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Kongu Nadu

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Kongu Nadu is a region in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India.The word Kongu is derived from Kanku found in inscritions which inturmn is from the name of the dominant community Kankas (Gangas) or Kongar or the modern Kongu Vellala Gounder (caste). The Kongu country has vast tracts of forests. An alternative (dravidian) theory says it to be rich in honey or nectar of flowers and hence it came to be known as the Kongu Nadu meaning country. The people who lived in that part of the Tamil country were called Kongars. The ancient Kongu country extended up to the River Kaveri in Mysore. The people of this region identified themselves by either wearing garlands of distinct flowers or by having the totem of an animal or a bird. They especially wore garlands of Kongam flowers (Cochlo spermum Gossypium). A sangam*1 verse that praises Nannan, the Velir chief of the Coorg and Mysore region, referred to him as 'Ponnam-kanni Nannan'. Since the Kongam flowers are yellow in colour, like gold, 'Ponnam-Kanni' was described as a beautiful garland of the gold-like yellow Kongum flowers. It is also mentioned in a verse of Perumkadai of Konguvel, that Barugur and the North Coimbatore plateau formed the southern extension of the Mysore plateau and had plenty of Kongam or Kongilavam trees.

History

The strategic location of Coimbatore near the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats has made this region an area of conflict between different southern kingdoms since ancient times. Not much is known about the prehistory of this region. "Kongudesa Rajakkal" says that it is the land of Gangas. Ganga in Tamil is written Kanka which subsequently has become Kongu. The Kongu Vellalar community living here is the majority, its original name is Ganga kulam Gounder (caste)

The region around Coimbatore was amongst the first places in Tamil Nadu where the local Tamil speaking people set up territorial states. In the ancient period the region around Coimbatore was known as Kanga Nadu (Ganga country) and was ruled by local Velir chiefs of the Western Ganga Dynasty, who were of Tamil origin. In the course of time Kongu country witnessed long drawn out power struggles between the different kingdoms of south India: here mainly within the Gounder clans of the Satiyaputra (Adiyaman) of Dharmapuri (the Adi kootam of modern Gounders) , Cheras (the Cheran kootam of modern Gounders) of Karur (Vanchi) and during the decline of the Sangam, the Gangas dynasty of Kannuva Gotra (the Kannan kootam of modern Gounders). There is a short interregnum of alien Thanjavur Cholas under Rajaraja and Rajendra. The power then passed to the kingdoms established by outsiders, Hoysalas who still used the Gavunda organisation at the local level. The arrival of Muslims and their defeat resulted in the shift of tax collection to alien Wodeyar scribes under Vijayanagara. However, the Gounders retained their militaristic power and local administration upto the Kingdom of Mysore and after the fall of Dheeran Chinnamalai, total power went into the hands of the British. Todays's Kongunadu is politically weak though economically strong resulting in exploitation by outsiders. The region ruled by these kingdoms was known as the land of the Gangas (Kongus),by the last dynasty where native Gounders ruled, the language Gangee Tamil (Kongu tamil) (Wilkins, History of Mysore) is spoken here. The information we get about these three states is mainly based on Tamil literature also called the 'Sangam literature'*1 and Kongudesarajakkal.

Go to Gounder (caste) for more on Kongu history.

Rulers and dynasties of the Kongu region

  • Pre-Kaliyugam (before 3102 B.C) (ref: Kongumandalasatakam of Valasundara Kavirayar and Mahabharatam-Virataparvam) (system: decentral panchayat under local Gounder landlords called Vellalas, nominal central kings)

Kongu is called Matsyadesam and the capital is Ladapuram (Viratapuram or modern Dharapuram)

  1. Viratarayan

The father of Mahabharatam's Uttarakumaran and Uttarakumari who are named after Uttara Veeranarayana Perumal, the local Tirumal). They are instrumental in the Mahabharata offering refuge to the pandavas in thier court during their Agnyathavasam period and helping them to regroup and plan stratagies. He marries daughter Uttarakumari to Arjuna, the future mother of Abhimanyu. Kichakan of Keechakanur (Keeranur) is killed by Bhima. [1]

  1. Uttarakumararayan

King and aide of Arjuna

  • Sangam age (300B.C to 300C.E) (system: decentral panchayats under local landlords called Velirs and Kizhars, nominal central kings)
  • Kongu Cheras (capital:Karur (Vanji), ruling nearly the whole of modern Kongu - lineage unclear- Cheran kootam) [2] and their arch-rivals
  • Sathiyaputras (Adiyaman dynasty ruling Tagadur-Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts - lineage unclear-Adiyan kootam)
  • Post-Sangam
  • Rattas (ruling from Dharapuram, dates unclear. ref:Kongudesarajakkal) (ends 350 C.E) (system: decentral panchayats under local landlords called Vallalas, nominal central kings)
  1. Sriviraraya Chakravarti
  2. Govindarayan I
  3. Krishnarayan
  4. Kalavallavarayan
  5. Govindarayan II
  6. Tirivikramadevaraya Chakravarti
  1. Konganivarman Madhavarayan (350 - 370)
  2. Madhavarayan (370-390)
  3. Harivarmarayan (390-410)
  4. Vishnugoparayan (410-430)
  5. Madhava III Tandangalarayan (430-469)
  6. Avinitarayan (469 - 529)
  7. Durvinita mahadirayan (529 - 579)
  8. Mushkara also called Kokkararayan (579 - 604)
  9. Polavirarayan (604 - 629)
  10. Srivikramarayan (629 - 654)
  11. Bhuvikarmarayan (654 - 679)
  12. Shivamararayan I (679 - 726)
  13. Sripurusharayan (726 - 788)
  14. Shivamararayan II (788 - 816)
  15. Rachamallarayan I (816 - 843)
  16. Ereganga Neetimarga (843 - 870)
  17. Rachamallarayan II (870 - 907)
  18. Ereganga NeetimargarayanII (907 - 921)
  19. Narasimharayan (921 - 933)
  20. RachamallarayanIII (933 - 938)
  21. Butugarayan II (938 - 961)
  22. Marulaganga Neetimargarayan(961 - 963)
  23. Marasimha II Satyavakyarayan(963 - 975)
  24. Rachamalla IV Satyavakyarayan (975 - 986)
  25. Rachamallarayan V (Rakkasaganga) (986 - 999)
  26. Neetimarga Permanadi rayan (999)
  • Chola interregnum (984-1014) (Kulithalai taluk and Kalrayan hills are permanently lost to Cholas ) (system: decentral panchayat under local Gounder landlords called Velirs and Kizhars, strong central kings)
  1. Rajaraja Chola I (985-1014)
  2. Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044)
  1. Nripa Kama II (1026 - 1047)
  2. Hoysala Vinayadityarayan (1047 - 1098)
  3. Ereyangarayan (1098 - 1102)
  4. Veera Ballalarayan I (1102 -1108)
  5. Vishnuvardhanarayan (1108 - 1152)
  6. Narasimharayan I (1152 – 1173)
  7. Veera Ballalarayan II (1173 – 1220)
  8. Vira Narasimharayan II (1220 – 1235)
  9. Vira Someshwararayan (1235 – 1254)
  10. Narasimharayan III (1254 – 1291)
  11. Veera Ballalarayan III (1292 – 1343
  • Vijayanagara period (1336-1646)(system: decentral panchayat under local Gounder landlords as Palaiyakkarars , called Vellalas with strong central kings and Naykar scribes for tax collection )
  • Sangama Dynasty
  1. Harihara Raya I (1336-1356)
  2. Bukka Raya I (1356-1377)
  3. Harihara Raya II (1377-1404)
  4. Virupaksha Raya (1404-1405)
  5. Bukka Raya II (1405-1406)
  6. Deva Raya I (1406-1422)
  7. Ramachandra Raya (1422)
  8. Vira Vijaya Bukka Raya (1422-1424)
  9. Deva Raya II (1424-1446)
  10. Mallikarjuna Raya (1446-1465)
  11. Virupaksha Raya II (1465-1485)
  12. Praudha Raya (1485)
  • Saluva Dynasty
  1. Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya (1485-1491)
  2. Thimma Bhupala (1491)
  3. Narasimha Raya II (1491-1505)
  • Tuluva Dynasty
  1. Tuluva Narasa Nayaka (1491-1503)
  2. Viranarasimha Raya (1503-1509)
  3. Krishna Deva Raya (1509-1529)
  4. Achyuta Deva Raya (1529-1542)
  5. Sadashiva Raya (1542-1570)
  • Aravidu Dynasty
  1. Aliya Rama Raya (1542-1565)
  2. Tirumala Deva Raya (1565-1572)
  3. Sriranga I (1572-1586)
  4. Venkata II (1586-1614)
  5. Sriranga II (1614-1614)
  6. Ramadeva (1617-1632)
  7. Venkata III (1632-1642)
  8. Sriranga III (1642-1646)
  • Mysore Kingdom (1646-1799) - Wodeyar Dynasty (system: decentral panchayat under local Gounder landlords as Palaiyakkarars, called Vellalas with strong central kings and Naykar scribes for tax collection )
  1. Yaduraya (1399–1423)
  2. Hiriya Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar I (1423–1459)
  3. Hiriya Chamaraja Wodeyar II (1478–1513)
  4. Hiriya Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar III (1513–1553)
  5. Thimmaraja Wodeyar II (1553–1572)
  6. Bola Chamaraja Wodeyar IV (1572–1576)
  7. Bettada Devaraja Wodeyar (1576–1578)
  8. Raja Wodeyar I (1578–1617)
  9. Chamaraja Wodeyar V (1617–1637)
  10. Raja II Wodeyar (1637–1638)
  11. Ranadhira Kantheerava Narasaraja Wodeyar I (1638–1659)
  12. Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar (1673–1704)
  13. Kantheerava Narasaraja Wodeyar II (1704–1714)
  14. Dodda Krishnaraja Wodeyar (1714–1732)
  15. Chamaraja Wodeyar VI (1732–1734)
  16. Immadi Krishnaraja II Wodeyar (1734–1766)
  17. Nanajaraja Wodeyar (1766–1770)
  18. Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar VII (1770–1776)
  19. Khasa Chamaraja Wodeyar VIII (1766–1796)
  • Muslim Thulukkan rule (breaking up of Kongu and accession to British) (system: decentral panchayat under local Gounder landlords, called Vellalas with strong central kings and Muslim scribes for tax collection )
  1. Hyder Ali (1749-1782)
  2. Sultan Fateh Ali Tippu, (1782-1799)
  • Third Anglo-Mysore War: Salem Baramahals and Dindigul (comprising modern Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Dindigul, Vellore (Tirupattur tk.) districts given by Tippu to British after Third mysore war)
  • Fourth Anglo-Mysore War: Coimbatore district (comprising modern Coimbatore, Ooty, Erode, Karur and Kollegal dists.)
  • Palaiyakkarar rule (system: decentral panchayat under local Gounder landlords, called Vellalars with strong central palayakkarar)
  1. Dheeran Chinnamalai Theerthagiri Gounder (April 17, 1756 – July 31, 1805)
  • Direct British rule (1805 - 1920) (Merger with Tamilnadu plains for the first time in history) (Centralised power structure, loss of local rule, zamindari under local Gounders)
  • Chief Ministers of Madras Presidency (1920- 1947)Merger with Tamilnadu plains for the first time in history) (Centralised power structure, partial regain of local rule, zamindari under local Gounders)
  1. A. Subbarayalu (17 December 1920-11 July 1921) Justice Party
  2. Panagal Raja (11 July 1921-3 December 1926) Justice Party
  3. P. Subbarayan (4 December 1926 -27 October 1930) Unaffiliated
  4. P. Munuswamy Naidu(27 October 1930-4 November 1932) Justice Party
  5. Ramakrishna Ranga Rao(5 November 1932-4 April 1936) Justice Party
  6. P. T. Rajan (4 April 1936-24 August 1936) Justice Party
  7. Ramakrishna Ranga Rao (24 August 1936-April 1937) Justice Party
  8. Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu (1 April 1937-14 July 1937) Justice Party
  9. C. Rajagopalachari (14 July 1937-29 October 1939) Indian National Congress
  10. Tanguturi Prakasam (30 April 1946-23 March 1947) Indian National Congress
  • Post Indian Independence Chief Ministers of Madras Presidency (1947-1950)(Totally centralised power structure, partial regain of local rule, zamindari abolished thereby total loss of power at local level)
  1. O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar (23 March 1947-6 April 1949) Indian National Congress
  2. P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja (6 April 1949-26 January 1950) Indian National Congress
  • Cheif Ministers of Madras State (Tamil region) (Totally centralised power structure, loss of power at local level)
  1. P. S. Kumaraswamy Raja (26 January 1950-9 April 1952) Indian National Congress
  2. C. Rajagopalachari(10 April 1952-13 April 1954) Indian National Congress
  3. K. Kamaraj (13 April 1954-31 March 1957) Indian National Congress
  4. K. Kamaraj (13 April 1957-1 March 1962) Indian National Congress
  5. K. Kamaraj (15 March 1962-2 October 1963) Indian National Congress
  6. M. Bakthavatsalam (2 October 1963-6 March 1967) Indian National Congress
  7. C. N. Annadurai(6 March 1967-14 January 1969) DMK
  • Chief Ministers of Tamilnadu (1969-present) (Totally centralised power structure, loss of power at local level)
  1. C. N. Annadurai(14 January 1969-3 February 1969) DMK
  2. V.R. Nedunchezhiyan (acting)(3 February 1969-10 February 1969) DMK
  3. M. Karunanidhi(10 February 1969-4 January 1971) DMK
  4. M. Karunanidhi (15 March 1971-31 January 1976) DMK, President's rule (31 January 1976-30 June 1977)
  5. M. G. Ramachandran(30 June 1977-17 February 1980) AIADMK, President's rule(17 February 1980-9 June 1980)
  6. M. G. Ramachandran (9 June 1980-15 November 1984) AIADMK
  7. M. G. Ramachandran(10 February 1985-24 December 1987) AIADMK
  8. V.R. Nedunchezhiyan (acting)(24 December 1987-7 January 1988) AIADMK
  9. Janaki Ramachandran(7 January 1988-30 January 1988) AIADMK, President's rule (30 January- 1988

27 January 1989)

  1. M. Karunanidhi (27 January 1989-30 January 1991)DMK, President's rule (30 January 1991-24 June 1991)
  2. J. Jayalalithaa(24 June 1991-12 May 1996) AIADMK
  3. M. Karunanidhi (13 May 1996-13 May 2001) DMK
  4. J. Jayalalithaa (14 May 2001-21 September 2001) AIADMK
  5. O. Panneerselvam (21 September 2001-1 March 2002) AIADMK
  6. J. Jayalalithaa (2 March 2002-12 May 2006) AIADMK
  7. M. Karunanidhi (13 May 2006-incumbent) DMK

Countries of Kongu Nadu

The countries comprising ancient Kongu Nadu are:

  1. Poondurai Nadu - Erode & Thiruchengode
  2. Thenkarai Nadu - Dharapuram & Kurur
  3. Kangeya Nadu - Dharapuram & Kankeyam
  4. Pongalur Nadu - Palladam & Dharapuram
  5. Arai Nadu - Kovai & Avanasi
  6. Varakka Nadu - Palladam & Pollachi
  7. Thiruvavinankudi Nadu - Palladam & Pollachi
  8. Mana Nadu - South-West region of Karur Taluk
  9. Thalaiyur Nadu - South& West regions of Karur
  10. Thataiyur Nadu - Kuliththalai Taluk
  11. Poovaniya Nadu - Omalur & Dharmapuri Taluks
  12. Araya nadu - Erode & Namakkal
  13. Oduvanga Nadu - Gobi Taluk
  14. Vadakarai Nadu - Bhavani Taluk
  15. Kilanku Nadu - Karur & Kulithalai Nadu
  16. Nallurukka Nadu - Udumalaipettai
  17. Vallavandi Nadu - Namakkal Northern part, Karur
  18. Anda Nadu - Palani Taluk, Eastern Part
  19. Venkala Nadu - Karur Taluk, Eastern Part
  20. Kazalakkala Nadu - Pollachi Taluk
  21. Anamalai Nadu - Pollachi South-West
  22. Rasipura Nadu - Selam, Rasipuram, Kollimalai
  23. Kangikovil Nadu - Gobi,Bhavani
  24. Kurumbu Nadu - Vellakovil

[3]

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