Pazhuvettarayar was sundara chozhan's treasurer, a battle-hardened old warrior,
and a powerful nobleman.
During the period of the Chola dynasty, when Uraiyoor was the capital of the
Chola kingdom, the Cholas had many local kings who were their supporters. One
among them called Pazhavettarayar ( from the Muthurayar community ) was the
king of Pazhuvoor. The name of Periya Pazhuvettarayar was Ambalavaanan. It is
mentioned in the ASI board kept outside the keezhap pazhuvur temple.
Paluvettaraiyar Maravan Kandanar is noted as an important general during Uttama
Chola reign. He also served under Sundara Chola. We will have lot of
difficulties fitting them into the historic pazhuvettaraiyar chronology.
Paluvettarayar = Pzhavettarayar
They were petty chiefs who were ruling present Kila-Paluvur and Mela-Paluvur,
in the Udaiyarpalayam taluk of the Tiruchirapalli district, during Chola
kingdom with the title Paluvettaraiyar, (which is one of the family name of
Kallar community). They were responsible for a number of benefactions to the
temples at this place and to have been related to the Chola by marriage. The
Kallars are one of the warrior tribes of Mudiraja / Muthuraja community.
Paluvettaraiyar figures largely in the inscriptions copied at Kila-Paaluvur and
Mela-Paluvur in the Tiruchchirappalli District. A.R. No. 231 of 1926 dated in
the 12th year of Parantaka, that Paluvettaraiyar Kandan Amudanar fought, on
behalf of his Chola overlord, a victorious battle at Vellur against the forces
of the Pandya king and his Ceylonese ally, in which the Pandya lost his life.
Kilappaluvur is part of the ancient settlement of Perumpaluvur ruled by
Paluvettaraiyar chieftains (under the hegemony of the Chola Kings) who had also
connections with the Cera clan in the west coast. Kilappaluvur is in
Trichi-Ariyalur route leading to the ancient Chola capital of
Gangaikondacholapuram.
Acertain Ambalavan Puluvur ( Pazhuvur) Nakkan figures very often in the records
of Parakesari and Rajakesari. His Chola overlords were Uttama Chola and
Rajaraja - I. Vikrama Chola was a title borne by Uttama Chola and his
subordinate Ambalavan Paluvur Nakkan also bore the same title. Similarly when
he figures in the records of Rajaraja-I, he is known as Ambalavam Puluvur
Nakkan alias Pallavuarayan .
His exact relationship with the main line of Paluvettaraiya mentioned above is
not known. In the time of Uttama Chola he figures as one of the noble men of
the king's council. He was a devotee of Shiva. In the 10th regnal year of
Uttama Chola, Ambalavan Puluvur Nakkan gave sheep for burning a perpetual lamps
to the temple of Vijayamangalam. In the 12th year of Uttama Chola also he gave
sheep to the same God for four perpetual lamps. His wives were also interested
in making donations to the Shiva temples. Aparajita Cheyyavaymani and
Singapanman Kanji Akkan the two wives of Ambalavan Paluvur made provision for
the burning of perpetual lamps in the temple constructed by their
husband.
The Lord Pazluvoor, the elder, - Ambalavan An important and powerful chieftain,
- Officer of Taxation, Food Supply and Finance for the Chozla Empire, elder
brother of Kalanthaka, Nandini's husband, about 65 years old. The Lord
Pazluvoor, the younger, Kalanthaka - Commander of Tanjore Fort, Captain of the
Guard Corps.
An important general during Uttama Chola's reign was Paluvettaraiyar Maravan
Kandanar, who also served under Sundara Chola. His son Kumaran Maravan also
served Uttama Chola. Ambalavan Paluvurnakkan (also known as Vikramasola
-Maharajan of Kuvalalam) features during Uttama Chola's rule and continues into
Rajaraja I's reign.
Pazhuvettaraiyar mystery ( of Kerala origin ) :
The famed pazhyvettaraiyars immortalised in ponniyinsevan were of kerala
origins. But how they came and settled in a chola heartland and managed to
survive in very high ranks is a mystery. Their relationships with cheras is not
clear. The major chera - chola relationship starts with aditya chola but become
more concrete in parantaka's times with his marriage of chera princes.
The king Parantaka married the daughter resembling regal glory incarnate of the
Kerala king, who was also called Paluvettarayar. Uthama Chola had among others,
a queen named Panchavanmatheviyar who was the daughter of the Chera king
Paluvettaraiyar also known as Kandan Sundera Cholan. ( Rajaraja Chola - 1 had a
queen known as Panchavanmathevi who was the daughter of Paluvettaraiyar Kandan
Maravan the Chera king of Paluvur on the west of Thirutchirappalli bordering Kerala
state ?? ) He also had a queen known as panchavanmathevi who was the daughter
of Paluvettaraiyar Kandan Maravan the Chera king of Paluvur on the west of
Thirutchirappalli bordering Kerala state. It was to this Vanavanmadevi the
greatest emperor in the Chola history namely the Rajendra Chola ? 1 was born
Pazhuvettaraiyars enjoyed atleast 1 to 1.5 centuries of royal life - parantaka,
arinjaya, kandarathitha and uttma times but completely lose their ground in
rajaraja's times - never to appear again.
Like their entry, their exit is also something that cannot be explained.
Pazhuvoor Nakkan panchavan mahadevi may have been his queen - but
pazhuvettaraiyars almost vanished at the time of rajaraja.
It should be remembered that rajaraja was the first chola king to wage war
against cheras breaking several decades of relationship. He ravages
kerala.
Paluvettaraiyars, from the region of Thiruchirapalli, closely associated with
the Cholas from the time of Parantaka I when he married a Paluvettaraiyar
princess, occupying a high position in the Chola administration. They
apparently enjoyed full responsibility and administration of the region of
Paluvur. Adigal Paluvettaraiyar Kandan Maravan had been one of the names of
those feudal chieftains found in inscriptions.
Aditha Chola was succeeded by his son Paranthaha Chola (A.D.907-953) on the
Chola throne. He married Udaiya Pirattiyar Kokkilan Adigal daughter of the
Chera king Rama Varma of Kulasekara dynasty. He also married the daughter of
another Chera king Paluvettaraiyar Kandan Amuthan named Arumoli Nangai ruling
from west Paluvur of the present Tirutchirappalli in Tamil Nadu bordering
Kerala. He had a further queen by the name Villavan Mathevi probably the
daughter of the Venad King of the Chera country, who refer themselves as
“Villavar’.
Dr.Kalaikkovan has written a monumental book on Pazhuvettaraiyars called
"Pazhuvur Pudhaiyalgal". He traces the genology of Pazhuvettaraiyars
with great accuracy - in this book. This is a reseach work on mela pazhuvur and
kila pazhuvur temples. Dr.Nalini and Akila did PhD on these temples - I.
Periya pazhuvettaraiyar based on udaiyargudi inscriptions : we need to
refer "Pazhuvoor Pudhaiyalgal" by Dr.R.Kalaikkovan before speculating
further. The last few pages of the book give a detailed chronology along with
years. In the book, there are names like Kumaran Maravan, Maravan Kandan etc -
all taken from names mentioned in epigraphs found at Avani gandarpa easwaram
temple at pazhuvoors. The person we are talking about was a mutharaiyar chief
as evident from title "sozha ( Chola) mutharaiyan". Pazhuvetaraiyars
bore the title "Pazhuvetaraiyan kandan maravan" etc.
The twin temples of Agasthiswara and Chiliswara, situated in Kilaiyur, near
Keezhapazhuvoor provides us with the following information: " The powerful
chieftains of Kilapaluvur, known as Pazhuvettaraiyars were connected by
marriage to the Cholas. Parantaka I was married to a daughter of this family.
There is a reason to believe from certain inscriptions that they were originally
from Kerala. Sambandar the tamil saint-poet also indicates that the family who
worshipped the deity at Paluvur were from Kerala."
The Chera king had the title Villavar Kon indicating Villavar clans founded the
ancient Chera Kingdom. The Emblem on the flag of Cheras was Bow and Arrow. The
Chera kingdom was founded by the integration of various Villvar tribes such as
Vanavar, Puraiyar, Velliar and Pazhuvettaraiyars.
The first Lord Pazluvoor, the elder, - Ambalavan An important and powerful
chieftain, - Officer of Taxation, Food Supply and Finance for the Chozla
Empire, elder brother of Kalanthaka, Nandini's husband, about 65 years old. The
second Lord Pazluvoor, the younger, Kalanthaka - Commander of Tanjore Fort,
Captain of the Guard Corps.
Chola = Choza
Aditha Chozha was succeeded by his son Paranthaka Chozha in A.D.907 and the
latter ruled up to AD 953). He married Udaiya Pirattiyar Kokkizhaan Adigal
daughter of the Chera king Rama Varma of Kulasekara dynasty. He also married
the daughter of another Chera king Pazhuvettaraiyar Kandan Amuthan named
Arumoli Nangai ruling from west Pazhuvur of the present Tirutchirappalli in
Tamil Nadu bordering Kerala. Still another of his queens was Villavan MaDevi
probably the daughter of the Venad King of the Chera country, who refer
themselves as "Villavar'. Paranthaka Chozha-1 had an elder son by
Kokizhaanadigal named Rajadithya, a second son by the name Kandaraditha and a
younger son by Arulmoli Nangai named Arinjayan. A native of Nandikkaraiputtur
of Kerala Country named Velankumaran was the general of the Chozha Prince
Rajadithya. This Prince was unfortunate to die very young, while engaging in a
war with Thondainadu.
After the demise of Sundara Chozha, his son Rajaraja 1 was of course the
legitimate heir to the Chozha throne, but he whole-heartedly gave the throne
away to Uthama Chozha (A.D.970-985) the son of Kandarathitha Chola . Uttama was
his uncle. Uthama Chozha had among others, a queen named Panchavanmatheviyar
who was the daughter of the Chera king Pazhuvettaraiyar known as Kandan Sundara
Chozhan.
Uthama Chozha died in the year A.D.985, and was succeeded by the rightful heir
Rajaraja Chozha-1{A.D. 985-1014}. One of Rajaraja's queens was Villavanma Devi
the daughter of the king of Venadu of Chera country. He also had a queen known
as Panchavanmathevi who was the daughter of Pazhuvettaraiyar Kandan Maravan the
Chera king of Pazhuvur on the west of Thiruchirappalli bordering Kerala state.
It was to this Vanavanmadevi that the greatest emperor in the Chozha history
namely Rajendra Chozha 1 was born.
The great honeymoon relation between the Cheras and the Chozhas was soon in
peril, because of the expansive ambitions of Rajaraja and his son.
The Pazuvettaraiyar clan has been around since the time of Vijayala Chola's
time. Because of their close ties to the royal family and their achievements,
the family had the special rights to fly their own clan flag. There were two
brothers of which the current elder Pazhuvettariyar held several important
positions in the govt. The only one I understood was that he collected tax and
dues from the smaller kingdoms that were under the Chola rule. At this point,
we know that the current Chola king goes by the name, Sundara Chola.
Ponniyin Selvan Novel
Pazhuvettarayar is one of the important character in Ponniyin Selvan Novel.
From the time of Vijayalayan the Pazhuvettarayar clan had enjoyed a tremendous
influence in the Chozha empire. Periya Pazhuvettarayar was Sundara Chozhar's
chancellor and Chinna Pazhuvettarayar, the Commandant of the Thanjavur fort.
Sundara Chozhar trusted them implicitly and wished never to do anything against
their wishes.
Ponniyin Selvan" is a fictional saga of epic proportions with a historical
background. The Chola king Sundara Chozha is on his death bed and has announced
his eldest son Aditya Karikalan as the crown prince. The people of course love
the second prince Arul Mozhi Varman and many want him to become the next king.
There's also Nandini, the bewitching beauty, with a mysterious past who wants
to take revenge on Sundara Chozha's clan including the two princes and their
sister princess Kundavai.
In any story, there is a hero and a heroine. In some stories one of them may be
a negative character. Pazhuvoor Illaiya Rani Nandhini is one such character in
Ponniyin Selvan. She occupies most part of the story, she is the most beautiful
woman in the story, she is talented yet she is the Bad Girl. Now Vandhiyathevan
is trapped in her deceitful plot.
The bewitching Nandhini was the wife of Chola chief general Periya
Pazhuvettarayar (who was aligned with Madhuranthakar) and unknown to her
husband is involved with a group of Pandya conspirators who are plotting to
destroy the Chola family.
The Pazhuvettarayars and a number of Chozha princes hated Aditha Karikalan,
because of his boorish manner and hasty temper. Karikalan's sister Kundavai
Piratti and brother Arulmozhi Varman, had endeared themselves totally to the
people of the Chozha country.
Therefore the princes were jealous of them also. Due to these reasons the
princes wanted to crown Maduranthaka Thevan as per the law of succession. They
resolved to do so, in a secret conclave, which they held in the palace of
Kadambur Sambuvaraiyar located in the north bank of the Kollidam. It so
happened that the proceedings of the secret conclave came to the notice of the
Vana warrior, Vandiyathevan.
As a child Nandini grew up in the house of a temple priest in Pazhayarai and
drew Aditha Karikalan's attention. Kundavai however was jealous of her beauty.
Even as a child Nandini was sent to the Pandya country as ordered by
Sembiyanmadevi. In the final battle with the Pandyas, Aditha Karikalan went in
search of Veerapandyan and found him in Nandini's small hut built on the bank
of the Vaigai. Nandini pleaded with him to spare Veerapandyan. Unheeding,
Karikalan beheaded Veerapandyan.
Later Nandini married the old Periya Pazhuvettarayar. The conspirators
Ravidasan, Revadasan, Soman Sambhavan and Kiramavithan, the erstwhile
bodyguards of Veerapandyan had sworn to exterminate the Sundara Chozhar clan to
a avenge Veerapandyan's death. Nandini helped them secretly.
The novel begins when Aditya Karikalan sends the warrior Vandiya Thevan to
Kundavai with a message....... and from then on it is an absorbing ride full of
action, drama and palace intrigue. Now, the complete novel is available in
English in 5 volumes (six actually since Part V is in two parts). Check out the
collection containing all the 6 books.
South Indian Inscriptions - volume XIX - inscriptions of Parakesari
Varman
No. 332 : (A.R. No. 165 of 1929): On the west wall of the same shrine - This
states that Ambalavan Paluvur-Nakkan alias Vikramasola-Marayan of Kuvalalam
(Kolar) the Perundaram of Uttama-Choladeva built of stone the Srivimana of the
temple of Vijayamangalatu-Deva at Periya Sri-Vanavanmadevi-chaturvedimangalam.
No. 333 :(A.R. No. 166 of 1929) : On the same wall - This records a gift of 96
sheep for burning a perpetual lamp with an ulakku of ghee everyday in the
temple, by Aparayitan Seyyavaymani wife of Ambalavan Paluvur-Nakkan who built
this stone temple. This is an inscription of Uttama-Chola.
South Indian Inscriptions - Volume XIII -Chola Inscription
12. A dynasty of chiefs known as the Paluvettaraiyar figures largely in the
inscriptions copied at Kila-Paaluvur and Mela-Paluvur in the Tiruchchirappalli
District. They seem to have held positions of power and influence under the
Cholas from the time of Parantaka I and to have been related to the royal
family by marriage. We find it mentioned in A.R. No. 231 of 1926 dated in the
12th year of Parantaka, that Paluvettaraiyar Kandan Amudanar fought, on behalf
of his Chola overlord, a victorious battle at Vellur against the forces of the
Pandya king and his Ceylonese ally, in which the Pandya lost his life. To
commemorate this success the Commander Nakkan Sattan of Paradur made a gift of
a perpetual lamp to the temple of Tiruvalandurai-Mahadeva at
Siru-Paluvur.
It is perhaps this Amudanar who is referred to in the Anbil Plates of Sundara
Chola as a Kerala prince whose daughter was married to Parantaka I and bore him
prince Arinjaya (Ep. Ind. Vol. XV, p. 50). By 'Kerala prince' should be meant a
relation of the Chera king, since we know that the Chera contemporary of
Parantaka I was Vijayaraghavadeva (A.R. No. 169 of 1912), the probable
successor of Sthanu-Ravi the friend and ally of Aditya I (S.I.I., Vol. III, No.
89). He must have taken service under the Chola like the Kerala general
Vellankumaran under prince Rajaditya (A.R. No. 739 of 1905), and his help of
Parantaka might have been suitably recognized by the king by the grant of chief
ship over a large tract of land. Tappildarma Pallavaraiyan to whom we were
introduced on P. IV as the perundaram of Arinjaya calls himself a
Paluvettaraiyan.
A descendant of Kandan Amudanar – probably his son – was Paluvettaraiyar
Maravan Kandanar who finds prominent mention in the records of Sundara-Chola
and his successor Uttama-Chola. He is represented in this volume by five
inscriptions dated between the 10th and 13th years of the reign of the former.
Nos. 208, 215 and 344 state that with the permission of this chief, the
Nagarattar, the Todapatti-Chettigal and the authorities of the two temples at
Paluvur had it engraved on stone that he manrupadu takes payable by them were
to be on the same lines as at Nandipuram. It is of interest to note here that
the rules obtaining at Nandipuram were regarded as model for some other
villages also. An instance of this is to be found in C.P. No. 10 of 1913-14
referred to in para. 10 above, wherein Malavaraiyan Sundarasolan, the same as
Kolli-Malavan Orriyuran is stated to have ordered the adoption of the rate
prevailing at Nandipuram in collecting the taxes on house-sites, etc., in his
region. No. 236 registers an assignment of 24 veli of land at Pasungulam on
permanent lease to a private individual with certain obligations to the temple,
under the orders of the same Paluvettaraiyar Maravan Kandanar, thus reflecting
the chief's high estate.
17. The chiefs of the Paluvettaraiyar family who figured in the inscriptions of
Sundara-Chola are mentioned in the records of this reign also, wherein they are
referred to in terms of respect implying the high position they were still
holding. Nos. 98 and 171, dated in the 4th and 7th years of the king and No.
298 of the 22nd year mention respectively Paluvettaraiyar Kandan Maravan and
Paluvettaraiyar Kumaran Maravan. It is not clear whether the two names refer to
one and the same person, or to father and son, which seems more probable. From
No. 98 we learn that Kandan Maravan had founded the temple of
Tiruttottam-Udaiyar at Mannupperumpaluvur in Kunrakkurram, and that he gave all
the right of worship therein to a resident of Tiruchchiruvalandai on the
representation of the supervisor of the temple, while he was staying at
Senapuram in Maladu. No. 298 says that under orders of Kumaran Maravan a
certain Vadugan Madhavan of Poygaikkuruvidam reclaimed a portion of devadana
land at Uragankudi and gave it to the temple of Avanigandharva-Isvaragarattu-Mahadeva.
Still another member of the Paluvettaraiyar family besides Kumaran Maravan
mentioned above, if not identical with him, was Palavettaraiyar Kumaran Kandan
figuring in No. 235. By a slight misinterpretation in the text of this record
the chief has been taken to be son of Pagaividai-isvarattu-Devanar, whereas the
latter's son was correctly Nakkan Pudi, who under orders of Kumaran Kandan
brought some fallow lands at Uragankudi under cultivation and presented them to
the temple for the maintenance of two lamps. Two daughters of this Devanar of
Paluvur are also known one of them being Nakkan Akkaranangai who was married to
a Chera prince (No. 153) and the other, Nakkan Panchavanmadevi, a queen of Rajaraja
I (A.R. No. 385 of 1924)
Pazhuvoor (Paluvur / Pazluvoor)
Pazhuvoor is a small developing village near Samayapuram in the Trichy Chennai
Highways. There is also a place called Pazhuvoor in the Ariyalur District of
Tamilnadu. We can find that Karthikeya or Skanda, one of the sub-dieties or
Parivbara Devatas, adorning the walls of early Chola period temples at
Pazhuvoor on the banks of the river tamiraparini.(Thamraparni).
Melapazhuvur (near KeezhaPazhuvur) where Pazhuvettaraiyar (of Ponniyin selvan fame)
belongs to: The Shiva temple is big and in ruins. At Mel Pazhuvur, the
AvaniGandharpa Easwaram (mentioned by Gokul)- built by the great
Pazhuvettaraiyars at the height of their powers.
Webmaster
Kokolu Anka Rao
5th November 2009
Nagpur, Maharastra, India.
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