Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/124

Rh was incensed at the presumption of his feudatory chief, invaded Maldu with a large army, and defeated K4ri in a sanguinary engagement in which he was slain. The Chola intended to kill the Sons of K,ri and put an end to the family of the Malayamán, but their lives were saved by the intercession of the bard Kôvtúr-kilár. Kári’s son Kannan whose life was spared in this manner lived to perform a signal service to the Chola king. For, some years afterwards, the Chola, hard pressed by his enemies, had to flee from his capital and seek an asylum in the inaccessible heights of the Mull r mountain, in the territory of his vassel Kannan. The latter who inherited all the valour of his father, revived the drooping spirits of the royal party, and rallying his forces succeeded in driving off his enemies and re-established the authority of the Chola. The grateful monarch made Kanne his prime minister and conferred on him the high title of Choliya-Enáthi.

Má-vel-Evvi, the great Vellála chief of Milalai-kurram belonged to a powerful clan, which was considered ancient even eighteen hundred years ago. His territory lay on the southern bank of the river Káviri ; and consisted almost entirely of fertile fields in which rice and sugar-cane were extensively cultivated. “The gates of his mansion were never closed and he never sat to his meals except with a large company” says a poet who partonk of his hospitality. He died of the wounds received in battle, while fighting bravely at the head of his troops, against Akuthai, one of the generals of the Pandyan king Nedunj-Cheliyan victor of Alankánam who had invaded his territory

Vèl Pâri, a relative of Evvi, was the ruler of a petty principality called Parambu but as a patron of poet she has left a name which will live in the memory of the Tamils as long as they speak the Tamil language. After the fall of Evvi, Pan took possession of the high mountain of Parambu, and the lands surrounding it, and acted as an independent prince acknowledging the authority of none of “the three kings.” He was a bold and gay adventurer, simple-hearted and generous, and passionately fond of poetry. Every wandering minstrel was welcomed in his mansion. The Sons of song were nowhere petted and feasted as they were in Pari’s palace. They found in him a union of all those virtues