NO. 61. — 1908.] TAMIL VELALAS. 



7 



tribes or gotra whom the great Mathavan 1 (i.e., the ascetic) 

 of Malaya 2 brought along with the Narapatis 3 of the line of 

 the Supreme Lord who measured the earth with one foot." 



In the second passage the tribe of Aruvalar is omitted, 

 while the Narapatis and the Vels are again mentioned as 

 descended from the race of Sri Krishna, divided into eighteen 

 tribes or clans, and entitled to the right of ruling. As 

 Nachchar 4 makes this assertion, not once but twice, it seems 

 a fair conclusion that there must have existed, in his day, 

 sources of information on this matter which have, since then, 

 disappeared. Unfortunately for us, however, he has not given 

 us the authorities on which he relied in making these statements. 

 Moreover, does not the statement sound astonishing that these 



Aruva and North Aruva, were together known as Mavilankai or the 

 Great Lanka. The capital of this province was Kachchi, the modern 

 Kanchipuram. The whole of this country was inhabited by the 

 Aruvalar, a nomadic tribe, who were also called. Kurumbar. It was the 

 Chola king, Karikal the Great, who first settled these wandering 

 tribes." — 44 The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago," pp. 27, 44. 



It is the opinion of Dr. Gustav Oppert that " Kuru " is the original 

 form of the name " Kurumbar," which has also other forms, such as 

 " Kurbar," "Kuruvar," &c, of which 44 Korama," 44 Kuruciyar," 

 and 4 4 Kunbi " are but variants. The shepherd Kurumbas were very 

 influential during the days of the Vijayanagara dynasty, the foundation 

 of which is attributed to a Kuruba noble. The shepherd Kurumbas 

 still call themselves " Yadavalu," i.e., Yadavas. That the Kurum- 

 barsheld, like the Velir, the position of petty kings in the Tamil country 

 is proved als.o by the following passage in 44 Divakaram," viz., " Velir, 

 Purochar, Arattar, and Kurumbar are names of petty kings." 



Again, the Kurubas of Mysore are known as "Cunabis " and " Rud- 

 dies," — which fact connects them with the "Rattas " of Manyakheta, 

 who wero Yadavas. The dynasty of Vijayanagara is said to be an 

 offshoot of the earlier royal family of Tuluva, i.e., the Kadambas. 

 Moreover, the words " Kurumpan " and " Kadampan " are, in Tamil, 

 interchangeable, being vocables of the same meaning. 



The above facts seem to show that the now much despised Kurubas 

 are of high origin, being the modern representatives of the Aruvalar of 

 the Tamil records. — V. J. T. 



1 An ascetic— V. J. T. 



8 The Southern Ghats, but the peak of Pothiyil is here referred to.— 

 V. J. T. 



3 4 4 Narapatis" means " kings " or 44 rulers." — V. J. T. 



4 An abbreviated form of " Naccinarkiniyar." — V. J. T. 



