Who Was Vengalarajan? A Forgotten Ruler of Chola Descent Recovered from Historical Records.

Introduction

Vengalarajan, the son of Veerasekara Cholan, was a ruler who eventually faded into obscurity. This study re-examines the historical references to Vengalarajan through genealogical records, inscriptions, and the Tamil ballad Vengalarajan Kathai. These sources connect him to the politics of the Vijayanagara period. The present article is based on the research of Mr. S. Ramachandran.

Historical Sources on Vengalarajan

The Palaiyapattu genealogical record mentions that Veerasekara Cholan’s descendants ruled the Kandy region of Sri Lanka in the mid-sixteenth century as representatives of the Vijayanagara Empire under the title Eela Chola. The same source attributes Nagama Nayakar’s entry into Tamil Nadu politics to the conflict between Veerasekara Cholan and Chandrasekara Pandyan, a development that ultimately culminated in the establishment of the Madurai Nayak dynasty.

Inscriptions of this period attest that Telugu Chola rulers bearing the titles Uraiyur Puravaradeeswaran and Kaveri Vallabhan briefly exercised authority in the Thiruvarangam region on behalf of the Vijayanagara state. The Iḷavēlaṅkāl Nāḍu inscriptions of 1547 CE from the Ottapidaram taluk document an invasion of the southern Pandyan region by Vengalarajan (Veṅkalarājaṉ), the son of king Veerasekara Chola. The records further indicate that Vengalarajan confronted a Kondayankottai Maravar infantry contingent in the service of Veṭṭum Perumāḷ Pandian, a ruler also referred to as Tirunelveli Perumal. Renowned epigraphist Mr. S. Ramachandran deduces from these records that Vengalarajan was likely a Telugu Chola.

The Iḷavēlaṅkāl Nāḍu inscriptions of 1547 CE from the Ottapidaram taluk document an invasion of the southern Pandyan region by Vengalarajan, the son of king Veerasekara Chola. The records further indicate that Vengalarajan confronted a Kondayankottai Maravar infantry contingent in the service of Veṭṭum Perumāḷ Pandian, a ruler also referred to as Tirunelveli Perumal. Renowned epigraphist Mr. S. Ramachandran deduces from these records that Vengalarajan was likely a Telugu Chola.

Villuppāṭṭu is a traditional Tamil narrative ballad form performed with a bow-shaped instrument known as the villu. The ancient villuppāṭṭu Vengalarajan Kathai explicitly identifies Vengalarajan as a member of the Valangai Sanror community. Internal evidence from the ballad further indicates that Vengalarajan adopted the toponym Velampatti as a surname. The town of Velampatti formed part of the Kālathī region.

The ballad Vengalarajan Kathai was first composed in the early seventeenth century CE, a period close to the era of the Iḷavēlaṅkāl Nāḍu inscriptions. It appears to have been produced and chiefly transmitted within Mānaveera Valanādu, or Manadu, in present-day Thoothukudi district, where the Nadar population is predominant.

Villuppāṭṭu is a traditional Tamil narrative ballad form performed with a bow-shaped instrument known as the villu. The ancient villuppāṭṭu Vengalarajan Kathai explicitly identifies Vengalarajan as a member of the Valangai Sanror community. Internal evidence from the ballad further indicates that Vengalarajan adopted the toponym Velampatti as a surname. The town of Velampatti formed part of the Kālathī region.

Sanrors are the ancestors of the Nadars

Ancient Sanror palm leaf manuscripts and copper plate documents prove that the Sanrors are the ancestors of the Nadar community. For instance, the 17th-century Karumapuram copper plate refers to the Sanrors as Saana Kulam, meaning Saana clan in Tamil, and describes a member of the clan as Saana Kula Dheeran, which loosely translates to valiant hero of the Saana clan. The term Saana is the adjectival form of Sanar in Tamil and thus corroborates that the Sanrors are, in fact, the Sanars (Nadars)—as Saana serves as an epithet specifically referring to the Sanrors.

Conclusion

Taken together, the genealogical record, inscriptional references, and internal evidence from Vengalarajan Kathai place Vengalarajan in the sixteenth century and identify him as a member of the Sanror community. These pieces of evidence help bring back into historical view a ruler who had largely faded into obscurity.

See Also

• From oblivion to light: Reconstructing Nadar community's history through recently discovered ancient documents.
• Connecting the Dots: Understanding the Relationship Between the Noble Sanrors and the Nadar Community.
• Valangai Uyyakondar: A Forgotten Chola Clan Whose Heritage and History Connect to the Nadars of Today.
• The Heritage of the Nattathi Nadars: A Historical Overview of Their Lineage and Cultural Traditions in the Manadu Region.