Kongu Nadu
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Kongu Nadu is a region in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. The term Kongu means honey or nectar of flowers. The Kongu country had vast stretches of forests. It was believed to be rich in honey or nectar of flowers and hence it came to be known as the Kongu Nadu meaning country. The people who lived in that part of the Tamil country were called Kongars. The ancient Kongu country extended up to the River Kaveri in Mysore. The people of this region identified themselves by either wearing garlands of distinct flowers or by having the totem of an animal or a bird. They especially wore garlands of Kongam flowers (Cochlo spermum Gossypium). A sangam*1 verse that praises Nannan, the Velir chief of the Coorg and Mysore region, referred to him as 'Ponnam-kanni Nannan'. Since the Kongam flowers are yellow in colour, like gold, 'Ponnam-Kanni' was described as a beautiful garland of the gold-like yellow Kongum flowers. It is also mentioned in a verse of Perumkadai of Konguvel, that Barugur and the North Coimbatore plateau formed the southern extension of the Mysore plateau and had plenty of Kongam or Kongilavam trees.
[edit] History
The strategic location of Coimbatore near the Palghat gap within the Western Ghats has made this region an area of conflict between different southern kingdoms since ancient times. Not much is known about the prehistory of this region. However, during the Vedic age (1500 BC-600 BC) Dravidians are supposed to have inhabited this region, like most other areas of South India. An alternative theory says that it is the land of Gangas. Ganga in Tamil is written Kanka which subsequently has become Kongu. The Kongu Vellalar community living here is the majority, its original name is Ganga kulam Gounder (caste)
The region around Coimbatore was amongst the first places in Tamil Nadu where the local Tamil speaking people set up territorial states. In the ancient period the region around Coimbatore was known as Kongu Nadu (Kongu country) and was ruled by local Velir chiefs, who were of Tamil origin. In the course of time Kongu country witnessed long drawn out struggles between the different kingdoms of south India: the Cholas (who ruled the area of Tanjore), the Pandyas (who ruled in the region of Madurai) and the Cheras or Keralas (who ruled the Kerala coast). The region ruled by these kingdoms was known as the land of the Tamils, as Tamil was the language spoken here. The information we get about these three states is mainly based on Tamil literature also called the 'Sangam literature'*1.
Go to Gounder (caste) for more on Kongu history.
[edit] Countries of Kongu Nadu
The countries comprising ancient Kongu Nadu are:
- Poondurai Nadu
- Erode & Thiruchancode
- Thenkarai Nadu
- Dharapuram &Kurur
- Kangeya Nadu
- Dharapuram & Kankeyam
- Pongalur Nadu
- Palladam & Dharapuram
- Arayai Nadu
- Kovai & Avanasi
- Varakka Nadu
- Palladam & Pollachi
- Thiruvavinankudi Nadu
- Palladam & Pollachi
- Mana Nadu
- South-West region of Karur Taluk
- Thalaiyur Nadu
- South& West regions of Karur
- Thataiyur Nadu
- Kuliththalai Taluk
- Poovaniya Nadu
- Omalur & Dharmapuri Taluks
- Araya nadu
- Erode & Namakkal
- Oduvanga Nadu
- Gobi Taluk
- Vadakarai Nadu
- Bhavani Taluk
- Kilakku Nadu
- Karur & Kulithalai Nadu
- Nallurukka Nadu
- Udumalaipettai
- Vallavandi Nadu
- Namakkal Northern part, Karur
- Anda Nadu
- Palani Taluk, Eastern Part
- Venkala Nadu
- Karur Taluk, Eastern Part
- Kazalakkala Nadu
- Pollachi Taluk
- Anamalai Nadu
- Pollachi South-West
- Rasipura Nadu
- Selam, Rasipuram, Kollimalai
- Kangikovil Nadu
- Gobi,Bhavani
- Kurumbu Nadu
- Vellakovil
References
- 1 - Sangam literature: Sangam literature is a vast collection of ancient Tamil poems. These poems are treasure troves of information, as they vividly describe the life and culture of the common people and the rulers of South India.
