Pandians under Vijayanagar Empire and Nayaks

The Vijayanagara Empire, referred to as the Kingdom of Bisnegar by the Portuguese, was an empire based in South India, in the Deccan Plateau region. It was established in 1336 AD by Harihara I and his brother Bukka Raya I of Sangama Dynasty. The empire arose to prominence as a culmination of attempts by the southern powers to ward off Islamic invasions by the end of the 13th century. It’s much like the Anglo-French confederation in the Western Europe to ward of the impending Muslim conquests in the Western Europe.  It lasted until 1646 AD although its power declined after a major military defeat in 1565 AD by the Deccan sultanates. The empire is named after its capital city of Vijayanagara, whose ruins surround the present day Hampi, now a World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India.

After the fall of the richest empire in the world (because of a sibling rivalry in the (Great Pandian) Empire) at the hands of the Muslim raiders from Delhi, Pandians (Devars) entered into a grand alliance (often marital, which can be seen by their allies adorned with the proud titles Deva – [Devar]) with Sangamas (a clan of Yadavas), Tuluvas, Saluvas (a clan of Chalukyas), Araividu Rayas (a clan of Chalukyas), and Konkars (Gangas), and Nayaks, to defend themselves from the Muslim invasion (as noted from the Sanskrit epic “Mathura Vijayam” about Veera Kumara Kampanna Udaiyar [Pandian alliance - belonging to pandian clan Thalaivan Udaiyar] written by his wife Ganga Devi). The pandians’ remained as a feudatory as Tenkasi Pandiars under the Vijayanagara Empire. Later, pandian country was divided into 72 Palayams and 36 Palayams were given to Devars (Pandians) and the rest of the Palayams were given to Nayaks of Vijayanagara. They were called Palayakarars (or Poligars by the British). The Empire faced a few internal rebellions every now and then from Devars whenever there was a Pro-Nayak leadership and vice versa. Otherwise, they successfully defended their territory against all threats and unfavorable conditions until the mighty British finally defeated them in 1801. Till then, the Tamil nation never tasted complete defeat.

Vijayanagara Empire, after a major defeat at the hands of Deccan Sultans (Mogul Empire – refer Map 23) in 1565 AD, lost most of its territory and remained well inside the Tamil country thereafter. Finally it ceased to exist around 1646 AD after another major Nayak rebellion. After that, Devars were under Tanjore Nayaks and Madurai Nayaks. Kallars (Devars) replaced Tanjore Nayaks with the help of Marathas in 1675 AD. Kilavan Sethupathy I and later Kilavan Sethupathy II (Maravar – Pandiars - Devars) defeated Madurai Nayaks and reduced Nayaks to Madurai (1707 AD).

By  AD 1740’s Arcot Nawabs appointed British to collect tax from free but divided Nayak and Devar Palayakarars (or Poligars in British English). After a series of negotiations and threats to Poligars, most of the Poligars paid tributes to Arcot Nawab. But, in the year 1750 AD, a small time chieftain from deep inside Pandian territory (Tirunelveli) Puli Devar (Puli Thevan), rose to prominence (Refer Map 31). He defeated British and Nawab troops (which  often had been supported by Marathas (who were ruling the entire India and had by then even defeated and taken over most of the Great Mogul Empire) in many battles and had never lost a battle. It all changed in the year 1761 AD, when an opportunistic native personality Marudanayagam (from Pandian Territory) converted to Islam (later called himself as - “Yusuf Khan”) joined hands with Arcot Nawab, replaced British leadership divided marava country and defeated Pulithevan. But Pulithevan as the folklore says, vanished from the famous Sankaran Koil Temple when offering prayers to the presiding Deity (Lord Shiva) when under siege.

Rani Velu Nachiyar (Tamil: ????? ???? ??????????) was an 18th-century Indian queen from Sivaganga. Rani Velu Nachiyar was the first queen to fight against the British in India, even preceding the famous Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. She was the princess of Ramanathapuram and the daughter of Chellamuthu Sethupathy. She married the king of Siva Gangai and they had a daughter - Vellachi Nachiar. When her husband Muthuvaduganathaperiya Udaiyathevar was killed, she was drawn into battle. Her husband and his first wife were killed by a few British soldiers and the son of the Nawab of Arcot. She escaped with her daughter, lived under the protection of Hyder Ali at Virupachi near Dindigul for eight years. During this period she formed an army and sought an alliance with Gopala Nayaker and Hyder Ali and French with the aim of attacking the British. In 1780 AD, Rani Velu Nachiyar fought the British and won the battle and regained her kingdom. (When Velu Nachiyar found the place where the British stock their ammunition, she built the first human bomb to destroy it. A faithful follower, Kuyili doused herself in oil, lit herself and walked into the storehouse of ammunition. Rani Velu Nachiyar formed the first woman's army named “Udaiyaal” in honour of her adopted daughter - Udaiyaal, who died detonating a British arsenal). Nachiyar was one of the few rulers in the world to regain her kingdom from British at the peak of their prowess and rule it for 10 more years.

Velu Nachiyar is the first queen who fought for the freedom against British in India and gave them a free run for their life. She is the first revolutionary who opposed the rule of British in Tamil Nadu even before the Sepoy mutiny which is considered as the first war against the British rule in India. The Queen Velu Nachiar granted powers to Marudu Pandiar brothers (Agampidiyars - Servai - Devar) to administer the country in 1780 AD. Velu Nachiar died a few years later, but the exact date of her death is not known (it was about 1790 AD). Marudu brothers are the sons of Udayar Servai alias Mookiah Palaniappan Servai and Anandayer alias Ponnathal. As for the Tamil country was concerned Marudu brothers offered the final resistance, faced death before going down bravely to British in 1801 AD.