| Official language | Tamil |
| Family name | Thondaiman |
| Capital | Tondai Nadu (Thondaimandalam) |
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The Thondaimans were Tamil rulers of ancient Tondai Nadu division of Tamilakkam. They ruled with Pallava dynasty, which controlled Northern Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, with their capital at Kanchipuram. There are hundreds of records and edicts pertaining to the Tondaiman rulers.[1]
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The ruler Thondaiman Ilandirayan was mentioned in Purananuru in one of the poem written by Avvaiyar as a king confronting Adhiaman and the battle was avoided by tactics of Avvaiyaar.[2]
Kalingathuparani was written by Jayamkondar in praise of Karunagara Thondaiman for the victory over Kalinga (present day Orissa). He was the Pallava prince working under Kulothunga Chola I as a Thalaphathy. Karunagara Thondaiman is also stated as Vandai arasan.
Poet Kambar wrote "Silaiezhupathy" about Karunagara Thondaiman.Silaiyelupathu
Aranthangi Thondaimans who were ruling Aranthangi from the 15th to 18th century, as feudal chiefs under the Pandyas and Vijayanagar rulers. There are references to the Aranthangi Thondaimans in the inscriptions in the temples in Avudayarkovil, Alappiranathan, Pillaivayal, Aranthangi, Kovilur, Paramandur, Palankarai, Piranmalai, Thiruvarankulam and Kurumbur. Similarly the Aranthangi Thondaimans were an independent line of chieftains, ruling from Aranthangi, and their reign flourished even about 200 years before the rule of the Thondaimans of Pudukottai, which started in about 1640.[3]
Aranthangi Thondaimans were the chief patrons of the Avudayarkovil temple, and had liberally donated to the maintenance of the temple, as indicated by copper plates in the possession of the Tiruvavaduthurai Adheenam. They had gifted land to Tiruvarur, Rameswaram, Kanchipuram and also Benares temples. About 25 copper plates grants of Aranthangi Thondaimans have been recorded so far, and 16 of them are in the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam.
The princely state of Pudukkottai was created by Raghunatha Thondaiman a Kallar ruler of Pudukkottai. Raghunatha Kilavan Setupati of Ramnad (1673-1708 A.D.) married Kathali Nachiar the sister of Thondaiman, he appointed his brother-in-law Raghunatha Thondaiman as a chief of the district of Pudukottai. Raghunatha Thondaiman (son of Avudai Raghunatha Thondaiman) was earlier ruling Thirumayam. In appreciation of Raghunatha Tondaman's services, Raghunatha Kilavan Setupati has given Pudukkottai as an honour for his services.
In later centuries, the Thondaiman rulers, while nominally feudatories of the Ramnad state, often pursued an independent foreign policy, a trend common in all parts of India at that time. After the death of Raghunatha Kilavan Setupati; he become ruler of Pudukottai. After becoming the ruler of Pudukottai, Raghunatha Thondaiman fought against the Nayaks of Tanjore in support of the Nayaks of Madurai and conquered Thirukkattupalli a very important place. Then there was a direct clash between Thondaimans of Pudukottai and the Nayaks rulers of Tanjore. Thondaiman conquered the west of Thirukkattupalli.
The next ruler Raja Vijaya Reghunatha Raya Thondaiman he helped Nawab of Arcot against Hyder Ali the ruler of Mysore Kingdom. He was also loyal towards the British Government. After some time, when Hyder Ali’s army tried to enter into Pudukkottai, the Thondaiman’s army successfully defeated them and drove Hyder’s army away. Thondaiman captured Kilanilai and Aranthangi. He helped the British Government against Tipu Sultan.
Pudukkotai finally came under formal British protection. This was arguably unavoidable, since the Thondaimans were much menaced in that period by a resurgent Mysore ruled by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan had sought to leverage the power of the French against his British adversaries, and Pudukkotai, in common with its neighbours such as Thanjavur and Travancore, found it expedient to ally with the British.
Raja Rajagopala Thondaiman (1928–1948) the last and ninth in the line of Thondaiman rulers, was selected by the British Government and was crowned when he was six years old. After Indian independence in 1947, the Pudukkottai Princely State was amalgamated with Indian Union on 04/03/1948 and became a division in Tiruchirappalli district. The long history of the Thondaimans rule came to an end. Some settlements of this dynasty has still found near Tanjaore. In early 1700, the Cholas had built a temple in the Madivala village, which now falls within the Bangalore city limits. This temple is still visited by Kathiravan who belongs to this dynasty.
During the early part of Thondaiman’s rule people of Pudukkottai region led normal life. Kings concentrated more on political matters and also on the people’s welfare. Choultries were built for pilgrims. In the later part of their rule due to famine people faced many types of sufferings. Heavy rain and flood damaged the city of Pudukkottai and natural diseases were there. Later after sometime city of Pudukkottai was modernized. New school was opened. Tanks were built to increase water supply. Vaccination was introduced against small pox. Many reforms were introduced during he last phase of their reign.