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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XXI. 



who became connected with their families by marriage, took 

 them and their small kingdoms under their own protection, 

 treated with very great regard and esteem many of the 

 cultured and civilized Velala nobles who were the kinsmen of 

 these Vel princes, and beside conferring on them marks of 

 honour and distinction and liberal grants of lands, prized their 

 services so highly as to appoint them their chief ministers and 

 military commanders. It is said in ' ' Chilappathikaram " that 

 one of the most distinguished ministers of the Chera king 

 " Chenkudduvan " was " Alumpil Vel," who was one of the 

 petty kings of the time. The Velala nobles who held the 

 position of chief ministers under the Pandiyas were honoured 

 with the title of " Kavithi," while those who were so em- 

 ployed under the Cholas bore the high title of " Enathi," 1 

 as can be seen from the passage " looking at the face of the 

 Choliya Enathi " which occurs in " Manimekali.'" 2 The fact 

 that Karikal Chola honoured these Vels above all his other 

 subjects, and took them under his special patronage, granting 

 - them the over-lordship of twenty-four Kottams consisting of 

 seventy-four Nadus, is proved by extant sannas and writings. 



According to " Tolkappiam," 3 which was composed in the 

 latter part of what historical experts have designated " the 



national type. * * * In this race of farmers (i.e., the Velalas) 

 three families appear to have early attained to a predominant position, 

 and they founded the famous Pandya, Chola, and Chera dynasties." — 

 Vide "The Ceylon Census Report, 1901," p. 196, paras. 46 and 47. 

 The author of " The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago " has asserted 

 the same thing of the Tamil dynasties. He says : e ' The three Tamil 

 tribes Maranmar, Thirayar, and Vanavar founded respectively the 

 Tamil kingdoms subsequently known as the Pandya, Chola, and 

 Chera kingdoms. The Chera, Chola, and Pandya kings and most of 

 the petty chiefs of Tamilakam belonged to the tribe of Velalas." — Vide 

 pp. 50 and 113.— V. J. T. 



1 This title was not confined to any particular class of the Tamils. 

 Enathi Nayanar, one of the Sivite saints, was a distinguished scion 

 of the Shantara or toddy-drawing race. — V. J. T. 



2 One of the Buddhist epics now extant. — V. J. T. 



3 Tolkappian, the author of " Tolkappiam," was, according to the 

 traditionary accounts preserved in Tamil works whose classical value 

 has never been questioned, a disciple of Agastiyar, and it is not, there- 

 fore, clear how his date can be brought down to such a late period as 

 the 3rd century B.C. — V. j. T. 



