Srivilliputhur is a municipal town in Tamil Nadu, very near Kanya Kumari, to give one an idea of what would be a southern homeland of the Balija Naidus. They came with the Telugu empires from the regions south of Vijayawada, from Kanigiri, Udayagiri, Guntur, Venkatagiri and Nayudupeta, as Nayakas, the warrior chieftains of the armies, and as Baligas or Balijas, the merchants, and as custodians of small temples that were set up to provide solace to the various clans who established themselves in the southern stronghold.
Today, the town is in the Virudhunagar district, and has a compact population of nearly a hundred thousand people.
The town of Srivilliputhur has always been a mofussil settlement, even about a thousand years ago and more. The Hindu School is a famous establishment and has been around for more than 200 years ago. My grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam spoke about being a student in this school during 1905 to 1910 or thereabouts, and did say that his father, Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu had also perhaps been a student of this very school.
The temple of Andal and the great Thiruppavai, are known from the town of Srivilliputhur. The temple is a landmark of the settlement, and has always been, and I assume that the mofussil nature of the settlement must have come about the temple. The 11-tiers of the temple's main tower, 192 feet high, is dedicated to Vatapatrasayee, the Lord of Srivilliputhur. Built by Periya Alwar, on the money that he had won in gold from the debates held at the Court of Vallabhadeva, the Pandya King. His daughter was Andal, who swore her devotion to the Lord and was married to HIM. Thus, Periya Alwar, the man who constructed the temple, is known as the father-in-law of the Lord.
The nearby towns of Madurai, Sattur, Thirunelveli, Shenkottai, Tenkasi and Sivakasi became urban settlements, much later, with the exception of Madurai, which also developed as a temple settlement, likewise with Srivilliputhur. Malli, the ancient Queen of southern Tamil Nadu ruled the lands of this region. Her two sons, Villi and Kandan, had gone hunting in the nearby forests. Kandan was killed by a tiger. Realising that his brother was missing during the hunt, Villi went out in search of him. After long hours, he decided to rest at a spot and fell asleep. A divine voice informed him of the fate of his brother, and he decided to establish a settlement at that very location. Thus, the city, named after Villi, being Srivilliputhur.
Andal, the human consort of the Lord is recognised as the only woman Alvar, from among the twelve Alvar saints of Vaishnavite theology. To this day, her works, Thirupavai and the Nachiar Thirumozhi are recited by the devotees at the temple. Her father, Periya Alvar, is also one of the Alvar saints.
With the incoming Balija Naidu chieftains, warlords and army generals, and after their settling in, some became local Kings. While the lines of geneology are not discussed in detail, the township began to gain in fame during the times of Thirumalai Nayakar (1623-1659) and Rani Mangammal (1689-1706). After the marauding attacks of Nerkattumseval, Puli Thevar and Periyaswami Thevar and Mohammed Yousoof Khan, the settlement came under the protection of the King of Travancore until 1850 before passing on to British hands.
The Vatapatrasayee Andal temple is the most important one in this region, and is one of the 108 Vaishnava Divya Desams. Lord Vishnu is also known as Rangamannar and is depicted here as resting on a banyan tree leaf, and therefore known as Vatapatrasayee = Vata - Banyan, Patra - Leaf, Sayee - Lord.
The other important temple is the Madavar Vilagam Vaidyanathar Temple, with a six feet high image of Nataraja, the dance-form of Shiva.
Nearby, in Thiruvannamalai, also known as Thenthirupathi, is the temple dedicated to Vishnu and nestles within the Western Ghats.
At Kattalagar, is the Vishnu temple, to the west of Srivilliputhur, near the Mantunga hills.
There are two ancient Shiva temples nearby, known as Sundara Mahalingam and Sandhana Mahalingam at Sathuragiri Hills, where several Shaivite sages were known to have resided.
Thirumalai Nayak was one of the most foremost of the thirteen Madurai Nayak rulers in the 17th century. He is known to have caused the construction of the most of the temples in the region, including the ones at Madurai. His kingdom stretched from Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Aragalur and some of the Travancore kingdoms, and the old Pandya territories. The Madurai Nayaks were Bana or Balija Naidus, and ruled the southern regions of Tamil Nadu from 1529 AD to 1736 AD, with Madurai as the capital. There were 13 rulers, with 2 being women, and 2 having ruled jointly. The most noteworthy among them were Tirumalai Nayak and the queen Rani Mangammal.
Before the rule of the Balija Naidus in southern Tamil Nadu, the region was ruled by the Afghans who came down from Delhi, by taking advantage of the dissension within the Tamil Pandya kings. Malik Kafur was sent by Emperor Ala-ud-din Khilji from Delhi in 1310 AD. He destroyed many towns while marching on to Southern India and ransacked Madurai entirely. The Meenakshi Temple at Madurai, then with 14 towers, was pulled down, the streets and buildings were destroyed, with only the inner temples of Sundareshwara and Meenakshi left behind. The Pandya Kings were weak, and Malik Kafur desired to return to Delhi, which he did. Soon thereafter, the neighbouring Chera Kings invaded Madurai, defeated the Pandya rulers, and established a new rule in 1313.
Malik Kafur however sent back a Afghan Governor, and thereafter, Delhi's rule was established for nearly five decades. While Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq ruled Delhi, during 1333 AD, the local feudatory, Jalal-ud-Din Ahsan Khan declared himself independent and ruled Madurai. He was killed by his own officers in 1339, and Alauddin-Udauji-Shah was King of Madurai during 1339 AD to 1340 AD. He was also killed by his own officers. Qutbuddin Firoz ruled for 40 days before being killed in 1340 AD. Giyazuddin Muhammad Damghan, an Afghan chieftain became King of the Madurai region for four years. He was followed by Naziruddin Mahmud Damghan, a fellow Afghan, 1344 AD to 1356 AD, Adil Shah 1356 AD to 1359 AD, Faqruddin Mubarak 1359 AD to 1368 AD and Alauddin Sikandar 1368 AD to 1377 AD.
Sikandar had to face a fierce battle with Bukka from Vijayanagara, and lost the Kingdom in 1377, leading to the rule of the Vijayanagara empire and the coming of the Balija Naidus. The city of Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire and the regions of Madurai and Srivilliputhur were ruled by the Balija Nayakas for the next 200 years and defended itself against Afghan and Moghul invasions. Kampana Udayar, a prince of the Vijayanagara empire, and representing Bukkaraya, came to Madurai in 1372, established a feudatory kingdom at Madurai and reopened the Siva and Vishnu temples in the city. Later, with the consolidation and control of Krishnadevaraya, 1509 AD to 1529 AD, the feudal kings and governors recognised themselves as "Nayaka".
Kampana Udayar was followed by his son Embana Udayar, and was followed by his brother-in-law, Porakasa Udayar. This dynastic rule was broken by Lakkana Nayaka, in 1404 AD, who ruled Madurai jointly with Mathana Nayaka until 1461 AD.
However, during earlier years, prior to the Pandya Kings, the region was ruled by Bana chieftains, who were established by Kulottunga Chola III during the 1200s. They were smart, and established themselves as feudatory kings of both the Cholas and the Pandyas.
The earliest known Nayaka chieftains, as Balija Nayakas, however, are from 1477 AD. The earliest was -
Thirumalai-runjolai Mahabalivana, ruler of Madurai, 1477 AD
Virapratapa Sundara-ttoludaiyan Mahabali Vanadhiraya, ruler of Conjivaram (Kanchivaram), 1469 AD
Later, Kings included - Narasa Nayaka, Tenna Nayaka, Narasa Pillai, Kuru Timmappa Nayaka, Kattiyama Kamayya Nayaka, Chinappa Nayaka, Ayyakarai Veyyappa Nayaka and Viswanatha Nayaka Ayyar.
Rani Mangammal, was one of the foremost of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, and perhaps one of the only few Baljia Naidu queens in most dynasties in peninsular India. Daughter of Lingama Nayakar, a general of Chokkanatha Nayakar, she married the King, but could not become the queen, because he wanted to take another spouse who was the daughter of Vijayaraghava Nayakar, the princess of Thanjavur. Thus, one can see that there were several important houses of Balija Naidus through the central to the southern regions of current Tamil Nadu. Chokkanatha Nayakar died in 1682, without completing the marriage, and Rani Mangammal took over as the Regent Queen to take care of the throne for her son Rangakrishna Muthu Veerappa Nayakar. He died in 1689, and his wife committed suicide after giving birth to her son. Rani Mangammal placed him on the throne of Madurai when he was 3 months old, and ruled as Regent Queen on behalf of her grandson.
Today, the town is in the Virudhunagar district, and has a compact population of nearly a hundred thousand people.
The town of Srivilliputhur has always been a mofussil settlement, even about a thousand years ago and more. The Hindu School is a famous establishment and has been around for more than 200 years ago. My grandfather, Shyamala Ranga Bhashyam spoke about being a student in this school during 1905 to 1910 or thereabouts, and did say that his father, Neela Meghala Shyamala Naidu had also perhaps been a student of this very school.
Shri Andal temple at Srivilliputhur
[from - http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/home-of-the-saint-poetess/article5003204.ece - copyright with the original owner]
The temple of Andal and the great Thiruppavai, are known from the town of Srivilliputhur. The temple is a landmark of the settlement, and has always been, and I assume that the mofussil nature of the settlement must have come about the temple. The 11-tiers of the temple's main tower, 192 feet high, is dedicated to Vatapatrasayee, the Lord of Srivilliputhur. Built by Periya Alwar, on the money that he had won in gold from the debates held at the Court of Vallabhadeva, the Pandya King. His daughter was Andal, who swore her devotion to the Lord and was married to HIM. Thus, Periya Alwar, the man who constructed the temple, is known as the father-in-law of the Lord.
Shri Andal temple at Srivilliputhur
[from - http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/home-of-the-saint-poetess/article5003204.ece - copyright with the original owner]
The nearby towns of Madurai, Sattur, Thirunelveli, Shenkottai, Tenkasi and Sivakasi became urban settlements, much later, with the exception of Madurai, which also developed as a temple settlement, likewise with Srivilliputhur. Malli, the ancient Queen of southern Tamil Nadu ruled the lands of this region. Her two sons, Villi and Kandan, had gone hunting in the nearby forests. Kandan was killed by a tiger. Realising that his brother was missing during the hunt, Villi went out in search of him. After long hours, he decided to rest at a spot and fell asleep. A divine voice informed him of the fate of his brother, and he decided to establish a settlement at that very location. Thus, the city, named after Villi, being Srivilliputhur.
Andal, the human consort of the Lord is recognised as the only woman Alvar, from among the twelve Alvar saints of Vaishnavite theology. To this day, her works, Thirupavai and the Nachiar Thirumozhi are recited by the devotees at the temple. Her father, Periya Alvar, is also one of the Alvar saints.
With the incoming Balija Naidu chieftains, warlords and army generals, and after their settling in, some became local Kings. While the lines of geneology are not discussed in detail, the township began to gain in fame during the times of Thirumalai Nayakar (1623-1659) and Rani Mangammal (1689-1706). After the marauding attacks of Nerkattumseval, Puli Thevar and Periyaswami Thevar and Mohammed Yousoof Khan, the settlement came under the protection of the King of Travancore until 1850 before passing on to British hands.
Thirumalai Nayakar, the Balija King of Madurai
[from - http://indica.co.in/thirumalai-nayakar-mahal -
copyright with the original owner]
The Vatapatrasayee Andal temple is the most important one in this region, and is one of the 108 Vaishnava Divya Desams. Lord Vishnu is also known as Rangamannar and is depicted here as resting on a banyan tree leaf, and therefore known as Vatapatrasayee = Vata - Banyan, Patra - Leaf, Sayee - Lord.
The other important temple is the Madavar Vilagam Vaidyanathar Temple, with a six feet high image of Nataraja, the dance-form of Shiva.
Nearby, in Thiruvannamalai, also known as Thenthirupathi, is the temple dedicated to Vishnu and nestles within the Western Ghats.
At Kattalagar, is the Vishnu temple, to the west of Srivilliputhur, near the Mantunga hills.
There are two ancient Shiva temples nearby, known as Sundara Mahalingam and Sandhana Mahalingam at Sathuragiri Hills, where several Shaivite sages were known to have resided.
Thirumalai Nayak was one of the most foremost of the thirteen Madurai Nayak rulers in the 17th century. He is known to have caused the construction of the most of the temples in the region, including the ones at Madurai. His kingdom stretched from Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Aragalur and some of the Travancore kingdoms, and the old Pandya territories. The Madurai Nayaks were Bana or Balija Naidus, and ruled the southern regions of Tamil Nadu from 1529 AD to 1736 AD, with Madurai as the capital. There were 13 rulers, with 2 being women, and 2 having ruled jointly. The most noteworthy among them were Tirumalai Nayak and the queen Rani Mangammal.
Before the rule of the Balija Naidus in southern Tamil Nadu, the region was ruled by the Afghans who came down from Delhi, by taking advantage of the dissension within the Tamil Pandya kings. Malik Kafur was sent by Emperor Ala-ud-din Khilji from Delhi in 1310 AD. He destroyed many towns while marching on to Southern India and ransacked Madurai entirely. The Meenakshi Temple at Madurai, then with 14 towers, was pulled down, the streets and buildings were destroyed, with only the inner temples of Sundareshwara and Meenakshi left behind. The Pandya Kings were weak, and Malik Kafur desired to return to Delhi, which he did. Soon thereafter, the neighbouring Chera Kings invaded Madurai, defeated the Pandya rulers, and established a new rule in 1313.
Malik Kafur however sent back a Afghan Governor, and thereafter, Delhi's rule was established for nearly five decades. While Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq ruled Delhi, during 1333 AD, the local feudatory, Jalal-ud-Din Ahsan Khan declared himself independent and ruled Madurai. He was killed by his own officers in 1339, and Alauddin-Udauji-Shah was King of Madurai during 1339 AD to 1340 AD. He was also killed by his own officers. Qutbuddin Firoz ruled for 40 days before being killed in 1340 AD. Giyazuddin Muhammad Damghan, an Afghan chieftain became King of the Madurai region for four years. He was followed by Naziruddin Mahmud Damghan, a fellow Afghan, 1344 AD to 1356 AD, Adil Shah 1356 AD to 1359 AD, Faqruddin Mubarak 1359 AD to 1368 AD and Alauddin Sikandar 1368 AD to 1377 AD.
Sikandar had to face a fierce battle with Bukka from Vijayanagara, and lost the Kingdom in 1377, leading to the rule of the Vijayanagara empire and the coming of the Balija Naidus. The city of Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire and the regions of Madurai and Srivilliputhur were ruled by the Balija Nayakas for the next 200 years and defended itself against Afghan and Moghul invasions. Kampana Udayar, a prince of the Vijayanagara empire, and representing Bukkaraya, came to Madurai in 1372, established a feudatory kingdom at Madurai and reopened the Siva and Vishnu temples in the city. Later, with the consolidation and control of Krishnadevaraya, 1509 AD to 1529 AD, the feudal kings and governors recognised themselves as "Nayaka".
Kampana Udayar was followed by his son Embana Udayar, and was followed by his brother-in-law, Porakasa Udayar. This dynastic rule was broken by Lakkana Nayaka, in 1404 AD, who ruled Madurai jointly with Mathana Nayaka until 1461 AD.
However, during earlier years, prior to the Pandya Kings, the region was ruled by Bana chieftains, who were established by Kulottunga Chola III during the 1200s. They were smart, and established themselves as feudatory kings of both the Cholas and the Pandyas.
The earliest known Nayaka chieftains, as Balija Nayakas, however, are from 1477 AD. The earliest was -
Thirumalai-runjolai Mahabalivana, ruler of Madurai, 1477 AD
Virapratapa Sundara-ttoludaiyan Mahabali Vanadhiraya, ruler of Conjivaram (Kanchivaram), 1469 AD
Later, Kings included - Narasa Nayaka, Tenna Nayaka, Narasa Pillai, Kuru Timmappa Nayaka, Kattiyama Kamayya Nayaka, Chinappa Nayaka, Ayyakarai Veyyappa Nayaka and Viswanatha Nayaka Ayyar.
Rani Mangammal
[from - http://www.mabeats.com/2008/02/rani-mangammalthe-queen.html
- copyright with the original owner]
Rani Mangammal, was one of the foremost of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, and perhaps one of the only few Baljia Naidu queens in most dynasties in peninsular India. Daughter of Lingama Nayakar, a general of Chokkanatha Nayakar, she married the King, but could not become the queen, because he wanted to take another spouse who was the daughter of Vijayaraghava Nayakar, the princess of Thanjavur. Thus, one can see that there were several important houses of Balija Naidus through the central to the southern regions of current Tamil Nadu. Chokkanatha Nayakar died in 1682, without completing the marriage, and Rani Mangammal took over as the Regent Queen to take care of the throne for her son Rangakrishna Muthu Veerappa Nayakar. He died in 1689, and his wife committed suicide after giving birth to her son. Rani Mangammal placed him on the throne of Madurai when he was 3 months old, and ruled as Regent Queen on behalf of her grandson.
