The “Ariyar” in the Sangam literature and the Dravidian problem – a relook into the old issues (2)

The  “Ariyar” in the Sangam literature and the Dravidian problem  – a relook into the old issues (2)

Paditruppattu (the Ten tens): It gives more information about ‘Ariyar’ in a historical setting. The entire extant collection of poems with the deeds and exploits of the Chera Kings. The first and tenth Tens are not available. In the Second Ten, the Patigam (Preface) describes how Imayavaramban Nedunjeraladhan engraved his royal sign ‘bow’, which figures on his flag, on the top of the Himalayas (lines 4-7). Having roaring oceans has his boundaries (imizh kadal velittamizhagam), he ruled Tamizhagam (the Tamil country) in such a way to excel the other nadus (countries). He made ‘Ariyar’ bow before him, who were having very great name (fame and heritage).

In the Second Ten, the 11^th verse details as to how the very famous Himalayas abound with “Ariyas”. Hence, scholars give two different meanings for the ‘Ariyar’:

1. ‘Ariyar” = Munivar (rishis) and
2. “Ariyar’ = ‘Ariya mannar’ ( Aryan kings) .

The hillside was resplendent with densely and well grown trees of erthrina indica (mullu murukka), a kind of citrus and the yak sleeping there would dream of waterfalls and sweet smelling grass. The Himalayas with such fertility was filled with many rishis. In between the Himalayas (in the north) and Kumari in the South, there were Kings who boasted their valour but they were conquered by Nedunjeraladhan. The meaning is thus rendered, “You quelled the valour of those who called themselves monarchs of the land between Camorin in the South and the famous Himalayas, where the Ariyas² abound and yak sleeps on the hills covered thick with the Oleander and dreams of the broad mountain stream and the narandam (lemon-grass?)”

In fifth Ten, the patigam mentions ‘vadavar’, i,e, the people of north and ‘Ariya Annal’ i.e, head of Ariya Kings. It describes how the kings of the north were afraid of Kadal Prakkottiya Senguttuvan [Senguttuvan, a Chera King who had a navy that sailed on the ocean]. He marched with his army to bring a good stone for chiseling an image of the goddess of chastity. He came across a head or chief of Ariya Kings, while passing through forests, and defeated him. Then, he brought a stone and washed it in waters of the Ganges. While coming back, he stayed at Irumbil, destroyed Viyaur and Kodungur. He also killed a king named Pazhaiyon.

In the same fifth Ten, the 43^rd verse mentions the defeat of kings who were ruling between the Himalayas in the north and Kumari in the south as boundaries. However, the names of the kings or the countries thus defeated are not given in the poem. In the padigam, the kings are mentioned as the ‘vadavar’ (the Kings of north), the Chiefs of ‘Ariyar’ are called ‘Ariya Annal’, but here they are generally mentioned as ‘Ariya arasar’, i.e, the Kings between the Himalayas and Kumari.

Seventh Ten, the 68^th poem narrates how the people who were living in the north or northern direction, were leading a fearless, peaceful and happy life. The expression used to denote them is ‘vadapula vazhnar’.

So from the description of Paditruppattu, we can see that ‘Ariyar’ are –

• ‘the Kings of the North’,
• ‘Rishis of the Himalayas’,
• ‘the Kings between the boundaries of Himalayas and Kumari’ and
• ‘the people of the north or northern direction of Tamilagam’.

Agananuru (or Neduntogai): It also gives more details about ‘Ariyar’. ‘Ariyars’ capture elephants by the use of trained female elephants. A public woman takes a vow that she would chain her hero with her hair just as the ‘Ariyar’ make the wild elephant domesticated with the she-elephant. Mullaippattu throws light on their employment by the kings of Tamilagam to train elephants.

In another poem, a harlot wishes her bangles may be broken just like the army of ‘Ariyars’, which was defeated by the Kurumba bowmen who fought under the Cholas, with their shower of arrows, victorious spears and the black buckler. Here, also the names of the defeated ‘Ariyars’ are not given, but it is mentioned that they were defeated at Vallam (Tanjore).

Paranar3 in his poem eulogises Senguttuvan that he attacked the Aryar so as to make them scream, carved his emblem bow on the very famous mountain and chained the ferocious Kings. Here one can notice that the name of the mountain is not specified and it is mentioned in singular. As the Himalayas are always mentioned in the plural to denote a chain of mountains, a doubt arises as to whether the poet actually alludes to the Himalayas or to a certain ‘very famous, ancient and well grown’ mountain situated north of Tamizhagam in those days.

Agam.386 narrates how an Ariya wrestler was defeated by one Panan. The Ariya wrestler was known as ‘Ariya Porunan’ and Panan was another wrestler, whose state was in the north of Tamizhagam (Agam.325). Panan wrestled with Ariya Porunan and crushed his shoulders and arms, the sight of which made Kanaiyan, the commander of Chera army, feel ashamed.

Agam 398 accounts how rain protects and causes to flourish the region of the tall mountain of Ariyar, where gold is found. In the poem, the heroine’s native place, full of flower groves is compared to the above region of the mountain. Here, also the name of the mountain is not mentioned.

So, according to Agananuru, ‘Ariyar’ were –

• the people who captured and trained elephants,
• who got defeated by the Cholas at Vallam,
• who were the Kings of the north, conquered and chained by Senguttuvan and
• who were in possession of a mountain where gold was available.

As there was a wrestler known as ‘Ariya Porunan’, the name should imply either that he was an Ariya or he came from the north. But, it should be noted that Panan, who defeated Ariya Porunan and came from a state situated north of Tamizhagam, was not given the prefix of ‘Ariya’. Therefore, it is evident that there were Ariya wrestlers, just like Ariya jugglers, tumblers or rope dancers, elephant trainers and trainers in Tamizhagam.

Purananuru: In one poem4, Kovur Kizhar, a Tamil poet, describes how the kings of the north were afraid of Cholan Naklankilli that they were spending their nights without sleep. Marudanila Naganar, another poet5 describes how Pandiyan Kudakartattutunjiya Maran Vazhudi was having a chariot to wage a fierce war to kill the kings of the north (vadapula mannar). Actually, the poet eulogises Maran Vazhudi who is said to have caused ‘northern kings to fade’. But, particulars given about the names of such northern kings or countries and the place or places where he defeated them in the battles are not at all given. There is a mention⁶ of a type of a sandal paste of ‘northern mountain’ (vadakundrattuchandanam), Agananuru also refers to this⁷. But here also, the name of the northern mountain is not mentioned. Thre important point to be noted is, though the expressions ‘vadapulattarasar’, ‘vadapulamannar’ and ‘vadakundram’ are used to denote the kings of the north and northern mountain, the prefix ‘Ariyar’ is conspicuously missing. Therefore, it is very evident that there were northern kings and northern mountains other than Ariya kings of north and northern mountain of ‘Ariyar’.

‘Ariyar’ denotes what? From  the foregoing discussion about the word ‘Ariyar’ and its forms mentioned in the ancient Tamil literature, it is evident that they would come under the following categories:

‘Ariyar’ are –

1. the people who were living immediately north of Tamizhagam or Vengadam.
2. the kings who were ruling immediately north of Tamizhagam or Vengadam.
3. the jugglers, tumblers, rope-dancers or acrobats of Tamizhagam.
4. the Rishis or saints of the northern mountain of Tamizhagam or Himalayas.
5. the elephant captors and / or trainers.
6. the groups or kings who waged wars against Tamil kings or chiefs coming from north.
7. the honorific title ‘Ariya’ was used to respect certain professionals like wresrtlers, poets or king-cum-poets of Tamizhagam.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

12-06-2024