MerleGrier1601 at 11:54, 9 July 2025

2025-07-09T11:54:00Z

New page

{{More citations needed|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
'''Ariyanatha Mudaliar''' was the ''Delavoy'' (''General'') and the Chief Minister of the greatest of the [[Nayak (ethnic group)|Nayaka]] domains established by the [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagar]] ''viceroy'' and later [[Nayaks of Madurai|ruler of Madurai]], [[Viswanatha Nayak]] (1529–64). He assisted in running a quasi-feudal organisation of regions called the [[poligar]] or the ''palayakkarar'' system where the regions are divided into ''palayams'' (small principalities) and are independently governed by poligars or ''palayakkarars'' (petty chiefs).<ref name="bayly2004">{{cite book |title=Saints, Goddesses and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society, 1700–1900 |first=Susan |last=Bayly |edition=Reprinted |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-52189-103-5 |page=48}}</ref>

The [[Meenakshi Temple#Thousand Pillar Hall|Aiyaram Kaal Mandapam]], or Thousand Pillared Hall, in the famous [[Meenakshi Temple]] was constructed by him in 1569. There is a statue of him at the entrance.<ref name="History&DescriptionofSriMeenakshiTemple">History&Description of Sri Meenakshi Temple: By T. G. S. Balaram Iyer, T. R. Rajagopalan – Meenakshi Temple – 1977</ref>{{pn|date=June 2020}}

==Early life==

Ariyanatha Mudaliar was born into a [[Vellalar|Tamil Vellalar]]<ref name="bayly2004" /> clan in Meippedu village, Tondaimandalam (the present day [[Kanchipuram]] district). According to a modern descendant, he learned [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Mathematics]] from a teacher for free and in his spare time mastered the ancient [[Tamil people|Tamil]] martial art of [[Silambam]] and others like sword fight and wrestling. At the age of 16, he was encouraged to go the court of [[Krishnadevaraya]], the king of Vijayanagara. Ariyanatha soon rose to prominence and became the chief accountant of the Vijayanagara empire.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Inspired-by-a-house-of-1000-windows/article15398202.ece |work=The Hindu |date=4 April 2008 |title=Inspired by a house of 1,000 windows |accessdate=2015-02-24}}</ref>

==Rise to power==
[[Image:1000_pillar_madurai.jpg|thumb|270px|right|A section of the ''Aayiram Kaal Mandapam'' (thousand-pillared hall), built by Ariyanatha Mudaliar, in the morning.]]
[[Image:Hindu_article_page_2.png|thumb|270px|right|Hindu Article on Ariyanatha Mudaliar]]
[[Image:Hindu_article_page_3.png|thumb|270px|right|Hindu Article on Ariyanatha Mudaliar]]
[[Image:Hindu_article_page_4.png|thumb|270px|right|Hindu Article on Ariyanatha Mudaliar]]

The process of consolidation of the Tamil region under the Vijayanagara empire began at the start of the 16th century. The regions were brought primarily under the control of the Nayaka kingdoms of [[Madurai]], [[Tanjore]] and Senji. Though the different Nayaka regions were autonomous, they all acknowledged the sovereignty of the Vijayanagara and its emperor, Krishnadevaraya.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Trading World of the Tamil Merchant: Evolution of Merchant Capitalism in the Coromandel |first=Kanakalatha |last=Mukund |publisher=Orient Blackswan |year=1999 |isbn=978-8-12501-661-8}}</ref>{{page needed|date=February 2015}}

During the process of consolidation, Krishnadevaraya dispatched one of his most successful generals, Nagama Nayaka, on a campaign to punish Virasekhara Chola who had plundered the petty Pandyan regions. The Pandyas were under the protection of the Vijayanagara empire. Having put down Virasekhara, the general Nagama Nayak claimed Madurai for himself. Viswanatha Nayak, the son of Nagama Nayak, was more loyal to the king Krishnadevaraya than to his father. He overthrew his father and handed him over to Krishnadevaraya and as a reward for his loyalty the king appointed Viswanatha Nayaka as the governor of Madurai and other provinces in the neighbouring Tamil country.<ref name="TheNewCambridgeHistoryofIndia">The New Cambridge History of India By Gordon Johnson, [[Christopher Bayly|Christopher Alan Bayly]], J. F. Richards</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2015}}.Later when the Vijayanagar Empire fell, and Viswanatha Naicker became the ruler with Madurai as his capital, Ariyanatha became his minister and the general of his army. Dalavai means general.

It was Ariyanatha Mudaliar who built the hall of 1,000 pillars both in the Nellaiappar temple and in the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. (Taylor’s Oriental History Vol II, page 90). According to the Madras District Gazette - Madurai Vol I, the statue of a man on horseback seen at the entrance to the hall in the Madurai Meenakshi temple is that of Ariyanatha.
Ariyanatha built forts at Satyamangalam, Kaveripuram, Salem, Omalur, Sendamangalam, Anantagiri, Mohanur, Sankaridurg, Namakkal, Tiruchengode, Madurai, Dindigul, Azhagar hills, and stationed armies in all of these forts. Thus he threw a protective cordon around the Pandya kingdom. He built a total of 99 rest houses in pilgrim centres from Kasi to Kanyakumari. He streamlined the administration by dividing the kingdom into 72 palayams, with one palayakarar in charge of each. Ariyanatha’s son Kalathinatha Mudaliar built the seven-storied gopuram in the Meenakshi temple.

Ariyanatha’s grandsons, Nayina Mudaliar and Viraraghava Mudaliar, also added many structures to the Meenakshi temple.

Viswantha Nayak was succeeded by his son, Krishnappa Nayak, who together with Ariyanatha expanded the Nayak's Madurai kingdom and brought most of the ancient [[Pandyan]] territory under its rule.<ref name="TheNewCambridgeHistoryofIndia"/>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Madurai Nayak dynasty]]
[[Category:16th-century Indian politicians]]

Ariyanatha Mudaliar - Revision history

MerleGrier1601 at 11:54, 9 July 2025