A Sequel to my searches on 'Ukkirankottai’:

This is a sequel to my earlier post on ‘ Ukkirankottai' ['Ukkirankottai - towards the roots of the roots’].  

Pandya Emperor, Nedunjadayan Paranthakan [765 AD - 790 AD] – was the 7^th ruler of Pandya country from the most illustrious lineage of the Early Pandyas which starts from the legendary Pandya King Kadungon who liberated the Pandya territory from the dark ages of Kalappirar – unknown – not yet identified alien rulers who subjugated and attempted to suppress the civilization of the southern Tamil Country.

Nedunjadayan was a victorious ruler. He is the only exceptional Vaishnavite ruler in the staunch Saivite Pandya dynasty.

By the way -  Sadayan, Maran, Panjavan, thennavan, valuthi and cheliyan are the popular titles assumed by the Pandya monarchs.      

There are decisive archaeological evidences in the forms of stone inscriptions and famous copper plate inscriptions such as Velvikudi plates and Sinnamanur plates apart from correlate literary evidences informing about the early Pandyas.

The archeological evidences say, that Nedunjadayan created the township, ‘ 'karavanthapuram’ at kalakkudi Nadu – i.e. the present day Ukkirankottai. He created this township purely as a garrison and placed a stationed army unit here to guard and consolidate his southern territories.

Pandya Country’s chief Minister during the reign of Nedunjadayan was ‘ Maaran Kaari’ hailed from Kalakkudi village just in the opposite bank of Ukkirankottai. Kalakkudi is a valanaadu division of Pandya country. Maaran Kaari belonged to ‘Maruthuvar’ Community – now also known as naavidhar - this community historically were traditional physicians who are now reduced to traditional barbers. Maaran Kaari of Ukkirankottai built Narasimha Perumal temple – a rock tunneled temple at Madurai – Anaimalai hill in 770 AD. After the death of Chief Minister Maaran Kaari, his younger brother, Maaran Eiyinan became the Chief Minister of Pandya Country. He completed the work of his brother at Anaimalai Narasinga Perumal temple. ‘Maaran’ was the name of their father.

Another interesting information is that another illustrious citizen hailing from Ukkirankottai, Saathan Ganapathy  [  Saathan is his father’s name – the ancient inscriptions used the present day PAN card type nomenclature system?] who also belonged to the Maruthuvar community, was the ‘Maa saamandhan’ i.e. the Commander-in-Chief of the entire Pandya Army during the reign of Emperor Nedunjadayan. From the Thirupparankundram inscriptions we come to know that this illustrious son of Tirunelveli Cheemai who commanded the army of the Pandya Country during the reign of a valorous king who had a number of victories and conquests to his credit such as victory over the Pallava army and conquest of the Kongu territory of King Adhiyamaan, also did a number of contributions to the development of Thirupparankundram temple shetram. His wife, ‘Kotri’ also said to have joined her husband’s endeavor. 

Sattan Ganapathi’s brother, Enaadhi Saathan Saathan was a Pandya army general. ‘Enaadhi’ was a title name conferred on Pandya army generals. 

I feel and believe that the above clear pieces of information as enunciated by the archaeological experts as very important and should be brought out in a big way to the present society as they reveal the fact that merit was considered over social backgrounds in the ancient Tamil country - at the least as early as in the 8^th Century. It is also evident that talented people cross migrated to other professions from their traditional family trades.

Another important and parallel information from 7th  Century Tamilnadu that I would like to quote is the illustrious example of Siruthonda Nayanar – one of the adored 63 foremost saints of Tamil Saivite religious order. ‘Paranjothi’ later revered as Siruthondar in the Tamil Saivite tradition, hailed from Thiruchengaattankudi - a nondescript village in Tiruvaarur region of Kavery Delta and belonged to Maruthuvar community was the dhandanayaka or commander of Pallava Army during the conquest of Vaadhabi – the capital of Pulikesi’s Chalukkya Kingdom by Emperor Narasimha Varma Pallava. Vadhabi is the present day Badami in the Northern most border Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Sack of Vaadhabi against the formidable Pulikesi - II who had even defeated Emperor Harshavardhan is a luminous niche in the annals of Tamil history. 

Periapuranam – the 12^th thirumurai – the revered book - in the order of sthothram compilation in the Saivite religion and also one of the six classical works of Tamil language with high literary value - mentions about the training Siruthondar undergone in his youth as below,

‘ ஆயுள் வேதக் கலையும் அலகில் வடநூல் கலையும்    

 தூய படைக்கலத் தொழிலும் துறை நிரம்பப் பயின்று…..’

Thus apart from his family profession of medicine he learnt Sanskrit literature and got trained in weaponry and warfare. By his sheer merit Siruthondar might have ascended in the ranks of Pallava army to the height of the army chief. Siruthondanallur - a village near Eral town in Tirunelveli District is named after this revered saivite saint as mentioned by the Tamil scholar, Ra. Pi. Sethupillai in his famous work,  'Tamilagam - Oorum Perum'.

Victory over Chalukyas by Pallava army is vividly narrated by Kalki in one of his three master pieces, ‘sivagamyin sabadham’.  

A full scale invasion deep into a far off hostile territory and a decisive victory over there requires a top class military organization, meticulous planning, intensive training, innovative reconnaissance techniques and enormous logistic back up. This magnificent military feat signifies the genius and immense work behind. 

There are also many Sangam age poets of higher recognition who hailed from ordinary social standings.

The 63 Nayanmars – the revered principal saints of Tamil Saivite religion, the 12 Alwars – the foremost revered saints of Tamil Vaishnavism and the enlightened spiritual leaders of Tamil Sidhar tradition hail from almost all the Tamil communities.  

The Imperial Cholas had an army regiment called ‘kaikkolar padai’. By literal meaning, the phrase ‘kaikkolar’ denotes 'men  of muscular arms' as mentioned by few historians. However this name also refers the ‘Senguthamudaliars’ – one of the Tamil weaver communities.  

Even in the modern era of well documented history, the Nerkattumcheval King Pulithevar of Nellai Cheemai enrolled Ondi Veeran Pagadai in his cavalry who was credited with several dare devil attacks on the British encampments.

Tamil Country never deprecated talents. On the contrary it recognized achievements and canonized its heroes.

It seems from the above straight evidences that people were able to cross migrate professions on their merit and choice at least to warfare. Warriors ruled the lands and commanded a position of esteemed status in the society.

A community which was in the practice of medicine would obviously formed part of the medical units of ancient Tamil armies. It is very much possible that such medical practitioners would have got into the closer rungs to the royalty and ascended in the ranks of the armies as well as. However down the time line such a social group with the sheen of power and nobility descended down to the levels of barbers during the British period.

Similarly traders exerted enormous influence on the royal clans. Agrarian communities were also at the helm of affairs in many pockets of the ancient Tamil lands. 

However Tamil social fabrics was jolted when the country’s normal life was uprooted and was in total disarray during the alien, Mogul and European invasions, subjugation and colonization. 

For just an example, the acclaimed twin Tamil novels, ‘Maanudam vellum’ and ‘Vaanam vasappadum’ based on the well-known Anandarangam Pillai’s diary portray how the social order among the Tamil communities are realigned by the colonial machinations to suit their greedy and corrupt colonial trade requirements. Our proud artisans and chivalrous warriors were reduced to mere hired classes just meant to fodder the colonial commerce in the French controlled Tamil regions. Traders, mercenaries, du-bashis [translators] and other colonial agents emerge with power and influence in the society during the French occupation of this Tamil region.  

From my understanding of what writer Jeyamohan views on castes in his blog, varnashrama system of professional classification percolated or operated from the top while the castes i.e. communities emerged from the grass roots and both collided in their courses to form a social fabric at a given point of time.

Profiling the dynamics of various social groups is a paramount requirement for formulating policies for public governance. But alas there is no serious or impartial academic efforts on these lines which has paved the way for political groups to present their distorted versions to suit their vested interests. JNU's Marxist historians pioneered colouring of discourses on Indian history after the British. 

Movements in a social order are dynamic phenomena and not at all a stagnant concept. Hence to superimpose any social distortions during tumultuous situations on the entire prior historic frame of the Tamil society is an intellectual dishonesty and just a Macaulayan inflicted preconceived notion. Instead the social transformations need objective studies.

The other important historical fact coming out from the candid archaeological evidences are that the Ukkirankottai garrison township settlement was created during the later part of the 8^th century and since then this part of Nellai Cheemai is closely connected to Madurai. Development of ancient road net works necessary for troop movements may be researched in this perspective.

I also would like to compare a later garrison established by the Imperial Cholas at Thiruvaaleeswaram in Ambasamudram of Tirunelveli Cheemai. Emperor Raja Raja Chola stationed a significant unit of chola army [said to be of the size of ‘Moondru kai Mahaa Senai’ – may be an ancient Chola measure of military division]. Ambasamudram region was known as ‘Mullinaadu’ in the Pandya landscape divisions. There are several inscriptions documented from Mullinaadu region. The Cholas also stationed an army unit at Kottaru in the present day Nagercoil town. Hence the threat perception of the later Cholas was entirely different from that of the early Pandyas. The Ceylon country was not in the count at the time of later Cholas who had subjugated that country decisively. Hence the placement of imperial Chola troops near the borders of Chera Country is noteworthy.  

The Tamil military system of stationing sufficiently strong troops well within the native country but at vantage locations in proximity from the border ranges with sufficient hinterland road network and logistic support possibilities may be analyzed vis-à-vis the modern contexts such as the so called ‘cold start’ military doctrine of the Indian Army or the Chinese threat matrix that we face now.