{{short description|Legendary Tamil queen of the Sangam period}} {{Infobox royalty|title=Alli Arasani|reign=Sangam Period, Kudiramalai|coronation=Madurai|predecessor=Neenmugan|successor=|consort=Arjuna|dynasty=Pandyan Dynasty}}'''Alli Rani''' ({{Langx|ta|அல்லிராணி|lit=Queen Alli|translit=}}), also known as '''Alli arasi''' , is a legendary Tamil queen of the Sangam period, who is thought to have ruled the whole western and northern coast of Sri Lanka from her capital Kudiramalai.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XwItAQAAMAAJ|title=Ceylon Labour Gazette|last=|date=1956|publisher=Department of Labour.|pages=102|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G3YOAAAAQAAJ|title=Adam's Peak: Legendary, Traditional, and Historic Notices of the Samanala and Srî-páda, with a Descriptive Account of the Pilgrim's Route from Colombo, to the Sacred Foot-print|last=Skeen|first=William|date=1870|publisher=W.L.H. Skeen & Company|isbn=9780598526236|pages=28|language=en}}</ref> According to folklore, her fort, Allirani fort, is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m25hAAAAMAAJ|title=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka|date=2004|publisher=Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka|pages=87|language=en}}</ref> She is sometimes seen as an incarnation or multiform of Meenakshi and Kannagi.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d97_AwAAQBAJ|title=Tamil Temple Myths: Sacrifice and Divine Marriage in the South Indian Saiva Tradition|last=Shulman|first=David Dean|date=2014-07-14|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=9781400856923|pages=124–126, 210, 211|language=en}}</ref> Legends attribute her as an "Amazon" ruler, who had an administrative and an army of only women, with male being their subordinates and servants.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ|title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils|last=Ramaswamy|first=Vijaya|date=2017-08-25|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781538106860|pages=50|language=en}}</ref>
There are references to her in several texts such as ''Alli katai'', ''Alli Arasani Maalai'', ''Pavazhakodi Maalai'' and ''Pulavendran Kalava Maalai.''<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QVA0JAzQJkYC&q=alli+arasani&pg=PA210|title=Popular Literature and Pre-modern Societies in South Asia|last1=Singh|first1=Surinder|last2=Gaur|first2=I. D.|date=2008|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=9788131713587|pages=210, 211, 213|language=en}}</ref> She is also depicted in a popular dramatic compilation in Tamil language, entitled as ''Alli Arasani Nadakam''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/orientalillustr01robegoog|title=Oriental illustrations of the sacred Scriptures, collected from the customs, manners [&c.] of the Hindoos|last=Roberts|first=Joseph|date=1835|location=London, United Kingdom.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/orientalillustr01robegoog/page/n109 81]|language=en}}</ref>
== Legend == The only daughter of a Pandyan king, she was considered an immaculate conception as she was found on an ''alli'' (Tamil word for lily) after the end of a Putrakameshti ritual. She was at young age sent to gurukula and perfected riding and martial arts.<ref name=":3" /> Alli Raani is described as courageous and alert.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qaaxAAAAIAAJ|title=Atlantis|date=2002|publisher=Acadia University|pages=72|language=en}}</ref> She defeated and killed in a battle an usurper to the Pandyan throne named ''Neenmugan'', "The blue faced one", who came at her with an army. After the victory was she crowned to the throne of Madurai.<ref name=":2" />
Several myths attribute her as being married to the Mahabharata hero Arjuna.<ref name=":0" /> Arjuna who penetrated the palace of Alli Raani, took the form of an old ascetic man. He called out for the love of the queen, who responded back by sending snakes and elephants to kill him. Arjuna later on came to her room in the form of a snake as she was asleep, thereupon embracing the queen.<ref name=":2" /> According to other versions of this myth is this event followed by a marriage with Arjuna tying the Thaali on Alli Raani.<ref name=":3" />
Alli Raani ruled over the in western and northern coasts of Sri Lanka and controlled there the pearl fishery.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VL-6AP-FdroC|title=Sinhala Verse (Kavi)|last1=Nevill|first1=Hugh|last2=Deraniyagala|first2=Paulus Edward Pieris|date=1955|publisher=Government Press|pages=229|language=en}}</ref> According to local traditions did the gulf of Arasadi have no opening towards the north, but communicated with the sea by a channel running in the line of the present Chilaw canal. Alli Raani used to proceed from Kudiramalai to Akkaraipattu by land. A great flood submerged greater parts of land, subsequently leaving Arasadi on a narrow split of land, forming the present Puttalam Lagoon and destroying her palace.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k4IdAAAAMAAJ|title=Discovering Ceylon|last=Brohier|first=Richard Leslie|date=1973|publisher=Lake House Investments|pages=6|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iloCuf8NDQgC|title=Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society|last=Colombo|first=Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland Ceylon Branch|date=1887|publisher=Colombo Apothecaries Company|pages=38|language=en}}</ref>
== References == <references />
Category:Tamil monarchs Category:Mythological queens Category:Sri Lankan Hindus Category:Sri Lankan Tamil royalty Category:Sri Lankan Tamil culture Category:Pandyan kings