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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XXI. 



there existed in former times, side by side with these, a com- 

 munity claiming, if not a greater, at least certainly an equal 

 share of that glory. To those, however, who have an intimate 

 acquaintance with old Tamil authors, this information will 

 not be surprising. Upon inquiry conducted with regard to 

 truth, it will become evident that the exceeding greatness 

 of the position held by this community (in Tamil literature) 

 was equalled only by that of the Tamil culture created by 

 the triple kings 1 of the south. I refer above to a section of 

 the ancient Tamil community known by the appellation of 

 " Velir." 2 The larger number of " the last seven great Val- 

 lals " 3 of the Tamil country belonged to this race, and such was 

 their munificence, it is said, that it obviated further begging 

 on the part of those who had but once been the objects of it. 

 It was to one of these seven great Vallals that the sacred 

 poet 4 referred when he sang : " He will not give who has not 

 the mind to give, even if one should call him Pari." Who 

 was that prince of givers whose unrivalled reputation as a 

 patron of the Tamil bards of his time drew upon him the 

 jealous hatred 5 of the three kings ? Except some general 

 information, we have, as yet, very little knowledge in detail 

 as to the origin and history of this important community. 



1 The Cheras, the Cholas, and the Pandiyas. — V. J. T. 



2 " Velir " is the plural form of " Vel." " Velalas " is only another 

 form of it. The agricultural class among the Tamils are called by this 

 name.— V. J. T. 



3 A person of lavish munificence is, in Tamil, called a " Vallal." 

 The Tamil chiefs Ay, Pekan, Ori, Malayaman, Elini, Pari, and Nalli 

 are known as " the last seven Vallals " of the Tamil land, and they 

 lived about the time of the last Tamil Sangam held at Madura about 

 twenty centuries ago. — V. J. T. 



4 Sundarar, a Sivite saint and poet, who lived in the 9th century a.d. — 

 V. J. T. 



5 " Vel Pari was the ruler of a petty principality called 4 Parambu.' 

 He was a bold and gay adventurer, simple-hearted and generous, and 

 passionately fond of poetry. Every wandering minstrel was welcome 

 in his mansion. The sons of song were nowhere petted and feasted 

 as they were in Pari's palace. They found in him a union of all those 

 virtues which they loved to praise in their rhapsodies: reckless courage, 

 lavish liberality, and a gaiety which no reverse could check. He 

 soon became their idol, and his fame spread throughout Tamilakam. 

 The bards recounted, in glowing language, in the courts of the Chera, 



