PAZHUVETTARAYAR-MUTHARAYAR KING OF KERALA.

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 keezha 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.

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5th November 2009
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