No. 61.— 1908.] 



TAMIL VELALAS. 



13 



years ago, conquered, and ruled over it, from their capital 

 which they named " Dwarasamudra." 1 They were natives of 

 Gurjara, and Yadavas by race. They were also known as 

 " Belalas " to the Canarese. That these " Belala " kings 

 were invaders from Gurjara, and of the Yadava Vamsa, are 

 facts of history. The resemblance between " Belala " and 

 the Tamil name " Velala " is a significant fact that we should 

 keep in mind in this inquiry. Moreover, a city founded by 

 these Belala Yadavas is still known by the name of " Velur " 

 or " Velapuram." 2 We may gather from these facts that, 

 although the Hoysala Yadavas were, in Canarese, called 

 " Belalas," the correct form of their name is that found in 

 common usage among the Tamils, viz., "Velala," and that 

 the name " Vel " found in the old Tamil classics was, also, 

 used to designate them. The learned Mr. V. Kanakasabhai 

 Pillai, B.A., B.L., in his most valuable work entitled "The 

 History of the Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago," 3 though 

 not calling the Tamil Velalas and the Belalas of Dwara- 

 samudra, Yadavas, has, nevertheless, treated them as belong- 

 ing to the same race. 4 



There is yet another fact that leads us to believe that the 

 Belalas of Dwarasamudra and the ancient Vels of the Tamil 

 country were members of one and the same race. I have 

 elsewhere referred to an old Tamil bard who speaks of " Irung 

 Ko Vel " as a descendant of the Vels who originally ruled 

 in Gurjara. This bard, in both his odes in praise of the Vel 

 chief, calls him by the name " Pulikadimal," 6 which the 

 commentator of " Purrananooru " passes over without saying 



1 This is situated in Mysore. 



2 This is now known as " Halabidu." 



3 Vide "Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago," p. 114. The Belial 

 dynasty which ruled over ' ' Gangavadi ' ' is identical with the Hoysa- 

 las.— V. J. T. 



4 " In the Canarese country the Velalas founded the Belial dynasty, 

 which ruled that country for several centuries. A portion of Mysore 

 which was peopled mostly by the Velalas was called Gangavadi in 

 the tenth and eleventh centuries of the Christian era. Another 

 dynasty of the kings of this tribe which ruled Orissa in the eleventh 

 and twelfth centuries was known as the Gangavamsas. " — V. J. T. 



5 The Mai or lord who killed the tiger. — V. J. T. 



