{{short description|Rulers of the Pandya dynasty (1422–1618)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox Former Country | conventional_long_name = Tenkasi Pandyas | common_name = Pandya kingdom | image_flag = Twin fish flag of Pandyas.svg | flag_width = 160px | flag_border = no | flag_caption = A close depiction of Tenkasi Pandiya flag as per archaeological findings and historians illustration.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Walter Codrington |first1=Hubert |title=Ceylon Coins and Currency |year=1975 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=9788120609136 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJrKcKqJGuEC&q=Fish+flag+of+pandyan&pg=PA86}}</ref> | image_map = {{Location map+ | Tamil Nadu |width = 320 |caption = | places = {{Location map~ | Tamil Nadu |border = 1px |label = [[Tenkasi]] |label_size = |mark = |marksize = 10 |coordinates= {{coord|8.97|N|77.3|E}} }} {{Location map~ |Tamil Nadu |label = [[Madurai]] |label_size = |mark = |marksize = |coordinates= {{coord|9.9|N|78.1|E}} }} }} | map_caption = Location of the present day Tenkasi (Capital of Tenkasi Pandyas) and Madurai (Pandya dynasty's traditional capital) | capital = [[Tenkasi]] | official_languages = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Upinder Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA46 |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |publisher=Pearson Education India |year=2008 |isbn=978-81-317-1120-0 |page=46 |quote=Kings of the Chola and Pandya dynasties also issued Tamil and bilingual Sanskrit–Tamil inscriptions.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=C. Sivaramamurti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WKgQAQAAMAAJ |title=L'Art en Inde |publisher=H. N. Abrams |year=1977 |isbn=978-0-8109-0630-3 |page=60 |quote=Thus the state language was Tamil whether the inscriptions were from the north or the south and whether the dynasty was Gupta, Vakatak[a], Vardhana, Maukhari, Pratihara, Paramara, Chandella, Pala, Sena, Gahadavala, Haihaya, Ganga, Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta, or Vijayanagar[a]. Inscriptions were sometimes written in regional languages, but they invariably had a preface in Sanskrit.}}</ref> | religion = {{ublist |[[Hinduism]] ([[state religion|Official]]) |[[Buddhism]] |[[Jainism]] }} | demonym = | government_type = Monarchy | year_end = 1618 | year_start = 1422 | image_map_caption = Pandyan Empire at greatest extent | year_leader1 = 1422–1463 | leader1 = Sadaavarman Parakrama | year_leader2 = 1613–1618 | leader2 = Varagunarama | p1 = Pandyan Empire{{!}}Medieval Pandyas | s1 = Madurai Nayak dynasty | p2 = Delhi Sultanate | s2 = Nayaks of Gingee | s3 = | s4 = | s5 = | today = [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]] | era = [[Early modern period|Early modern era]] }}
[[File:Vettum perumal.jpg|alt=Map of Tenkasi and Tirunelveli pandiyas|thumb|Map of Tenkasi and Tirunelveli pandiyas]]
'''Tenkasi Pandyas''' were the [[Pandya dynasty|Pandya kings]] from Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya to his successors who ruled with [[Tenkasi]] as their [[Capital city|capital]].<ref name="tamilvu2">{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilvu.org/courses/diploma/a031/a0314/html/a0314445.htm|title=4.5 பிற்காலப் பாண்டியர் (கி.பி. 1371 - 1650)|publisher=தமிழ் இணையப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்|access-date=27 November 2012}}</ref> With the invasion of the [[Sultan]]ates, [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagaras]], and [[Madurai Nayak dynasty|Nayakars]] from the fourteenth century onwards, the Pandyas lost their traditional capital of [[Madurai]] and shifted to cities like Tenkasi and [[Tirunelveli]].<ref name="Fall">Karashima, Noburu. 2014. 'The Fall of the Old States', in ''A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations'', ed. Noburu Karashima, pp. 173–74. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.</ref> Tenkasi was the last capital of the Pandyas.<ref name="tamilvu.org2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tamilvu.org/slet/lA100/lA100pd1.jsp?bookid=222&pno=323|title=:: TVU ::|website=www.tamilvu.org|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref> All the Pandyas from Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya and his next generations were crowned in the Adheenam Mutt<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Vanamamalai|first1=N.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDnaAAAAMAAJ&q=tenkasi+capital|title=Interpretation of Tamil Folk Creations|last2=Vān̲amāmalai|first2=Nā|date=1981|publisher=Dravidian Linguistics Association|language=en|access-date=2020-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310194052/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=sDnaAAAAMAAJ&q=tenkasi+capital&dq=tenkasi+capital&hl=en&ei=Ph68TtCqNoLZrQfHo-zUAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result|archive-date=2016-03-10|url-status=live}}</ref> in [[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Kasi Viswanathar temple]].<ref>{{cite journal|year=1964|title=தென்காசி காசிவிசுவநாதசுவாமி கோயில் வரலாறு கோயில் வெளியீடு}}</ref> During the same period, some Pandyas ruled with Tirunelveli as their capital. [[Kayatharu]], [[Vadakkuvalliyur]], and Ukkirankottai are some of their major cities. Inscriptions on them are found in Tenkasi's Kasi Viswanathar temple, [[Brahmadesam, Tindivanam|Brahmadesam]], [[Cheranmadevi]], [[Ambasamudram]], [[Kalakkad]] and [[Pudukkottai]]. The last Pandyan king to be known in the history of the Pandyas was Kolakonda, who was also among the Tenkasi Pandyas.[[File:Tenkasi Pandyas.png|thumb|630px|Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya and his descendants who ruled Tenkasi.]] [[File:Tenkasi_Gopuram.jpg|thumb|270px|Gateway of the [[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Kasi Viswanathar temple]] in [[Tenkasi]]]] {{Dravidian}} All the Pandyas of the Varagunarama Pandya period were under the Vijayanagara Empire and paid them tribute.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Sathianathaier|first1=R.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uXdyGtJH6E0C&q=Tenkasi+Pandyas&pg=PA54|title=History of the Nayaks of Madura|last2=Aiyar|first2=R. Sathyanatha|date=1991|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0532-9|language=en|access-date=2020-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310214134/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=uXdyGtJH6E0C&pg=PA54&dq=Tenkasi+Pandyas&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3HOiT_z6LdGtrAfy4uyeBw&sqi=2|archive-date=2016-03-10|url-status=live}}</ref> However, other sources invariably mention that though the [[Madurai Nayakas]] were in-charge of Madurai, from time to time, they were opposed by and had skirmishes with the Tenkasi Pandyans, who are also said to have had intermittent control of Madurai.The Tenkasi Pandyas ruled Tenkasi, Thirunelveli and northern Kanyakumari regions as independent sovereign ruling dynasty from 1422CE till 1460CE.The Tenkasi Pandyas also had imperial ambitions, fought some wars, conquered territories outside their terrain. This is proven by the fact that the last Tenkasi Pandyan king bore the title "Kollamkondan", which means the one who conquered Kollam in Malayalam country.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://dhinasari.com/general-articles/119385-tenkasi-pandiars.html | title=தென்காசிப் பாண்டியர்கள் ! | date=30 November 2019 | publisher=dhinasari.com | access-date=1 August 2020 }}</ref>
== Pandyas losing Madurai == Although the [[Vijayanagara Empire]] and the [[Madurai Nayak dynasty|Nayaks]] ruled Madurai after the 14th century, they were occasionally opposed by the Pandyas. Sometimes they have ruled Madurai. Prominent among them were Saadavarman Vikrama Pandya (1401 – 1422 AD) and his son, Arikesari Parakrama Pandya.<ref name="சநா ஐயர்4">{{cite book|title=History of the Nayaks of Madura|author=Sathayanatha Iyer|year=1924|pages=58}}</ref> They had built 32 forts around Madurai. Later, when Vishwanatha Nayakkar became the Madurai Mandalasuvaran, he feared of Pandya resurgence in Madurai. He divided Madurai into 72 districts, including 16 districts of those against to the Pandyas.<ref name="தமிழ்வாணன்2">{{cite book|title=கட்டபொம்மன் கொள்ளைக்காரன்|publisher=மணிமேகலை பிரசுரம்|author=தமிழ்வாணன்|year=1983|location=சென்னை|pages=18–19}}</ref> He gave them positions and made them separate from the Pandyas. This made Pandyas to lose Madurai forever.<ref name="சநா ஐயர்4"/>
== Tenkasi's origin == {{See also|Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi#Legend}} [[File:சடையவர்மன் பராக்கிரம பாண்டியன் 4.jpg|thumb|King Saadavarman Parakrama Pandya was the first Pandya king to be crowned after Tenkasi was established as Pandya's capital. Since he was unable to complete the construction of [[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Tenkasi temple]] and there was a prophecy telling that the temple would collapse the next day, he requested the devotees to help restore the temple. He promised to accept the offerings of everyone and bow down to their feet. Accordingly, to fulfill that promise, he had put his image in the gateway of the temple.]] ''Shenbagapozhil'' in Tamil means "[[Magnolia champaca|champak tree]]-lined [[rainforest]]". In the fifteenth century, [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]] is said to have had appeared in the dream of King Parakrama Pandya, who ruled the Shenbagapozhil area. In that dream, he was said that a [[lingam]] worshiped by the Pandya's ancestors was in the ''Shenbaga'' forest. He was said that ants could be found crawling out of their fort and if they followed the ants, the lingam could be found. He was also told by Shiva to construct a temple there. The reason is the order from Shiva, ''"Shiva devotees in the south die before reaching [[Kashi Vishwanath Temple|Kashi]] on their way to [[Varanasi]] in the north. So for them to get my grace, build a city equaling that of Varanasi in the south".'' Obeying his words, King Parakrama Pandya built the [[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Tenkasi gopuram]] for his ancestor-worshiped lingam. The word ''Tenkasi'' translates to "South Kashi" ("ten" or "then" meaning south in Tamil). The town was called the Tenkasi after the temple.<ref name="தென்காசி தல புராணம்2">தென்காசி தல புராணம்</ref>
=== Other names === Tenkasi was known by 16 names before the reign of Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya.<ref name="தென்காசி தல புராணம்2" /> They were {{refbegin|20em}} # Sachhithanapuram # Muttuthantavanallur # Anantakkuthanur # Saivamuthur # Tenpuliyur # Kuyinkudi # Sittharvasam # Senpagapozhil # Sivamavoor # Sathamaatharoor # Sithiramoolathanam # Mayilaikudi # Palalinkapaadi # Vasanthakudi # Kosigai # Sitharpuri {{refend}}
=== Cityscape === The Pandya city of Tenkasi was centered around the [[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Kasi Viswanathar temple]]. There were square-shaped streets in succession around the temple. The Tenkasi Pandyas were based on a fortress known as Ukkirankottai.<ref>தென்னாட்டுப் போர்க்களங்கள், [[கா. அப்பாத்துரை]]</ref>
== List of Tenkasi Pandya kings ==
[[File:Tenkasi_Gopuram.jpg|thumb|270px|Gateway of the [[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Kasi Viswanathar temple]] in [[Tenkasi]]]] {{Dravidian}} {{TNhistory}}
List of Pandyas who ruled with Tenkasi as the capital. {| class="wikitable" !No !King !Period |- |1 |Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya |1422–1463 AD |- |2 |Kulasekara Pandiyan III |1429–1473 AD |- |3 |Aksharan Perumal Parakrama Pandya |1473–1506 AD |- |4 |Kulasekara Pandya |1479–1499 AD |- |5 |Sadaverman Sewallapa Pandya |1534–1543 AD |- |6 |Parakrama Kulasekaran |1543–1552 AD |- |7. |Nelveli Maran |1552–1564 AD |- |8. |Sadaavarman Adeevirama Pandya |1564–1604 AD |- |9. |Varathuranga Pandya |1588–1612 AD |- |10. |Varagunarama Pandya |1613–1618 AD |- |11. |Kollankondan (Pandya Dynasty) |(N.A.) |}
== Proofs ==
=== Historic text === ''Pandya Kulodayam'' is a Pandya history book written by ''Mandalakavi'' (zonal poet) of the Tenkasi Pandya period.<ref name="tamilvu3">{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilvu.org/courses/diploma/a031/a0314/html/a0314445.htm|title=4.5 பிற்காலப் பாண்டியர் (கி.பி. 1371 - 1650)|publisher=தமிழ் இணையப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்|access-date=27 November 2012}}</ref> The information it contained were:
# The first Pandya king to be crowned with Tenkasi as the capital was the Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya. # All the Pandya kings after him were crowned in the Tenkasi temple. They were inscribed in the temple's inscriptions. # The last Pandya king, King Kolakkondan, was killed in approximately AD 1650.
=== Numismatics === Although the Pandya kings who ruled Tenkasi ruled only marginal lands, they had issued coins in their name. The coins with the name of King Sadayarvarman Kulasekara Pandya II's son Aagavarman, were found.
== Art == <gallery> File:The_magnificent_Kasi_Vishwanathat_Temple_Rajagopuram.jpg|Kasi Vishwanathar temple's Rajagopuram (Main gateway) File:Kasi_Viswanathar_Temple.jpg|Another view of the Rajagopuram File:The_Kutraleeshwarar_temple_Gopuram.jpg|Thirukutralam temple </gallery>
=== Notable temples === {| class="wikitable" !No. !Temple !Note |- |1 |[[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Kasi Viswanathar temple]] | rowspan="2" |The origin period is unknown.<br /><br />Temple towers and shrines were erected during the reign of Saadavarman Parakrama Pandya. |- |2 |[[Thirukutralam|Thirukutralam temple]] |- |3 |Kulasekaranath Temple |Built during the reign of Saadavarman Ativirama Pandya. |}
=== Temple's specialty ===
==== ''Vayuvasal'' (Sadaavarman Parakrama Pandya entrance) ====
* The temple's gopuram is known as ''Vayuvasal'' (Gateway of the air). The breeze from Vaigai river comes through this gateway. This makes it difficult to enter in the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Ādi''. Outside of the Bala Subramainya temple, there are musical pillars.
==== Single-stone statues ====
Some of the sculptural masterpieces of Tamil Nadu can be seen in the ''Thiruoolaka Mandapam'' at the Swami sannathi. There are 16 statues in the hall. {{refbegin|2}} # ''Agni Veerapathirar'' # ''Rathidevi'' # ''Maha Thandavam'' # ''Urthuva Thandavam'' # ''Kalidevi'' # ''Mahavishnu'' # ''Manmathan'' # ''Veerapathirar'' # ''Paavai'' # ''Paavai'' # ''Tharman'' # ''Beeman'' # ''Arjunan'' # ''Nakulan'' # ''Sahadevan'' # ''Karnan'' {{refend}} The above statues are all sculpted out of single stone with subtle workmanship by the Pandya-era sculptors.
==== Tunnels ==== The entrance to the tunnel is still visible in the big temple. It is said to have four tunnels.
# The Avur people still say that the tunnel to the east is going to Vindhankottai in [[Sundarapandiapuram]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.natpu.in/?p=9868|title=விந்தன் கோட்டை|date=29 June 2011|website=Natpu|language=ta|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116115844/http://www.natpu.in/?p=9868|archive-date=16 January 2013}}</ref> # Another route is said to pass through the Kulasekara Nathar Temple.
=== Thirumalapuram Paintings === There is a cave temple on the Thirumalapuram hill near Tenkasi. It is on the way to Serndamaram village near [[Kadayanallur]]. The temple has paintings of the Pandya period. The first to discover these paintings was scholar Duprai. These colour cave temple paintings exemplify the art of the Pandya period.
=== Literature === Tenkasi Pandyas had also contributed to Tamil literature.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dhinasari.com/general-articles/119385-tenkasi-pandiars.html|title=தென்காசிப் பாண்டியர்கள் !|date=30 November 2019|work=Dinasari|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" !Year !Capital !Pandya king !Texts !Guru (Master) |- |1560 –1600 |Karuvai, later Tenkasi |Varakunaraman |''Vaayu Sangeethai, Ilinga Puranam'' |Akora Shivam Swami Devar (also known as Kulasekara Pandya) |- |1588 – 1613(?) |Karuvai |Varathurangaraman |''Pramothira Kaandam, Karuvai Anthathi, Kokogam'' |Vembathur Eesana Munivar |- |1564 – 1610 |Tenkasi |Ativiraraman known as Seevalaraman |''Naidatham, Kashi Kandam, Koorma Puranam, Vetriverkai'' |Swamidevar |} Apart from these, a historical book called ''Pandya Kulodayam'' was also written by Mandalakavi during the Tenkasi Pandyas period.
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Pandya dynasty}}
[[Category:Pandya dynasty]] [[Category:Tenkasi district]] [[Category:States and territories disestablished in the 1610s]]