HISTORY OF KING MUTHARAYARS,

Arayans or Arayars is one of the sub castes of Tamil Muthurajas. The Arayans of kerala are Mutharasans who long back migrated from Tamil East Coast to kerala west Coast as consequence of their revolt against Pantya king about 1500 years ago. ​

Mudiraja,(Andhra Pradesh)Muthuraja and Mutharacha, Mutharasan (Tamilnadu) are the different names which are commonly used to refer these people who belong to one of the kshatriya communities of south Indian peninsula. ​

A detailed study of the origins of these communities reveals that there are two primary lines of descendancy to the people of this community and each line projects a different meaning. Finally both the lines declare only one single fact that the ancestors of these people were warriors and born village administrators.​

The name Mutharasa is derived from the word MUDI meaning top most and RAJA ruler.In Tamil the people of MUdiraja are known as Muthuraja. In Tamilnadu they are also known as Mutharayars, Muttiriyars and Mudaliyars. "MUTHU" means 'PEARL' These kings who were the descendants of Kalabhras created a havoc in the south Indian peninsula by driving away the kings of Chola, Chera and Pandya dynasties. They also releived the defeated kings of Chola, Chera and Pandya dynasties from their royal title of Adhiraja (Great king) and declared themselves as the real GREAT KINGS (MUDI RAJA). The word MUTHU came in to use in place of MUDI by great kings of Mudiraja origin. The use of word MUTHU in place of MUDI might have also come as a result of poetic expressions by the poets of the royal court in course of time. The poets might have praised these warrior kings of kalabhra origin as great kings like PEARLS (MUTHU) among known precious stones.



MUTHARAYA, MUTHURAYA, MAHARAYA.



A careful study of inscriptions,endowments, recorded by the epigraphists during the times of Vijayanagar empire, gives us certain clues that these kings were most probably related to Mudirajas/Muthurajas of present day in south India.



It has been observed that many endowments and inscriptions where many kings of Saluva, Tuluva Araveedu dynasty who ruled Vijayanagar empire were referred as Maharayas. 

MAHA=MUTHU=MUDI

MAHARAYA=MUTHURAYA=MUTHURAJA=MUDIRAJA.

MUTHARAYAR=MUTHURAYAR=MAHARAYAR.

The kings of Vijayanagar who came under the influence of brahminic culture with the decline of Buddism in south India,were most probably referred by Brahmin epigraphists as Maharayas to indicate the belongingness of these kings to the community of Muthurayas or Mutharayas.

The word Mutharayas or Mutharayars were preferred and specifically selected words for use by most Buddist empigraphists of south india who were anti-brahmin in their attitude and also wrote most of their religious texts in pure Tamil language. 

There was a difference in the community of kings who belonged to Mutharaya and maharaya except that the Muthuraya kings were Buddist by religion and later Maharaya kings accepted Brahminic vaishnava path. this one again proves that most of the kings who ruled Vijayanagar empire the chieftains and other important tax collecting officials (Settis) were from Maharaya (Mutharaya) community.

The following are several references made by different writers, endowments and inscriptions to Vijayanagar kings were they were referred as Maharayas meaning muthurayas or mudirajas.



'Krishnadeva Maharaya had a younger son Thirumaladeva maharaya . According to his wish, his brother Achyutaraya Maharaya became king of Vijayanagar empire after him."

"The empire Achyutaraya Maharaya made an endowment 1V .54 dated 26 th December 1535 for the annual celebration in Thirumala of a new festival commemorating the marriage of Sree venkiteswara with Alarmel Mangai Nachchiyar also called Lekshmi Devi Mahotsavam".

"Earlier to Sri krishna deva Maharaya (16 century)there is only one telungu inscription of saluva mangideva Maharaya dated Saka 1281(237 T.T) and two kannada Inscriptions, one of vira prathapa -Devaraya Maharaya dated saka 351( No188 .T.T) and one of saluva Nara simha dated saka 1389 (No 8 G.T).

There is an inscription dated 1628 in this Ranga natha temple in Telungu. The English translation of this is "Be it well" When Rajadhiraja -Parameswara Vira Prathapa Vira Maha Deva Maharaya seated in the jewel throne was ruling the empire of the world".

"sada siva deva Maharaya was recognized by every one as the real sovereign is shown by a large number of inscriptions,ranging from 1542-1568.



​It is said that some places the relation between Mutharachas and Gollas are strained.(Both these warrior groups were chiefs in Kodumbalu region and had matrimonial relations too. On the occasions of marriage among the caste people of Madigas, some pan-supari is set apart for the Mutharachas as a mark of respect.) This could be the reason that Veliris helped Vijayala Chola in dislodging Mutharaya king "Perimbidugu Mutharayan" from the seat of Tanjore. At that time Velirs and Cholas were the subordinates of Pallavas. Pallavas and Pandyas used to fight their proxy was using Cholas and Mutharayas. In consequence of that some Mutharachas have seen betty chieftains, they claim to be the Kshetriyas, and to be descended    from Yayati of Mahabharata.

There is saying current among the Mutharachas that the Mutharacha caste is as good as pearl, but became degraded as its members began to catch fish. 

​

According to a legend, the Mutharachas being Kshatriyas wore the sacred thread. (Poonool) some of them on their way home after a hunting expedition, halted by a pond, and were tempted by the enormous number of fish there in to fish for them, using their sacred threads as lines. they were seen by some Brahmins while thus enguaged, and their degradation followed.​

​

​