is ...
during the Sangam period. The word Venad is derived from ''Vel'' -nadu, that is the country ruled by ''Vel'' chieftains. 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, in the Huzur plates of king Karunandakkan, the predecessor of Vikramaditya Varaguna. The
Irunkōvēl Irunkōvēl, also known as ''Irungkōvēl'', ''Irukkuvēl'', and ''Ilangōvēlir'', was a title of the Irunkōvēl line of Velir kings. The Irunkovel line of kings ruled over ''Konadu'' identified with the Kodumbalur and surrounding areas in anc ...
lines of Velir kings are considered to be of the same stock as the
Hoysala The Hoysala Empire was a Kannada people, Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, India, Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially loca ...
s as 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 capital
Dwarasamudra Halebidu (IAST: Haḷēbīḍ, literally "old capital, city, encampment" or "ruined city") is a town located in Hassan District, Karnataka, India. Historically known as Dorasamudra (also Dwarasamudra), Halebidu became the regal capital of the H ...
by some historians. 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. As per historian Arokiaswami, the Hoysala title ‘'Ballala'’ is only a variant of the Tamil word ‘'Vellala'’. The Hoysala king
Veera Ballala III Veera Ballala III (r. 1292–1342) was the last great king of the Hoysala Empire. During his rule, the northern and southern branches of the Hoysala empire (which included much of modern Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu) were consolidated and ...
is even now locally known as the ‘'Vellala Maharaja'’ in
Thiruvannamalai Tiruvannamalai (Tamil: ''Tiruvaṇṇāmalai'' IPA: , otherwise spelt ''Thiruvannamalai''; ''Trinomali'' or ''Trinomalee'' on British records) is a city, a spiritual, cultural, economic hub and also the administrative headquarters of Tiruvanna ...
, the town that served as their capital in 14th century. The Irungovel chieftains were related to the Cholas through matrimony. These princes assumed both the Chola and Irungovel titles like for example there was one Adavallan Gangaikonda Cholan alias Irungolan during the time of
Kulottunga I Kulottunga I (;1025 CE - 1122 CE) also spelt Kulothunga (), was a Chola Emperor who reigned from 1070 CE to 1122 CE succeeding his cousin Athirajendra Chola. He also served as the Eastern Chalukya king from 1061 CE to 1118 CE, succeeding his f ...
and then there was a certain Sendamangalam Udaiyan Araiyan Edirili Cholan alias Irungolan during the reign of Kulottunga III.


Velir chiefs

Athiyamān Nedumān Añci Athiyamān Nedumān Añji was one of the most powerful Velir kings of the Sangam era who ruled the region called Mazhanadu, a part of ancient Kongu Nadu and the great dynasty called Chera Dynasty.''Śrī puṣpāñjali, page 125'' A famous r ...
and his son Ezhini, were
Athiyamān Atiyamāṉ (also known as Adhiyamān, Adigamān or Satyaputra-Atiyān) were a royal Velir dynasty. These king-chiefs ruled from their capital Tagadur (present day Dharmapuri) from at least the 3rd century BCE. The royal house was one of the ...
chieftains, based in Tagadur (present day village located in
Dharmapuri district Dharmapuri is one of the 38 districts in the state of Tamil-Nadu, India. It is the first district created in Tamil Nadu after the independence of India by splitting it from then-Salem district on 2 October 1965. Dharmapuri District is one of t ...
). They were contemporaries of
Auvaiyar Avvaiyar (Tamil: ஔவையார்) was the title of more than one female poet who were active during different periods of Tamil literature. They were some of the most famous and important female poets of the Tamil canon. Abidhana Chinta ...
. The Sangam poem "''Thagadur yathirai''", now lost, was written about his battle with the Chera king. Another Velir was
Irunkōvēl Irunkōvēl, also known as ''Irungkōvēl'', ''Irukkuvēl'', and ''Ilangōvēlir'', was a title of the Irunkōvēl line of Velir kings. The Irunkovel line of kings ruled over ''Konadu'' identified with the Kodumbalur and surrounding areas in anc ...
who ruled over Konaadu, the area in and around
Pudukottai Pudukkottai is the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a large city located on the banks of the Vellar River. It has been ruled, at different times, by the mutharaiyar dynasty , Cholas, ...
, with their capital in
Kodumbalur Kodumbalur is a village in Tamil Nadu, India. It is the site of the Moovar Koil temple complex. Location It is located at a distance of 35km from Trichy and 40km from Pudukkottai. The name Kodumbalur has been mentioned in the Tamil epic Cilappa ...
. Nannan was another Velir chieftain who hailed from
Tulu Nadu Tulunad or Tulu Nadu, also called Bermere sristi or Parashurama Srishti, is a region and a proposed state on the southwestern coast of India. The Tulu people, known as 'Tuluva' (plural 'Tuluver'), speakers of Tulu, a Dravidian language, ar ...
. Yet another Velir chief was Pekan of the Vel Avi family who ruled over Pothini, the modern
Palani Palani ( or ''Palni'' as in British records, is a town and a taluk headquarters in Dindigul district of the western part of Tamil Nadu state in India. It is located about south-east of Coimbatore and north-west of Madurai, from Kodaikan ...
near
Madurai Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...
. Other ancient Velir chiefs of repute include Alumbil Vel, Alandur Vel, Ilanji Vel and Nangur Vel.


See also

* History of Tamil Nadu *
Ay dynasty Ay (short from of Ayar) was one of the Tamil dynasties which controlled the south-western tip of the peninsula, from the early historic period up to the medieval period.The clan traditionally held sway over the harbour of Vizhinjam, the fert ...
*
Agastya Agastya ( kn, ಅಗಸ್ತ್ಯ, ta, அகத்தியர், sa, अगस्त्य, te, అగస్త్యుడు, ml, അഗസ്ത്യൻ, hi, अगस्त्य) was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the I ...


References

{{reflist Tamil history History of Kerala History of Tamil Nadu Sri Lankan Tamil history