Sriman Hiranyagarbha Ravikula Raja Muthu Vijaya Raghunatha Raja Raghunatha Deva Kilavan Setupati (r. 1671–1710) was the first king of

Ramnad Kingdom The Kingdom of Ramnad or Ramnad estate was a permanently settled kingdom and later ''zamindari'' estate that existed in the Ramnad subdivision of the Madurai district and later Ramnad district of the erstwhile Madras Presidency in British Ind ...

which is also known "

Maravar Maravar (also known as Maravan and Marava) are a Tamil community in the state of Tamil Nadu. These people are one of the three branches of the Mukkulathor confederacy. Members of the Maravar community often use the honorific title '' Thevar''. ...

Kingdom".Lists of Inscriptions, and Sketch of the Dynasties of Southern India By Robert Sewell, Archaeological Survey of Southern India He ruled from 1673 to 1708 and oversaw the growth of the feudal chieftainship of Ramnad into a powerful ''"Ramnad Kingdom"'' which is known as ''"

Kingdom"''. He rescued the Nayak of Madurai from the tyranny of Rustam Khan and also successfully campaigned against the King of

Thanjavur Thanjavur (), also known as Thanjai, previously known as Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the 12th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of southern Indian religion, art ...

, who later ceded all his territories. It is recorded in the Sethupati copper plates that he belonged to the

Surya Surya ( ; , ) is the Sun#Dalal, Dalal, p. 399 as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchaya ...

kulam and

Kashyap The Kashyap Rajput or Kashyap are a caste in India. They are sometimes called the Koshyal or Kanshilya. History ''Kashyap'' is originally one of the eight primary gotras (clans) of the Brahmins, being derived from Kashyapa, the name of a ris ...

gothram.

Personal life

He fell in love with Kathali, a girl from the Kallar caste, later married her and then appointed his brother-in-law as the chief of Pudukottai for the military provided by Raghunatha Raya Tondaiman. Ragunatha Tondaman would later go on to spawn the

Thondaman Dynasty The Thondaman or Thondaiman was a dynasty ruled the region in and around Pudukkottai from the 17th to 20th century. The Pudukkottai Thondaiman dynasty was founded by Raghunatha Thondaiman, the brother-in-law of the then Raja of Ramnad, Ragh ...

Pudukottai Pudukkottai Municipal Corporation is the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest Heritage city located on the banks of the Vellar River. It has been ruled, at different t ...

. Also, history states that he had many wives (more than 45) and when Kilavan Sethupathi expired, all of them committed Sati ("Udankattai Eruthal").

Reign

Sethupathis loyalty towards the Nayaks was over with Thirumalai Nayak. Raghunatha Kilavan Sethupathi recaptured all the forts and places from the Nayaks and became an independent ruler. Raghunatha Kilavan Sethupathi annexed some territories of Madurai Kingdom,

Aranthangi Aranthangi is a town in Pudukkottai district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. As of 2011, it had a population of 40,814. Geography The town lies 10 degrees north in latitude and 70 degrees east in longitude and lies 32.31 m above mean sea l ...

, Thirumayam,

Piranmalai Piranmalai is a village located in Singampunari Taluk in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, India. The nearest town is Singampunari located away. Piranmalai is a fortified hill at an elevation of over . This is a last outcrop of the Eastern G ...

. He opposed the spread of Christian missionary activities. He liberated the Marava country (area around Rameswaram) from the control of Madurai Nayak. After defeating Rani Mangammal’s army, he declared independent Marava country in 1707. He shifted his headquarters from Bogalur to

Ramnad Ramanathapuram (), also known as Ramnad, is a city Municipal Corporation in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Ramanathapuram district and the second largest town (by population) ...

. Kilavan

Sethupathi The Sethupathis are a Tamils, Tamil clan of the Maravar community native to the Ramanathapuram district, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, India. They were from the 12th century considered independent kings in 16th century wh ...

established the Nalucottai palayam (later Sivaganga) and appointed Udaya Thevar as governor. He endowed villages to a temple at Thiruvadanai and Kalaiyar Koil. He constructed a fort around the Ramanathapuram, the capital city. He constructed a dam across the Vaigai.. His close friend was Vallal Seethakathi a Muslim philanthropist. It was during his reign, that the capital was moved from Bogalur to

. He was succeeded by his adopted son Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi I.

Death

Kilavan Sethupathi ruled for thirty two years (1678 - 1710). He adopted Muthu Vairavanatha Sethupathi and made him the next king. He expired in 1710.

References

{{reflist History of Tamil Nadu 1710 deaths

Personal life

Reign

Death

See also

References