KONGU VELLALARS: RISE, MIGRATION AND SOCIAL LIFE

Abstract

Right from the beginning, Kongu Nadu was a part of ancient Tamil Nadu. They were also the sons of the soil. The ancient Kongu Country is well known as Kongu Nadu and had commercial contact with the western world during the first few centuries of the Christian era. To substantiate this, more than two thousand Roman Coins were unearthed from important places like Velanthavalam, Anaimalai, Pollachi, Vellalur, Karuvur and Kalyamuthur of Kongu Country ranging from 1st Century B.C to the 4th Century AD. There are many references in the Devaram, Periyapuranam and Paripadal about the twenty highways connecting Kongu Country with Pandya Country facilitating the communication, commercial and military systems with the neighbour states, and so many Significances are there in Kongu Nadu. Though the Kongu Nadu is still populated by mostly agricultural communities, they are still politically and culturally very powerful communities. The Kongu leaders had so much freedom, reverence and respect during all three regions of Pandya, Cholas and Cheras. The people were efficient and had extensive internal as well as foreign contacts.