Muthuraja
Encyclopedia
Mutharaiyar or Muthuraja are a community of landowners who ruled over Kaveri Delta Region before the Cholas. Mutharaiyar (A.D 655 - A.D 851) earlier were a line of kings and were for a long time feudatory to the Pallava
s, ruling part of Tamil Nadu
in Southern India. Some historians have suggested that Mutharaiyars may have belonged to the Pandya clan while others have associated them with Pallavas.
As their territory lay between the Pandya and Pallava kings, they were involved in almost all the contests between the two powers. Their subordination was of great assistance to the Pallavas not only in their struggle against the Pandyas but also in holding the Cholas under subjection.
During the 8th century Mutharaiyars family of chiefs rule was ended by Vijayalaya. Mutharaiyars are considered to be part of the Pandya dynasty tree (as per a section of historians Mutharaiyars, Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas belong to common ancestry). At this time there was a great struggle going on between the Pallavas and the Pandyas for the political supremacy of South India. In this disturbed state of affairs, Vijayalaya seems to have found a good opportunity to defeat the Muttaraiyan chiefs, and make himself the ruler of Thanjavur and the surrounding Chola country.
Vijayala Chola conquered Thanjavur from Elango Mutharayar who was the final ruler of Mutharaiyar dynasty. It is said that in the year A.D.852 Vijayalaya Chola waged war with the Muttaraiyar king Sattan Paliyilli (A.D.826-852) in the neighbouring east, and captured his territory of Thanjavur. While Vijayalaya Chola was a Pallava feudatory, the Muttaraiyan chief was a Pandya feudatory. Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out of obscurity and captured Thanjavur. As a result of this defeat of Muttarayar chiefs, Cholas became so powerful that Pallavas were also wiped out from Thanjavur region at a later stage.
. They controlled the fertile plains of the Kaveri region. When the Cholas came to power, the Muttaraiyar were turned into feudatories. Muttaraiyar literally means King of three territories. They built many temples for Siva
. One of the most famous from this clan was Peru Muttaraiyar, who was known for his great wealth and grand feasts. Two stanzas (200, 296) of Nāladiyār
, one of the works of ancient Tamil literature, is dedicated to him. One of their titles was Lord of Tanjore.
During the period of Ko Rajakesarivarman Rajaraja Chola I
, we know of at least one high ranking chief and a feudatory of the Chola from this community: Śēkkizhār Araiyan Sankaranarayanan, also known as Chola-Muttaraiyan. Araiyan, which is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit
Raja or King, in this context means a chieftain or a governor. The title Chola Muttaraiyan means that he was a subordinate of the Chola ruler and was the Lord of the Muttaraiyar people.
the likes of which are extremely rare in the south. Narthamalai, a heritage complex, consists of nine small hillocks - Melamalai, Kottaimalai, Aluruttimalai, Kadambarmalai, Perayarmalai, Uvakkanmalai, Manmalai, Bommattimalai and Ponmalai and the shrub forests surrounding the same is a habitat for peacock, deer and other animals. According to mythology they were parts of the Sanjeevimalai carried by Hanuman
during the war between Rama
and Ravana
.
. The cave temple was established by Kuvavan Mutharayar during his rule at Thanjavur from 610 AD – 649 AD. There stands a statue of Kuvavan Mutharayar in the form of Twara Balaga (Dwara Palaka = Gate keeper = Security guard) on the right side of temple door. It is believed that Kuvavan was brought from Renadu (Rayalseema) as a step son by his ancestor Nalladi alias Bhima Solan. Mahendra Pallavan took over Kanchi from Bhima Solan.
On the left side of temple entrance, there stands another Twara Balaga, which is said to be the statue of Kuvavan's younger brother Punnia-kumaran. At the time of Kuvavan's rule Punnia Kumaran was the Yuvaraja. That is why the Dwara Palaka on left entrance is seen without crown. At that time his father was on the seat of power in Renadu. The elder brother Kuvavan was crowned as king at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The younger brother was serving his elder brother faithfully by staying with him. The elder brother Kuvavan honored his younger brother for his love and faithful services by installing his statue along with him as Dwara Palaka in Thirumayam
temple in Pudukottai Temple.
, opposite to the Vijayalaya Chozhisvaram temple, about 30 feet south of Samanar-Kudagu.
This Shiva cave temple was excavated in the seventh year of the Pallava ruler Nripatunga (862 AD.) by a Muttaraiyar chief, Sattan-Pazhiyili, son of Videl-Vidugu Muttaraiyan, which is where the temple gets the name. An inscription on the basement, states that the temple was excavated by Pazhiyili. It also states that his son built the front mandapam and installed a nandi, while his daughter Pazhiyili Siriya-Nangai made a gift of land to the temple.
Pazhiyili was a Mutharayar king, who ruled in 857 AD in Narthamalai region. Pazhiyili figures in the inscriptions found near Pudukkottai - Narthamamai - in 857 AD. Pazhiyili practised Shaivaite Hinduism and donated lands to Siva temple and named it as Pazhiyileeswaram. Pazhiyili as the contemporary chieftain under Pallava rule in Kodumbalur region and deviating from his predecessors practised Saivism and made a rock cut temple.
Varna
.
s at Tiruchy belonged to Muthuraja community.
.
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
s, ruling part of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in Southern India. Some historians have suggested that Mutharaiyars may have belonged to the Pandya clan while others have associated them with Pallavas.
History
Muthurajas (A.D 655 - A.D 851) were Tamil kings who ruled parts of Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Pudukkottai, Tiruvarur, Nagappattian, Dindikkal, Karur and madurai districts of Tamil Nadu. They were a long time feudatory to the Pallavas.As their territory lay between the Pandya and Pallava kings, they were involved in almost all the contests between the two powers. Their subordination was of great assistance to the Pallavas not only in their struggle against the Pandyas but also in holding the Cholas under subjection.
End of Mutharaiyar rule/Rise of Cholas
Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out of obscurity and captured Thanjavur in 848 C.E.During the 8th century Mutharaiyars family of chiefs rule was ended by Vijayalaya. Mutharaiyars are considered to be part of the Pandya dynasty tree (as per a section of historians Mutharaiyars, Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas belong to common ancestry). At this time there was a great struggle going on between the Pallavas and the Pandyas for the political supremacy of South India. In this disturbed state of affairs, Vijayalaya seems to have found a good opportunity to defeat the Muttaraiyan chiefs, and make himself the ruler of Thanjavur and the surrounding Chola country.
Vijayala Chola conquered Thanjavur from Elango Mutharayar who was the final ruler of Mutharaiyar dynasty. It is said that in the year A.D.852 Vijayalaya Chola waged war with the Muttaraiyar king Sattan Paliyilli (A.D.826-852) in the neighbouring east, and captured his territory of Thanjavur. While Vijayalaya Chola was a Pallava feudatory, the Muttaraiyan chief was a Pandya feudatory. Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out of obscurity and captured Thanjavur. As a result of this defeat of Muttarayar chiefs, Cholas became so powerful that Pallavas were also wiped out from Thanjavur region at a later stage.
Origin
As per Chola-Muthariyar research centre Tanjore, Cholas & Muthuraja were two branches of same people, who clashed on the issue of control over Kaveri Delta. Even today, Muthuraja is the majority community in the ancient Chola capital city Uraiyur.Nāladiyār
During the pre-Chola period, the chiefs of the Muthuraja/Muttaraiyar community ruled over the Tanjore district in TamilakkamAncient Tamil country
The Sangam period is the classical period in the history of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other parts of South India, spanning about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE...
. They controlled the fertile plains of the Kaveri region. When the Cholas came to power, the Muttaraiyar were turned into feudatories. Muttaraiyar literally means King of three territories. They built many temples for Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. One of the most famous from this clan was Peru Muttaraiyar, who was known for his great wealth and grand feasts. Two stanzas (200, 296) of Nāladiyār
Nalatiyar
Naaladiyar is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Naaladiyar contains 400 poems, each containing four lines...
, one of the works of ancient Tamil literature, is dedicated to him. One of their titles was Lord of Tanjore.
During the period of Ko Rajakesarivarman Rajaraja Chola I
Rajaraja Chola I
Raja Raja Chola I born Arunmozhi Thevar , popularly known as Raja Raja the Great, is one of the greatest emperors of the Tamil Chola Empire of India who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE...
, we know of at least one high ranking chief and a feudatory of the Chola from this community: Śēkkizhār Araiyan Sankaranarayanan, also known as Chola-Muttaraiyan. Araiyan, which is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Raja or King, in this context means a chieftain or a governor. The title Chola Muttaraiyan means that he was a subordinate of the Chola ruler and was the Lord of the Muttaraiyar people.
Temple building
Muthurajas were instrumental in building many magnificent Temples including Narthamalai A cluster of small hillocks, 25 km from Tiruchi on the Tiruchi-Pudukottai road hosts some of the finest and oldest architectural models and rock cut cave temples, and the longest of rock-cut edicts, similar to Asokan edictsEdicts of Ashoka
The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 269 BCE to 231 BCE. These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Bangladesh, India,...
the likes of which are extremely rare in the south. Narthamalai, a heritage complex, consists of nine small hillocks - Melamalai, Kottaimalai, Aluruttimalai, Kadambarmalai, Perayarmalai, Uvakkanmalai, Manmalai, Bommattimalai and Ponmalai and the shrub forests surrounding the same is a habitat for peacock, deer and other animals. According to mythology they were parts of the Sanjeevimalai carried by Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
during the war between Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
and Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
.
Thirumaiyam Temple
Thirumaiyam Temple is located in Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. The cave temple was established by Kuvavan Mutharayar during his rule at Thanjavur from 610 AD – 649 AD. There stands a statue of Kuvavan Mutharayar in the form of Twara Balaga (Dwara Palaka = Gate keeper = Security guard) on the right side of temple door. It is believed that Kuvavan was brought from Renadu (Rayalseema) as a step son by his ancestor Nalladi alias Bhima Solan. Mahendra Pallavan took over Kanchi from Bhima Solan.
On the left side of temple entrance, there stands another Twara Balaga, which is said to be the statue of Kuvavan's younger brother Punnia-kumaran. At the time of Kuvavan's rule Punnia Kumaran was the Yuvaraja. That is why the Dwara Palaka on left entrance is seen without crown. At that time his father was on the seat of power in Renadu. The elder brother Kuvavan was crowned as king at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The younger brother was serving his elder brother faithfully by staying with him. The elder brother Kuvavan honored his younger brother for his love and faithful services by installing his statue along with him as Dwara Palaka in Thirumayam
Thirumayam
Thirumayam is a place of historical importance located about 20 km south of the town of Pudukkottai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
temple in Pudukottai Temple.
Pazhiyileeswaram
Another rock-cut cave temple, dedicated to ShivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
, opposite to the Vijayalaya Chozhisvaram temple, about 30 feet south of Samanar-Kudagu.
This Shiva cave temple was excavated in the seventh year of the Pallava ruler Nripatunga (862 AD.) by a Muttaraiyar chief, Sattan-Pazhiyili, son of Videl-Vidugu Muttaraiyan, which is where the temple gets the name. An inscription on the basement, states that the temple was excavated by Pazhiyili. It also states that his son built the front mandapam and installed a nandi, while his daughter Pazhiyili Siriya-Nangai made a gift of land to the temple.
Pazhiyili was a Mutharayar king, who ruled in 857 AD in Narthamalai region. Pazhiyili figures in the inscriptions found near Pudukkottai - Narthamamai - in 857 AD. Pazhiyili practised Shaivaite Hinduism and donated lands to Siva temple and named it as Pazhiyileeswaram. Pazhiyili as the contemporary chieftain under Pallava rule in Kodumbalur region and deviating from his predecessors practised Saivism and made a rock cut temple.
List of rulers
- Perumbidugu Muttaraiyan alias Kuvavan Maran (c. CE 655-c.680)
- Ilangovadiyariyan alias Maran Paramesvaran (c A.D. 680-c.705)
- Perumbidugu Muttaraiyan II alias Suvaran Maran (c. CE 705-c.745)
- Videlvidugu Vilupperadi-Araisan alias Sattan Maran (c.A.C. 745-c.770)
- Marppidugu alias Peradiaraiyan (c. CE 770-791)
- Videlvidugu Muttaraiyan alias Kuvan Sattan (c. CE 791-c.826)
- Sattan Paliyili (c. CE 826-c.851)
During Nayak rule
During Nayak rule between 16th century & 18th century, Muthuraja community served in the army as soldiers and generals since Muthurajas were one of the communities belonging to KshatriyaKshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
Varna
Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
.
During British rule
During British rule many of the prominent ZamindarZamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
s at Tiruchy belonged to Muthuraja community.
Post Independence Tamil Nadu
Post-independence, Muthuraja community has dominated the politics of Trichy across political spectrum including DMK, AIADMK, Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
.