| Official language | Tamil |
| House | Velirs (Satyaputo) - Fraternity of Truth |
| Family Dynasties | *Adigaman/Satyaputo-Athiyaman Dynasty *Malayaman Dynasty *Vēl Pāri Dynasty *Vel Āviyar Dynasty *Irunkōvēl Dynasty |
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Velirs (Tamil: வேளிர்) were a royal house of minor dynastic kings and aristocratic chieftains in Tamilakkam in the early historic period of South India.[1][2] Extolled in Sangam literature for their charity and truthfulness, they were the ancestors and head of the modern Tamil Vellalar caste.[2][3][4][5] Vassals of the three main Tamil dynasties of Tamilakam (Damirica) — Chola, Chera and Pandya, the Velirs had close relations with them through marriages and coronation right.[4][6] The velirs were crowned with the epithet Satyaputo (members of the fraternity of truth) for their virtues, and their lands were often hill/mountainous terrain.
There were twelve to thirteen Velir dynastic families of fame in the Sangam age. Seven kings from seven dynastic clans of the Velir royal house formed the Kadai Ezhu Vallal (The last of the 7 (lines) of Great Patrons), liberal patrons of arts and literature in ancient Tamilakam. The word Velir became a title inherited by Vellalar chiefs of the medieval period.[7]
The Kongu Velir dynasty ruled Kongu Nadu, while the Vēl Pāri dynasty produced numerous kings ruling Parambu Nadu, the most popular of whom was a close friend of the poet Kapilar. The Irunkōvēl line ruled over Ko Nadu and their most famous ruler, Pulikadimal, was a contemporary of Karikala Chola and Kapilar. The most heralded of the Āviyar line was Vaiyāvik Kōpperum Pēkan, a contemporary of the poet Paranar, and renowned for his generosity. The Malayaman Velir dynasty ruled Nadu Naadu around Tirukkoyilur, their royal emblem featured a horse and their most famous king was Malaiyamān Thirumudi Kāri. Both he and his son Thaervann Malaiyan assisted the early Cholas and Cheras. The most famous Velir dynasty was the Athiyamān dynasty, and this dynasty's powerful and most famous king was Athiyamān Nedumān Añci. His son Elini ruled Kudiramalai of the ancient Jaffna kingdom and Vanni, a co-ruling contemporary of the famous king Korran. These kings belonged to a prolific Tamil horseman tribe.[8][9] The ancient Tamil Naka Oviyar tribe of the Velir house, whose nation stretched to the Tamil emporiums of Mantai and Kudiramalai, had the famous king Nalliyakkotan who ruled this region and is paid tribute to in the Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai.
Each of the Velir dynasties ruled from their own capitals and utilized the seaport of Arikamedu.
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According to Tamil tradition and some sources, the Velirs came to south from the city of Dwarka in north India under the leadership of the Vedic sage Agastya just after the collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization and belonged to the Yadava Kshatriya clan.[1][10] The Velirs of Kongu Nadu were called Kongu Velirs (கொங்கு வேளிர்) and they ruled the Kongu region.[6] Numerous poems in the ancient Sangam literature extol these chieftains' charity and truthfulness. Among the most prominent were those known as the 'seven patrons' (kadaiyezhu vallal); Paari, Malayaman Kaari, Ori, Adigaman, Avi, Nalli and Veliyan. Athiyamān Nedumān Añci and his son Ezhini, were Adigaman chieftains, based in Tagadur. They were contemporaries of Auvaiyar. The Sangam poem "Thagadur yathirai", now lost, was written about his battle with the Chera king. Another Velir was Irunkōvēl (Purananur-201 by Paranar) who ruled from Koval (modern day Tirukovilur) on the banks of Pennai, (the present Ponnaiyar River) which presently discharges into the sea at Cuddalore, a town 20 miles south of Pondicherry (ancient Arikamedu).It is likely that the course of the river has changed to south over many centuries. Other Velir chiefs of repute include Alumbil Vel, Alandur Vel and Nangur Vel[11][12] In Sangam literature the more prevalent word used is Vel, such as in the names Vel Avi and Vel Paari.
Asoka's edicts mentioned a clan of rulers called Satyaputas along with three crowned Tamil kings[13] Sathiyaputo as mentioned in the Asokan Girnar edict is the same as Sathiyaputo mentioned in the Jambai inscription. The Jambai inscription was issued by Adigaman Chieftain. The Sanskrit name means "members of the fraternity of truth".[13] A Tamil epigraph found recently at Jambai near Tirukkovilur in Tamil Nadu says satiyaputo atiyan netuman anci itta pali which translates to "Monastery given by Satyaputa Athiyan Nduman Anji"<9.^ Mahadevan, Iravatham (2003). Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D.. Harvard Oriental Series vol. 62. Cambridge, Mass: Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies, Harvard University. ISBN 978-0-674-01227-1. p. 399.></ref>
Potsherds with early Tamil writing from the 2nd century BCE found in excavations in Poonagari, Jaffna bear several inscriptions, including a clan name—vela, a name related to velir from the ancient Tamil country.[14]
Asoka mentions the Satyaputras in his inscriptions along with the Cholas, Pandyas and the Kerala putras. The Satyaputra-Athiyamān Velirs wielded sufficient power in the time of Asoka (3rd century BCE) almost on par with the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas, a power which continued for several centuries.
| “ | Ye Ca anta ata Choda, Pandiya, Satiyaputo, Ketalaputo, Tam bapanni, Antiyogo naama, Yonalaja | ” |
| “ | Everywhere in the conquered dominions of king Priyadarsin, the beloved of the gods, and the dominions on the borders as those of the Chola, the Pandya, the Satiyaputra, the Cheralaputra, Tamraparni, the Yavana King named Antiyoka and the other neighbouring kings of this Antiyoka... | ” |
In several excavated Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found at Jambai, Tirukkoyilur of Viluppuram district, South Arcot in Tamil Nadu mention is made again of the dynasty:[15][16]
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The inscription, assignable to first century CE, mentions the Athiyā Chief Neduman Anci, a heroic historic king celebrated in volumes of the Sangam literature classics Purananuru and Akananuru. This Athiymān king was most likely a descendent of the dynasty mentioned in Asoka's edicts.[19] The inscription records the endowment of a cave-shelter by the chieftain Atiyan Netuman Anci who sports the title Satiyaputo. The inscription gives the name of his clan (Atiyan), of his father (Netuman) and of himself (Anci). This clear statement enables researchers with absolute certainty, to identify a chieftain mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature with a personage figuring in a Tamil-Brahmi inscription.[20]
The Gummireddipura plates make mention of the Satyaputra-Velir Adigaman dynasty.
An inscription belonging to one of the kings of the Irunkōvēl line from the Adhipuriswara temple in Tiruvorriyur district mentions Velirs :
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