Kongunadu

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Kongu Nadu is the north western region of the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India.The word Kongu is derived from Kanku found in inscritions which inturmn is from the name of the dominant community Kankas (Gangas) or Kongar or the modern Kongu Vellala Gounder (caste).

Contents

History

The strategic location of Coimbatore near the Palghat Gap in 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. "Kongudesa Rajakkal" 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 Kanga Nadu (Ganga country) and was ruled by local Velir chiefs of the Western Ganga Dynasty, whose origins are unclear. In the course of time Kongu country witnessed long drawn out power struggles between the different kingdoms of south India: here mainly within the Gounder clans of the Satiyaputra (Adiyaman) of Dharmapuri (the Adi kootam of modern Gounders) , Cheras (the Cheran kootam of modern Gounders) of Karur (Vanchi) and during the decline of the Sangam, the Gangas dynasty of Kannuva Gotra (the Kannan kootam of modern Gounders). There is a short interregnum of alien Thanjavur Cholas under Rajaraja and Rajendra. The power then passed to the kingdoms established by outsiders, Hoysalas who still used the Gavunda organisation at the local level. The arrival of Muslims and their defeat resulted in the shift of tax collection to alien Wodeyar scribes under Vijayanagara. However, the Gounders retained their militaristic power and local administration up to the Kingdom of Mysore and after the fall of Dheeran Chinnamalai, total power went into the hands of the British. Today's Kongunadu is politically weak though economically strong resulting in exploitation by outsiders. The region ruled by these kingdoms was known as the land of the Gangas (Kongus), by the last dynasty where native Gounders ruled, the language Gangee Tamil (Kongu Tamil) (Wilkins, History of Mysore) is spoken here. The information we get about these three states is mainly based on Tamil literature also called the 'Sangam literature'*1 and Kongudesarajakkal.

Countries of Kongu Nadu

The countries comprising ancient Kongu Nadu are:

  1. Poondurai Nadu - Erode & Thiruchengode
  2. Thenkarai Nadu - Dharapuram & Kurur
  3. Kangeya Nadu - Dharapuram & Kankeyam
  4. Pongalur Nadu - Palladam & Dharapuram
  5. Arai Nadu - Kovai & Avanasi
  6. Varakka Nadu - Palladam & Pollachi
  7. Thiruvavinankudi Nadu - Palladam & Pollachi
  8. Mana Nadu - South-West region of Karur Taluk
  9. Thalaiyur Nadu - South& West regions of Karur
  10. Thataiyur Nadu - Kuliththalai Taluk
  11. Poovaniya Nadu - Omalur & Dharmapuri Taluks
  12. Araya nadu - Erode & Namakkal
  13. Oduvanga Nadu - Gobi Taluk
  14. Vadakarai Nadu - Bhavani Taluk
  15. Kilanku Nadu - Karur & Kulithalai Nadu
  16. Nallurukka Nadu - Udumalaipettai
  17. Vallavandi Nadu - Namakkal Northern part, Karur
  18. Anda Nadu - Palani Taluk, Eastern Part
  19. Venkala Nadu - Karur Taluk, Eastern Part
  20. Kazalakkala Nadu - Pollachi Taluk
  21. Anamalai Nadu - Pollachi South-West
  22. Rasipura Nadu - Selam, Rasipuram, Kollimalai
  23. Kangikovil Nadu - Gobi, Bhavani
  24. Kurumbu Nadu - Vellakovil

Notes

^ Dr. Nagaswamy Roman Karur [1]

References

  • Kongudesarajakkal, Government manuscript Library, Chennai
  • Dheeran Chinnamalai by Pulavar Dr. Rasu.
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