Kodumbalur (கொடும்பாளூர்) is one of the most ancient places in Pudukkottai
and perhaps the oldest historically recorded site. The Silappadikaram (சிலப்பதிகாரம்),
the earliest Tamil epic, mentions Kodumbai (கொடும்பை) as lying on
the highway between Uraiyur (உறையூர்), the Chozha capital and
Madurai (மதுரை), the Pandya capital. It is through this road did
Kovalan (கோவலன்), the hero of Silappadikaram (சிலப்பதிகாரம்) and
his wife Kannagi (கண்ணகி), along with a Jaina acetic, travelled from
Uraiyur to Madurai. The Periya-puranam (பெரியபுராணம்) also
mentions about this place and calls it the Konattu-k-kodi-nagaram
(கோநாட்டுக் கொடிநகரம், ‘apex-town-of-Konadu’).
The Kodumbalur tract was mostly under Irukkuvel (இருக்குவேள்)
chiefs (a short note on the Irukkuvel-s is given below) from the middle
of the 6th century AD to the middle of the 9th century AD. During the
same period the Muttaraiyar (முத்தரையர்)-s had been ruling the adjoining
areas falling in Pudukkottai (புதுக்கோட்டை), Tiruchirappalli (திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி)
and Thanjavur (தஞ்சாவூர்) tracts. Both these ruling chiefs
constantly changed their allegiance with one or the other of the greater
powers, the Pallava-s and the Pandya-s. The monuments and inscriptions
of this period (6th-9th centuries AD) relate to the Muttaraiyar-s, the
Irukkuvel-s, the Pandya-s and the Pallava-s.
Kodumbalur is mentioned as the scene of a few wars in the 8th
century. In one of them, the Pandya King Mara-varman Raja-simha (மாரவர்மன்
இராஜசிம்மன்) (740 – 765 AD) defeated the Pallava King Nandi-varman
Pallava-malla (நந்திவர்மன் பல்லவமல்லன்). The Sendalai (செந்தலை)
records attribute a victory at Kodumbalur to Perumbidugu
Suvaran-Maran (பெரும்பிடுகு சுவாரன்மாரன்) (first half of 8th
century), a Muttaraiyar chief, who is mentioned as having defeated
the Pandya-s and the Chera-s. It is not known whether these were two
different battles or only two different but contradictory versions of
the same war.
After the famous battle of Thirup-purambiyam (திருப்புரம்பியம்) (880
AD), wherein the Chozha-s inflicted a crushing defeat on the Pallava-s
and the Pandya-s, the territories of the Muttaraiyar-s and the
Irukkuvel-s came under the Chozha-s.
The inscriptions in these areas often indicate matrimonial relations
among the various kings – the Pandya-s, the Muttaraiyar-s, the
Irukkuvel-s, the Pallava-s and the Chozha-s – in addition to political
relations.
For a long spell between 9th and 14th centuries, Kodumbalur was
under the Chozha-s and the later Pandya-s. The town must have been
finally destroyed during the Muslim invasions in 14th century.
During the Chozha times Kodumbalur was a flourishing town and
had at least two nagaram-s (assembles of merchants). It had a
mani-gramam (மணிகிராமம்) (corporation of merchants or trade guild). These
institutions were either associated or affiliated to the great guild or
corporation known as the Ainurruvar (ஐநூற்றுவர்,
‘assembly-of-five-hundred’).
THE IRUKKUVEL DYNASTY OF KODUMBALUR
Kodumbalur was the seat of a flourishing state, ruled by a
dynasty of Velir (வேளிர்)-s called Irukkuvel-s, who were connected by
blood with the Chozha-s, but politically were subordinate to them. They
have played a very important part in the moulding of South Indian
history and politics.
The Velir-s claimed to be Yadava (யாதவர்)-s from Dvara-samudram (துவாரசமுத்திரம்)
in Karnataka, and one of the chiefs assumed the title of Yadu-vamsa (யதுவம்சம்).
Idangazhi-nayanar (இடங்கழி நாயனார்), who is revered as one of the 63
Saiva saints and mentioned in the Thiruth-thandakam (திருத்தாண்டகம்)
by Sundara-moorthi Nayanar (சுந்தரமூர்த்தி நாயனார்) (6th - 7th
centuries), was a king of this dynasty. The Chozha king,
Vijayalaya (about 830 - 850 AD), the founder of the Imperial
Chozha line, and his son Adithya (ஆதித்தியன்), were connected with
this dynasty.
The Sanskrit inscription (PSI 14) in grantha characters in the
Muvar-koil gives the genealogy of the Irukkuvel-s from a king whose name
is, unfortunately, illegible, to Bhuthi-vikrama-kesari (பூதி
விக்கிரமகேசரி) (last quarter of 9th century), perhaps the greatest of
them all.
The Irukkuvel-s would appear to have surfaced as a power at a time
that is coeval with Pandya King Mara-varman Raja-simha-I (மாரவர்மன்
இராஜசிம்மன்) (730 - 765 AD) and to have continued up to the rise of the
Chozha of the Vijayalaya line (middle of 9th century AD).
They continued their independent status thus far. Later, they appear to
get closely affiliated in a subservient capacity to the Imperial
Chozha-s. The arrangement continued through the reigns of
Bhuthi-Vikrama-kesari's sons Parantaka (பராந்தகன்) and Adithya
(ஆதித்தியன்) and ending with Siriya-velar (சிறிய வேளார்), a son of
Parantaka serving Sundara-chozha (சுந்தர சோழன்) (957 - 973
AD) as general in the army. The Irukkuvel-s, as the staunch allies and
vassals of the Chozha-s, helped them in all their battles. We do not
hear much of the Irukkuvel-s after the reign of Rajendra-chozha-I (இராஜேந்திர சோழன்)
(1012-1044 AD).
|
