Tenkasi Pandyas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

CapitalTenkasi
OfficiallanguagesTamil[2][3]
Religion
GovernmentMonarchy
Tenkasi Pandyas
1422–1618
Flag of Pandya kingdom
A close depiction of Tenkasi Pandiya flag as per archaeological findings and historians illustration.[1]
Location of the present day Tenkasi (Capital of Tenkasi Pandyas) and Madurai (Pandya dynasty's traditional capital)
CapitalTenkasi
Official languagesTamil[2][3]
Religion
GovernmentMonarchy
• 1422–1463
Sadaavarman Parakrama
• 1613–1618
Varagunarama
Historical eraEarly modern era
• Established
1422
• Disestablished
1618
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Medieval Pandyas
Delhi Sultanate
Madurai Nayak dynasty
Nayaks of Gingee
Today part ofTamil Nadu, India
Map of Tenkasi and Tirunelveli pandiyas
Map of Tenkasi and Tirunelveli pandiyas

Tenkasi Pandyas were the Pandya kings from Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya to his successors who ruled with Tenkasi as their capital.[4] With the invasion of the Sultanates, Vijayanagaras, and Nayakars from the fourteenth century onwards, the Pandyas lost their traditional capital of Madurai and shifted to cities like Tenkasi and Tirunelveli.[5] Tenkasi was the last capital of the Pandyas.[6] All the Pandyas from Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya and his next generations were crowned in the Adheenam Mutt[7] in Kasi Viswanathar temple.[8] During the same period, some Pandyas ruled with Tirunelveli as their capital. Kayatharu, Vadakkuvalliyur, and Ukkirankottai are some of their major cities. Inscriptions on them are found in Tenkasi's Kasi Viswanathar temple, Brahmadesam, Cheranmadevi, Ambasamudram, Kalakkad and Pudukkottai. The last Pandyan king to be known in the history of the Pandyas was Kolakonda, who was also among the Tenkasi Pandyas.

Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya and his descendants who ruled Tenkasi.
Gateway of the Kasi Viswanathar temple in Tenkasi

All the Pandyas of the Varagunarama Pandya period were under the Vijayanagara Empire and paid them tribute.[9] However, other sources invariably mention that though the Madurai Nayakas were in-charge of Madurai, from time to time, they were opposed by and had skirmishes with the Tenkasi Pandyans, who are also said to have had intermittent control of Madurai.The Tenkasi Pandyas ruled Tenkasi,Thirunelveli and northern kanyakumari regions as independent sovereign ruling dynasty from 1422CE till 1460CE.The Tenkasi Pandyas also had imperial ambitions, fought some wars, conquered territories outside their terrain. This is proven by the fact that the last Tenkasi Pandyan king bore the title "Kollamkondan", which means the one who conquered Kollam in Malayalam country.[10]

Although the Vijayanagara Empire and the Nayaks ruled Madurai after the 14th century, they were occasionally opposed by the Pandyas. Sometimes they have ruled Madurai. Prominent among them were Saadavarman Vikrama Pandya (1401 – 1422 AD) and his son, Arikesari Parakrama Pandya.[11] They had built 32 forts around Madurai. Later, when Vishwanatha Nayakkar became the Madurai Mandalasuvaran, he feared of Pandya resurgence in Madurai. He divided Madurai into 72 districts, including 16 districts of those against to the Pandyas.[12] He gave them positions and made them separate from the Pandyas. This made Pandyas to lose Madurai forever.[11]

Tenkasi's origin

King Saadavarman Parakrama Pandya was the first Pandya king to be crowned after Tenkasi was established as Pandya's capital. Since he was unable to complete the construction of Tenkasi temple and there was a prophecy telling that the temple would collapse the next day, he requested the devotees to help restore the temple. He promised to accept the offerings of everyone and bow down to their feet. Accordingly, to fulfill that promise, he had put his image in the gateway of the temple.

Shenbagapozhil in Tamil means "champak tree-lined rainforest". In the fifteenth century, Lord Shiva is said to have had appeared in the dream of King Parakrama Pandya, who ruled the Shenbagapozhil area. In that dream, he was said that a lingam worshiped by the Pandya's ancestors was in the Shenbaga forest. He was said that ants could be found crawling out of their fort and if they followed the ants, the lingam could be found. He was also told by Shiva to construct a temple there. The reason is the order from Shiva, "Shiva devotees in the south die before reaching Kashi on their way to Varanasi in the north. So for them to get my grace, build a city equaling that of Varanasi in the south". Obeying his words, King Parakrama Pandya built the Tenkasi gopuram for his ancestor-worshiped lingam. The word Tenkasi translates to "South Kashi" ("ten" or "then" meaning south in Tamil). The town was called the Tenkasi after the temple.[13]

Other names

Tenkasi was known by 16 names before the reign of Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya.[13] They were

  1. Sachhithanapuram
  2. Muttuthantavanallur
  3. Anantakkuthanur
  4. Saivamuthur
  5. Tenpuliyur
  6. Kuyinkudi
  7. Sittharvasam
  8. Senpagapozhil
  9. Sivamavoor
  10. Sathamaatharoor
  11. Sithiramoolathanam
  12. Mayilaikudi
  13. Palalinkapaadi
  14. Vasanthakudi
  15. Kosigai
  16. Sitharpuri

Cityscape

The Pandya city of Tenkasi was centered around the Kasi Viswanathar temple. There were square-shaped streets in succession around the temple. The Tenkasi Pandyas were based on a fortress known as Ukkirankottai.[14]

List of Tenkasi Pandya kings

Gateway of the Kasi Viswanathar temple in Tenkasi

List of Pandyas who ruled with Tenkasi as the capital.

No King Period
1 Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya 1422–1463 AD
2 Kulasekara Pandiyan III 1429–1473 AD
3 Aksharan Perumal Parakrama Pandya 1473–1506 AD
4 Kulasekara Pandya 1479–1499 AD
5 Sadaverman Sewallapa Pandya 1534–1543 AD
6 Parakrama Kulasekaran 1543–1552 AD
7. Nelveli Maran 1552–1564 AD
8. Sadaavarman Adeevirama Pandya 1564–1604 AD
9. Varathuranga Pandya 1588–1612 AD
10. Varagunarama Pandya 1613–1618 AD
11. Kollankondan (Pandya Dynasty) (N.A.)

Proofs

Art

References

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