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Chola Warlords: Who Were the Paluvettaraiyars?

Ponniyin Selvan I movie poster showing actor Sarathkumar as Periya Paluvettaraiyar and actor Parthiban as Chinna Paluvettaraiyar. In 2024, Oxford University Press published  Minor Majesties: The Paluvēṭṭaraiyars and Their South Indian Kingdom of Paluvūr, 9th–11th Centuries A.D ., a groundbreaking study by historian Valerie Gillet. In the book’s opening chapter, A Tentative Biography of the Paluvettaraiyars , Gillet delves into the lineage and origins of this influential fami ly.  These Chola warlords traced their lineage to the formidable Maravars, an ancient warrior tribe renowned for their valor. However, I believe that while the Paluvettaraiyars were indeed of Maravar descent, they likely forged alliances through intermarriage with those of the Kallar and Agambadiyar clans, further solidifying their power and influence. Prominent figures in the medieval Chola era, the Paluvettaraiyars played a pivotal role in shaping the empire’s political and military landscape. Through st...
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My Talk On Melaka Chettis

My first post on this community can be read here : Chetti vs Chettiar- Are Those in Malacca Confused? 

 The Melaka (Malacca) Cheti community managed to retain their identity for 500 years in Melaka far away from their original homeland in India because of the following:

 1. They maintained their surnames; Pillay, Naicker, Chitty, Mudaliar, Rajah, Konar, Kullen, Pathar, Pandaram and Padayachi.
2. They still use their traditional Thali pendants; Telugu Pottu Thali and Tamil Thali
3. They still continue the worship of their Hindu family deities (kula deivam)

 If these 3 things were removed, the Melaka Cheti community would have lost their unique identity and assimilated with the local population in ancient Malaysia. The community would have not existed today.

 Here is the video of my talk which was delivered on Sunday 3 March 2019. The event was organised by Melaka In Fact.

 https://www.facebook.com/melakainfact/videos/1995264470599416/
Using some of the findings, I made some comparitive study. The Pillay familes of the Melaka Cheti have Angala Parameswari and Ayyanar as their family deity.

 There are 100 sub divisions among the Vellalar community in Tamil Nadu. The Vellalars groups on the eastern side of Tamil Nadu like Arunattu Vellalar, Saiva Vellalar, Isai Vellalar, Sozhiya Vellalar use Pillai behind their names. The Arunattu Vellalars have about 35-40 family names although they use Pillay/Pillai as a shared surname.

 Here are 3 examples which seems to strike some similarity with the Pillays of the Melaka Cheti community:

 Family name : Konnakudaiyan
Kula Deivam : Angala Parameswari
Village : Serugudi

 Family name : Panaiyadiyan
Kula Deivam : Ayyanar
Village : Serugudi

 Family name: Pavaludaiyan
Kula Deivam : Ayyanar
Village: Serugudi

 The Pillays of the Melaka Cheti could have been from the Arunattu Vellalar community. The Arunattu Vellalars can be found in areas like Kumbakonam and even Chidambaram.

 Coincidentally, many Padayachis live in these area. The remaining surnames of the Melaka Cheti could also be found in the regions surrounding these two places.

 Perhaps the ancestors of the present day Melaka Cheti community lived in the Kumbakonam or Chidambaram area in ancient times before they migrated to Melaka?

 This is of course just a theory.  We need to find more evidence to link it.


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