Ay Vel

Ay dynasty (transliteration: Āy, ), also known as Kupaka in medieval period, was an Indian dynasty which controlled the south-western tip of the peninsula, from the early historic period up to the medieval period. The clan traditionally held sway over the port of Vizhinjam, the fertile region of Nanjinad, and southern parts of the spice-producing Western Ghat mountains. The Ays were traditionally subject to the Pandya rulers of Madurai.

The Ay formed one of the major rulers of early historic Kerala, along with the Cheras of central Kerala and the rulers of Ezhimalai in the north. Greek geographer Claudius Ptolemy (2nd century CE) described the "Aioi" territory as extending from the Baris (Pamba) to Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari). The elephant was the emblem of the early historic Ay rulers.

The Ay kingdom, whose ancient rulers could, at that time, be considered among the several "political chiefs", functioned as a buffer state between the powerful Pandyas/Cholas and the Cheras (Kerala) during the medieval period. A number of kings such as Chadayan Karunanthan (''c.'' 788/89 CE), Karunandatakkan "Srivallabha" (r. ''c.'' 856/57 – 884 CE), and Vikramaditya "Varaguna" (r. ''c.'' 884 – 911/920 CE) figure as the Ay chiefs of the port of Vizhinjam. Shifts in allegiance between the Pandyas and Cheras persisted, with the Ay rulers adopting Pandya surnames, yet they refrained from using Pandya regnal years in their inscriptions, signalling their continued autonomy despite their affiliation. Historians assume that the Ay were a leading power in south Kerala till c. 10th century CE.

Origins

The medieval Ay lineage claimed its origins from the hill-chiefs the same name (the Ays) from early historic (pre-Pallava) south India. Members of the Ay family – of the Podiyil Hills (the Aykudi) – were related to the early historic Cheras of central Kerala.

Sri Padmanabhaswamy was the tutelary deity of the medieval Ay family. The medieval Ay claimed that they belonged to the Yadava or Vrishni lineage (Paliyam Copper Plates). This claim was advanced by the later rulers of Venad and Travancore. Ays are also described as having come to the south India from Dwaraka along with sage Agastya.

Relation to Travancore Royal Family

The Travancore Royal Family also traced their ancestry back to the Ay and Chera rulers. As maintained by ''The Travancore State Manual'' (1906), the Ay dynasty "originated" from the ruling royal dynasties of northern India. According to P. Shungoonny Menon (1878), the Ay family were classified as Pure Kshatriyas (by the Nambudiri Brahmins) and were related to the Mushika dynasty of northern Kerala.

History

The Ay clan was one of the major hill-chiefs (or the Vels) of early historic south India. Members of the Ay family – of the Podiyil Hills or the Aykudi – were related to the early historic Cheras of central Kerala/western Tamil Nadu. In ancient Tamil literature, they are represented as falling under the influence of the Pandyas at certain times and under the Chera sphere of control at others. Towards the close of the early historic period, Pandya supremacy might have extended to the Ay territory (through it is likely that the Ay gained their independence during the Kalabhra period).

Ay chieftains of early historic south India

A number of Ay (the Ay-vels) chiefs such as Andiran, Titiyan and Atiyan are mentioned in the early Tamil poems. These rulers were renowned for their possession of numerous elephants, their control over the mountainous marches of the southernmost section of the Western Ghats, including the prominent Podiyil Hill, as well as their palaces, chariots, and horses.

* Ay Andiran is praised by early Tamil poets such as Uraiyur Enicheri Muda Mochiyar, Turaiyur Odaikizhar, and Kuttuvan Kiranar in ''Purananuru''. He is mentioned in the ''Purananuru'' as the "Lord of Podiyil Mala" in southern Western Ghats. He is said to have defeated the Kongu chief and driven them to the Arabian Sea. He was an elder contemporary of the Chera chief Antuvan Cheral (dated to c. 140 CE).

* Ay Titiyan or the Podiyil Chelvan is praised by authors Paranar and Bhuta Pandya (the Pandya ruler) in '' Akananuru''. It seems that Ay Titiyan was a vassal of the Pandya ruler Bhuta Pandya.
* Ay Atiyan, successor to Ay Titiyan, is mentioned by authors Paranar and Madurai Kanakkayanar in ''Akananuru''. Paranar and Kanakkayanar also mention Podiyil Mala, the Ay base, as the property of Pachupun Pandya ("the Azhakiya Pandya"), the successor to Bhuta Pandya.
* An Ay ruler took part in the famous battle of Talai-yalankanam, in which the Pandya chief Nedum Chezhiyan defeated several of his enemies.

Originally the whole region of Venad (Vel+natu = the country of the Vel people, related to the Ay family) was part of the larger Ay-Vel territory. Persons (the Vels) belonging to the Ay family were the chieftains of the Vel country.

* Veliyan Venmal Nallini, or "Venmal Nallini, the daughter of the Veliyan", was the wife of the Chera ruler Utiyan Cheralatan (dated to c. 130 CE).
* "Veliyan Venman" Ay Eyinan, possibly the son of the same Veliyan, was a prominent figure among the warriors assembled by the Chera ruler Perum Cheral Irumporai (c. 190 CE) to oppose Nannan of Ezhimalai (fl. c. 180 CE) in the renowned battle of Pazhi. Eyinan, who once shared a friendship with Nannan, is said to have fallen during the course of the battle while engaging with certain Minjili or Njimili.

As medieval political chiefs

The Ay rulers of early medieval south India were among several local "political chiefs" who acknowledged the authority of major dynasties such as the Cheras or Pandyas. Along with the Mushikas of northern Kerala, the Ays notably traced their lineage back to the early historic period. This ancient ancestry distinguished them from other chiefly families in Kerala, who were typically of more recent origin or were "nominated" by the Cheras. However, shifts in allegiance between the Pandyas and the Cheras continued. Although the Ay rulers adopted Pandya royal surnames such as "Srivallabha" or "Varaguna", they did not use Pandya regnal years in their inscriptions, indicating a degree of autonomy despite the association.

In ''c.'' 765 CE, Pandya king Jatila Paranthaka/Nedum "Maran" Chadayan Varaguna I (r. 765–815 CE) sacked port Vizhinjam by defeating the Vel chieftain (the "Vel Mannan", who might have been related to the Ay family) and took possession of the Ay-Vel country ("the fertile country along with its magnificent treasures") (Madras Museum Plates of Jatila Parantaka, 17th regnal year). This event is also remembered in the Velvikkudi plates (3rd regnal year, Nedum Chadayan) as "the suppression of the rebellious Ay-Vel" (or at the battle of "nattukkurumbu").

The Pandya foray into south Kerala brought the medieval Chera rulers of Kerala into the conflict and a prolonged Pandya-Ay/Chera struggle followed.

* The Pandya king "Maran Chadayan" Jatila Paranthaka destroyed a fort at Aruviyoor (identified with Aruvikkarai near Thalakulam) by defeating Ay ruler Chadayan Karunanthan of "Malai Nadu" in 788/789 CE (dated to 23rd regnal year, Kalukumalai inscription).
* In 792 CE (27th regnal year, Jatila Paranthaka) the Chera warriors (the Cheramanar Padai) are seen fighting for a fort at Vizhinjam and at Karaikkotta (identified with Karaikkodu near Thalakulam) against a commander of Maran Chadayan (Trivandrum Museum Stone Inscription of Maran Chadayan).
In the 9th century CE, as a result of the encroachment of the Pandyas and Chera-Perumals, the ancient Ay territory was partitioned into two portions. Venad (the country of the Vel people) with its base at Kollam came under influence of the Chera-Perumal kingdom while the Ay kingdom, or what was left of it, with its base at Vizhinjam came under the influence of the Pandya ruler Srimara Srivallabha (r. 815–862). Larger Cinnamanur Plates do mention a victory of king Srivallabha at Vizhinjam. Ay vassal of the Pandya king Srimara Srivallabha was certain Karunanthadakkkan "Srivallabha" (r. c. 856/57–884).

Srimara Srivallabha was succeeded on the Pandya throne by Varaguna II (r. 862–885 CE). The Ay kings of Vizhinjam remained vassals of the Pandyas, as indicated by the surname of the then king Vikramaditya (r. c. 884–911/920 CE).

The Pandyas were defeated in the "great battle of Sripurambiyam" in c. 885 CE. Chera Perumal's considerable influence in the Ay country following this battle is visible in two records discovered from that region. A record of the Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli, the wife of Chera Perumal Vijayaraga, can be found in Tirunandikkara, a Shiva temple located in the Ay country. In 898 CE, Vikramaditya "Varaguna" is seen making huge land gifts to the Srimulavasa Buddhist vihara in the Chera Perumal kingdom (the Paliyam copper plates).

Legacy

The chieftains of Venad, owing allegiance to the Chera-Perumals, were determined on extending their sway into the Ay kingdom. Their opportunity might have came in the disorder following the Chola defeat at Takkolam (mid-10 century CE). The Venad chieftains were eventually successful in capturing the whole Ay country down to Kottaru. In general, the influence of the Kerala rulers spread into the southern Ay territory in the 10th century CE.

The famous Brahmin ''salai'' at Kanthalur, somewhere near present-day Trivandrum, was located in the Ay country (865 CE, Huzur/Parthivapuram Plates, Karunanthadakkkan). The ''salai'' was sacked by Chola emperor Rajaraja I (985–1014 CE) in c. 988 CE (fourth regnal year). The entire region to the south of Trivandrum, including the port of Vizhinjam and Cape Comorin, came under the control of king Rajaraja in the early 11th century. The kings of Kollam (i. e., Venad), Kodungallur (the Chera Perumal), and Kolladesam (Mushika) were also defeated by the Cholas (Senur inscription, 1005 CE). There is a possibility that the Venad chieftains tried to recapture the old Ay region after the raids by Rajaraja I. Chola Rajadhiraja claims to have "confined the undaunted king of Venadu ackto the Chera kingdom rom the Ay country.....and liberated the yking of Kupaka...and put on a fresh garland of Vanchi after the capturing Kantalur Salai while the strong Villavan he Chera kinghid himself in terror inside the jungle" (this event is dated c. 1018/19 CE).

It is known that a branch of the Ay family from Thrippappur merged with the Kizhperur royal house of Venad.

Major medieval Ay grants

See also

* Velir
* Vizhinjam
* Pandya dynasty
* Chera dynasty
* Cheras of Makotai
* Dynasties Related To Abhiras/Ahirs

Notes

References

Sources

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Citations

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ay Kingdom
History of Kerala
History of Tamil Nadu
Chera dynasty
South Indian dynasties
Hindu dynasties