Pallava Dynasty

Muthiriyars ( Mutharayars = Mudiraj ) are termed to be a set of people having resemblence with pallavas. One section of the Palli or Pallava tribe, called the Muttarasar ( Telugu Muttaracha ) ruled in the Chola country, first as feudatories of Pallavas and then of the Pandya kings, during the eigth century A.D. According to some historians, Mutharayars are the descendants of Pallavas. Palli, Ambalakaran, Muttiriyan and Nattaman belong to one group of people belonging to Muthuraja community.

Alternate people names of Agamudaiyan are Agambadia, Ambalakaram, Maruar, Marumaravar, Mudaliyar, Muppan,Mutracha, Muttiryan, Nattaman, Parkavakulam, Pillaimar, Sanagara, Sekkan, Servaikaran, Udaiyan, and Valaiyan.

It was during this period that Naladyar was composed under the auspices of Muttarasa governers. They are still to be found in the North Arcot district under the name of Talaiyaris, and many poligars of Chittor and other minor rulers of this class. Of such tributaries were the kings of Tanjore, who ruled in the 8th century with vallam, near tanjore, as their capital. Talari / Talaiyari is a surname of Mudiraj and also that of valmikis. We already know that Valmikis are a subsect of Mudiraja / Muthuraja community and Mutharayars are the descendants of Kalabhras.

The ancient Chola kingdom once famous in Tamil literature and in the writings of Greek merchants and geographers faded in to darkness after c 300 C.E. The Tamil country was invaded by a non-Tamil people from the north and north-west. These people – known as Kalabhras – are a mystery to historians. Their origin is unknown. It has been speculated that they were adherers to Jainism and later to Buddhism. Kalabhras subjugated the Tamil country after defeating the ancient Chola, Chera and Pandya kings. There is scant evidence either from literature or from archaeology regarding these people.

The Kalabhras ruled over the entire Ancient Tamil country between the 3rd and the 6th century C.E. in an era of South Indian history called the Kalabhra interregnum. The Kalabhras displaced the kingdoms of the early Cholas, early Pandayan and Chera dynasties.

The Pallava were a Southern Indian dravidian Tamil dynasty who established their capital at Kanchipuram in early the 4th century CE. The Pallavas dominated the northern parts of Tamil region until the end of the 9th century for about six hundred years. The origins of the Pallava still remains a mystery. A number of hypotheses and views have been proposed on the origin and ethnicity of the Pallavas.

Pallavas rose in power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (571 – 630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630 – 668 CE) and dominated the Telugu and northern parts of the Tamil region for about six hundred years until the end of the 9th century. The Pallava dynasty ruled northern Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh with their capital at Kanchipuram.

The origin of Pallavas is a subject of speculation. They were perhaps the descendents of the Saka-Pahlava-Kambhoja warriors from Northwest India. They have settled in the Guntur region of Andhra Pradesh. This area is still referred to as Palnadu or Pallava Nadu. Initially, they were the vassals of Satavahana kings. Pallavas gained prominence after the eclipse of Satavahanas. As they grew more powerful, a branch of Pallavas had migrated to the Tamil country and established one of the most cherished kingdoms in Tamil history. Their capital was Kanchi, close to the border between Tamil and Telugu lands.

Pallavas seems to be a section of Thondamans to whom the Kalabras also belong. It seems that Pallavas established their independent dynasty slightly before Kalabhras attacked all the established dynadties - Chola, Chera, Pandya and also Pallava. The Pallava invasion of Cholas country might have prompted Kalabras to undertake their invasion of the entire South India

The Pahladpur inscription (located in Pahladpur village in Uttar Pradesh State) which is datable to first few centuries of our era , is believed to be a record of the Pallavas in the north and they speak Tenugu. This depends upon correct reading of the term "Parthivanikapalah" figuring in the said inscription. This expression has been translated as "the protector of the Parthavas army". It has been pointed out that term Parthava here is equivalent to Sanskrit Pahlava. Though the term Pahlava indicates the name of a tribe and Pallava that of a ruling family, it has been pointed out that a tribal name Pahlava could easily turn itself into Dynasty name Pallava.

Pallavas were Telugu speaking people
Palnadu is the northern region of Guntur District in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Also known as Pallava Nadu, it occupies an important place in Telugu history. This indicates that Pallavas were originally Telugu warrior people. The war of Palnadu was primarily a war of various Kalchuri faction from Andhra and Maharastra, who were matrimonially aliened.

Pallavas could be a branch / variants of Kalabhras
We know that historians are of the opinion that Mutharayars ( Mudiraj) are the descendants of Kalabhras who were in turn are believed to be the descendants of Kalchuris or a variants of Kalchuris. We laso know that one section of the Palli or Pallava tribe was called the Muttarasar ( Telugu Muttaracha ). Along with Chola, Chera and Pandyan dynasties, the Pallava dynasty was also engulfed by Kalabhras, the ancestors of Mutharayars. This leads us to speculate that a section of Kalabhras who later came to be known as Mutharayars might have merged with Pallavas for political reasons.

Kalabhras are believed to basically belong to Vengadam ( Thirupathi). The father of Padmavati and the father-in-law of Balaji is said to be a Tondaman Raja. The Pallava kings at numerous places are termed as Tondamans or Tondaiyarkon. The word Tondan in Tamil means slave, servant, adherent or assistant and can either be suggestive of the subordinate position the Pallavas bore to the Satavahanas or reflect a dominant position pallavas enjoyed at the time of satvahanas. On disintegration of the Satvahana authority, the Pallavas avowed themselves and invaded a large part of Chola province but the soubriquet Tondon stayed and their region also came to be known as Tondamandlam. The word Pallava is a translation of Tamil word Tondaiyar and Tondaman and this discovers corroboration in various copper plate charters that bring in `tender twigs` (pallavams) of some kind in association with the eponymous name Pallava`.

Pallava Aparajita was the grandson of Ganga Muttarasa kings from their daughter Vijaya, who married Pallava Kampavarman. The Pallava copper plate ( earlier than 900 A.D) found at the Village Velanjeri near Thiruttani on the top of Thiruttani hill by the Pallava ruler Aparajitavarman who is portrayed as a great devotee of Lord Subrahmanya. The present Velanjeri copper plate mentions that Aparajita was the son of Pallava ruler Kampavarman through a Ganga Princess whose name is given as Vijaya. This passage further shows that Kampavarman and his son Aparajita had the able support of the Ganga chieftains.

After the decline of the Satavahana dynasty, the Pallavas became independent in Krishna river valley. The region is known as Palnadu in memory of ancient Pallavas. The war of Palnadu in the 12th century is marked in legend and literature as 'Andhra Kurukshetra War'. The war of Palnadu weakened the power of Vengi Chalukyas and paved way for the emergence of Kakatiyas as a great Telugu dynasty.

Mutharayars inspite of their political rivalry mixed very well with Cholas, Pandyas and also Pallavas through matrimonial alliances. Thus we can come across Mutharayar clans such as Chola Mutharayars, Pandya Mutharayars and also Pallava Mutharayars.

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Kokolu Anka Rao
Date-13/11/2009
Nagpur, Maharastra, India.