Kongu Nadu

Etymology

Kongunadu is a combination of two Tamil words meaning "Kongu country". Kongu might mean nectar or honey, probably arising from the area's early residents Kongars, who used to wear a garland made of konganam flowers, which were plentiful in this area. Kongu might have also been derived from the Tamil word Kangu, which meant edge or boundary. Since this area served as a border between the ancient Tamil kingdoms, it might have eventually transformed to Kongu. The region was also known as Kongadesam with Konga, a variant of the term Ganga to mean the land ruled by Western Gangas. The region is also known as "Kongu Mandalam" with mandalam meaning "region" in Tamil. At various times, the region was known by different names such Chola-Kerala mandalam, Adhiraja mandalam, Ezhukarai nadu, Veerachola mandalam and Onbathukarai nadu.

History

Kongu Nadu was one of the territorial divisions in the ancient Tamilakam. The region was separated from the Chera Nadu by the Western Ghats, and it was part of a trade route leading across the Palghat gap called Rajakesari Peruvazhi in the Western Ghats and that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu linking the Mediterranean to East Asia. Archaeological excavations from Kodumanal on the banks of the Noyyal River show traces of civilization from 4th century BCE. Kodumanal is mentioned in Patiṟṟuppattu literature from the first century CE as a thriving industrial and commercial center. The Kosar people from the region are mentioned in the 2nd century CE Tamil epic Silappathikaram. Early Tamil Brahmi writings have been found on coins, seals and rings obtained from Amaravati river bed near Karuvur. An inscription found in a cave in Arachalur was dated to 4th Century CE and as per Iravatham Mahadevan, these were music syllables used in dance with further such sites discovered in Thadagam near Coimbatore.

The region was ruled by local chieftains during the early Sangam period, and made marriage alliances with the Cheras, which resulted in a migration of significant population from Kongu Nadu to Chera Nadu. The region was ruled by the Cheras between first and fourth centuries CE with the capital at Karuvur. Chera dominance of the region began with the rule of the Palyanai Sel Kelu Kuttuvan, the son of Uthiyan Cheralathan. The region came under the influence of the Pandyas during the reign of Arikesari Maravarman in the seventh century CE. Later, the region was ruled by various dynasties such as Rashtrakutas and Western Gangas.

Later, the Kongu Cheras gained influence over the region and were in alliance with the Pandyas. The medieval Cholas led by Aditya I, conquered the region in ninth century CE. Pandya king Rajasimha II, who was defeated by Parantaka I, is known to have found asylum in the region. With Rajaraja I defeating the Cheras and Pandyas, the entire region came under the Chola influence in the late tenth century CE. While the region was directly under the control of the Imperial Cholas till 1064 CE, the Kongu Cholas who were probably vassals or viceroys of the Cholas, ruled the region autonomously later. These rulers bore the title Konattar and adopted Chola titles and surnames.

After the death of Vikrama Chola II in the thirteenth century CE, the Pandyas annexed the region and the inscriptions at Srirangam temple attest the victory of Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I in the region. The rule of the Pandyas came to an end with the death of Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I in 1318 CE. The Hoysalas ruled the region for sometime later with Vira Someshwara having a matrimonial alliance with both Pandyas and Cholas. After the defeat of Veera Ballala III of the Hoysalas, the region came under the control of the Delhi Sultanate. In the 15th century CE, the Vijayanagara empire defeated the Mughals and established sway over the region.

After the Vijayanagara empire fell in 1646 CE, the region was ruled by various Nayak governors of the erstwhile Vijayanagara empire who declared independence. They introduced the Palayakkarar system under which the region was divided into 24 Palayams(towns). In the latter part of the eighteenth century CE, the region came under the influence of the Kingdom of Mysore after a series of wars with the Nayaks. After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Anglo-Mysore Wars and the subsequent Polygar Wars, the British East India Company annexed the region to the Madras Presidency the early nineteenth century CE. The region played a prominent role in the Second Polygar war (1801), when it was the area of operations of Dheeran Chinnamalai, who fought against the rule of British East India Company. Later, the British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857, and the region became part of the Madras Presidency.

After Indian Independence in 1947, the region became part of the Madras Province, and later as a part of Madras State in 1950. After the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which re-organised state boundaries, majority of the region became part of the new Madras state, which would become Tamil Nadu in 1969.

Geography

The borders of the region are not well defined as the name has been in popular use to refer the region and has not been officially defined. The region covers an estimated area of 60895 km2 of Western and North-Western Tamil Nadu and includes the core districts of Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Erode, Karur, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Nilgiris, Tiruppur and Salem. Some sources consider parts of Dindigul, Tiruchirappalli districts in Tamil Nadu and Chamarajanagar district or south eastern Karnataka as part of the region. It shares its western and northern borders with states of Kerala and Karnataka respectively, while straddling other districts of Tamil Nadu on the other sides.

The Western Ghats runs south along the western side with the Eastern Ghats cutting through the region. Both mountain ranges meet at the Nilgiri mountains in the region, which run in a crescent approximately along the borders of Tamil Nadu with northern Kerala and Karnataka. Majority of the region lies in the Deccan Plateau bound by these mountain ranges. The plateau rises to 100 m in the north and to more than 1 km in the south, forming a raised triangle within the downward-pointing triangle of the Indian subcontinent's coastline. Palghat Gap, a mountain pass across the Western Ghats connects the region to the west coast. The major rivers Kaveri, Bhavani, Amaravati, Noyyal and Siruvani flow through the region and are the important non-perennial sources of water. The topography also slopes gently from West to East resulting in major rivers in the region arising in the Western Ghats and flowing east. The region has a tropical climate and depends on monsoons for rainfall. Due to the south-west monsoon winds passing through the Palghat gap, the region receives most of the rainfall in the months from June to August. After a warm and foggy September, the north-east monsoon starts from October, lasting until early November.

Flora and fauna

There is a wide diversity of plants and animals in the region, resulting from its varied climates and geography. Deciduous forests are found along the Western Ghats while tropical dry forests and scrub lands are common in the interior. The Western Ghats is one of the eight hottest biodiversity hotspots in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mudumalai National Park was the first national park in India, established in 1940 and the region has 11 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Bird sanctuaries including Vellode and Nanjarayan Tank are home to numerous migratory and local birds. The region has significant populations of endangered Bengal tigers and Indian elephants, being home to three Project Tiger reserves and three Project Elephant reserves. Other threatened and endangered species found in the region include the grey slender loris, sloth bear, Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, and the Indian leopard.

Demographics

As per the 2011 census, the region had a population of over 27.4 million. The population is predominantly Hindu with minority Muslim and Christian population. Caste plays an important role in the region with common myths and ideas contributing to the formation of a caste identity. Gounders influence the political and economic space in the region. Incidents of persecution against Scheduled castes, ranging from discrimation based on caste, violent assault and honor killings have been reported from the region. In comparison to the southern or northern districts, the socio-economic and political divide between the Dalits and other intermediary castes is significant in the Kongu region.

Language

Kongu Tamil (also called Kangee or Kongalam), a dialect of Tamil, which is the predominantly spoken in the region. Tamil is the sole official language while English is an additional official language for communication purposes. Other languages spoken include Badaga, Toda, Irula and Kota by the tribal population of the Nilgiris district and Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu.

Culture

The people of the region upheld the Tirukkural with utmost reverence, which remained as the chief administrative text during the medieval period with several Kural inscriptions and other historical records are found across the region. Medieval Kural commentaries written by Parithiyar, Pariperumal, Kaalingar and Mallar have all been found in the Kongu Region. The 15th-century Jain inscriptions in the Ponsorimalai near Mallur indicate shunning meat from Tirukkural which may indicate that the people of the region might have practiced ahimsa and non-killing as chief virtues. Sati was also practiced in the region. The culture of the region was similar to that of Mysore region of south Karnataka due to historical and geographic continuity. The people of the region have a reputation for entrepreneurship. The temples in the region follow the Dravidian style. In Dravidian architecture, the temples considered of porches or Mantapas preceding the door leading to the sanctum, Gate-pyramids or Gopurams in quadrangular enclosures that surround the temple and Pillared halls used for many purposes and are the invariable accompaniments of these temples. Besides these, a South Indian temple usually has a tank called the Kalyani or Pushkarni. The Gopuram is a monumental tower, usually ornate at the entrance of the temple forms a prominent feature of Koils and Hindu temples of the Dravidian style. They are topped by the kalasam, a bulbous stone finial and function as gateways through the walls that surround the temple complex.

Cuisine

Kongu Nadu cuisine is predominantly South Indian with rice as its base and includes a unique collection of recipes created by the people residing in the Kongu region. The cuisine includes cereals like maize, ragi, samai, cholam, kambu, kezhvaragu, and different kinds of pulses, millets and sesame. Millets were staple food items in the region until the Green Revolution increased the usage of Ponni rice as a staple. The traditional way of eating a meal involves being seated on the floor and having the food served on a banana leaf. Eating on banana leaves is a custom thousands of years old, imparts a unique flavor to the food, and is considered healthy. Kongu Nadu cuisine does not involve marination of the raw materials, which results in imparting a unique taste and texture to the food. Turmeric grown in the region forms an important ingredient in the cuisine. The earlier Kongu people were mostly vegetarians for religious reason.

Idly, dosa, paniyaram and appam are popular dishes. Opputtu is a sweet made with rice, chickpea, palm or cane jaggery, cardamom and ghee. Ariseemparuppu (literally translated as Rice and dal) is a unique dish originated from the region. Kaalaan is a popular dish prepared by simmering deep-fried mushrooms (usually chopped) in a spicy broth until it reaches a porridge-like consistency; the dish is served sprinkled with chopped onions and coriander leaves.

Economy

Kongu Nadu had a flourishing economy from ancient times and had trade contacts with foreign nations. Kodumanal was a 2,500-year-old industrial colony discovered by archaeologists, located along an ancient Roman trade route. A Chola highway called Rajakesari Peruvazhi ran through the region. Agriculture is the primary occupation in the region. Rice is the staple food and major crop in the region. Some of the main crops cultivated include sugarcane, spices, chilli, banana, cotton, turmeric, millets and pulses. Other plantation crops include coffee, tea, rubber, betel, areca nut and coconut. and 85% of the natural rubber production in the country. Other major agricultural products include poultry and silk.

Coimbatore is amongst the major information technology (IT) hubs of India and supplies two-thirds of India's requirements of motors and pumps, and is one of the largest exporters of wet grinders and auto components, as well as jewellery. Another major industry is textiles with the Tiruppur home to more than 10,000 garment manufacturing industries, employing over 600,000 people. As of 2021-22, Tiruppur exported garments worth 5.1 billion USD, contributing to nearly 54% of the all the textile exports from India.

Demand for statehood

There has been demands for the formation a separate state of Kongu Nadu, which would include western Tamil Nadu districts. Various political parties occasionally raise similar demand. Local caste based political outfits Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam and Kongu Vellala Goundergal Peravai also supported the demand.

Notes

References

References

1. "Districts of Tamil Nadu". [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].
2. Ramamurthy, V.. (1986). "History of Kongu: Pre-historic period to 1300 A.D". International Society for the Investigation of Ancient Civilization.
3. Venkatraman, V.. (20 January 2018). "The Society of Kongunadu Through the Inscriptions of Seven Kongu Saivaite Temples". [[Social Science Research Network]].
4. Menon, P. Shungoonny. (1 January 1998). "History of Travancore from the Earliest Times". Asian Educational Services.
5. Ramamurthy, V.. (1986). "History of Kongu: Volume 1".
6. (2001). "The Cauvery, a Living Museum: 16-17 September 1999, 5-6 March 2001, Seminar Proceedings". Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya.
7. (12 October 2017). "On how Kongu Nadu was a Jain bastion". [[The Hindu]].
8. Schoff, Wilfred. (1912). "The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel And Trade In The Indian Ocean By A Merchant Of The First Century". South Asia Books.
9. J. Innes, Miller. (1998). "The Spice Trade of The Roman Empire: 29 B.C. to A.D. 641". Oxford University Press.
10. Singh, Upinder. (2009). "A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century". Addison Wesley.
11. (2004). "Traditional Gemstone Cutting Technology of Kongu Region in Tamil Nadu". Indian Journal of History of Science.
12. (1999). "Technology of Iron and Steel in Kodumanal, an ancient industrial center in Tamil Nadu". Indian Journal of History of Science.
13. [[S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar]]. (2009). "Some Contributions of South India to Indian Culture". BiblioBazaar.
14. "Roman Karur". Tamil Arts Academy.
15. (2004). "Morphometric Status of Human Skeletal Remains From Kodumanal, Periyar District, Tamil Nadu". Anthropologist.
16. (9 December 2016). "Megalithic site discovered near Thadagam". [[The Hindu]].
17. (30 April 2023). "Inscriptions talk of fascinating Kongu connection". [[The Hindu]].
18. Menon, A. Sreedhara. (2011). "Kerala History and its Makers". D C Books.
19. Mahajan, Vidya Dhar. (1968). "Ancient India". S. Chand.
20. Ramaswamy, Vijaya. (2017). "Historical Dictionary of the Tamils". [[Rowman & Littlefield Publishers]].
21. Narayanan, M. G. S.. (2013). "Perumāḷs of Kerala". Cosmo Books.
22. Ali, Daud. (2007). "The Service Retinues of the Chola Court". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
23. Thangamani, M.R.. (1982). "New Light on the History of the Kongu Cholas".
24. Chettiar, C.M. Ramachandra. (1987). "History of Kongu Nadu".
25. Sethuraman, N. (1978). "The imperial Pandyas: Mathematics reconstructs the chronology". [[University of Michigan]].
26. Sen, Sailendra Nath. (1999). "Ancient Indian History and Civilization". New Age Publishers.
27. Sastri, Nilakanta. (1976). "A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar". [[Oxford University Press]].
28. Arokiaswami, M. (1956). "The Kongu Country".
29. (19 November 2005). "The land called Kongunad". [[The Hindu]].
30. Rajayyan, K.. (1974). "Rise and Fall of the Poligars of Tamilnadu". University of Madras.
31. (2 August 2008). "Chinnamalai, a lesser-known freedom fighter of Kongu soil". [[The Hindu]].
32. Hibbert, Christopher. (1 March 2000). "Great Mutiny: India 1857". [[Penguin Books]].
33. "Constitution of India". [[Government of India]].
34. Thapar, Romesh. (1978). "Change and Conflict in India". [[Macmillan Publishers]].
35. "States Reorganisation Act, 1956". [[Tripura High Court]].
36. Bergman. (2008). "Introduction to Geography". Pearson Education.
37. Mohan, Rohini. (9 May 2016). "No 'Marriage' of Ideologies: Kongu Parties Find Raison D'être in Their Differences With Dalits". [[The New Indian Express]].
38. (1 April 2019). "Campaign Reaches Fever Pitch in Revenue-Rich Kongu Nadu as DMK-Congress, AIADMK-BJP Battle it Out". News18.
39. (13 July 2021). "'Kongu Nadu' part of BJP's Grand Plan?". [[Rediff]].
40. (2000). "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities". Nature.
41. Eagan, J. S. C. (1916). "The Nilgiri Guide And Directory". S.P.C.K. Press.
42. Dr. Jadoan, Atar Singh. (September 2001). "Military Geography of South-East Asia". Anmol Publications.
43. (5 January 2001). "The Deccan Peninsula". Sanctuary Asia.
44. "Britannica Encyclopedia".
45. "The Peninsula". Asia-Pacific Mountain Network.
46. "Eastern Deccan Plateau Moist Forests". World Wildlife Fund.
47. (2000). "Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation". Prentice Hall.
48. "Indo-Malayan Terrestrial Ecoregions".
49. "Western Ghats". [[UNESCO]].
50. (2019). "Biosphere Reserves in India". Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
51. "Bio-Diversity and Wild Life in Tamil Nadu". ENVIS.
52. (1930). "The birds of southern India, including Madras, Malabar, Travancore, Cochin, Coorg and Mysore". Superintendent, Government Press.
53. (30 November 2005). "Birds of Southern India". A&C Black.
54. (15 January 2015). "India's tiger population rises". [[Deccan Chronicle]].
55. (2007). "Elephant Census 2005". Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
56. Panwar, H. S.. (1987). "Project Tiger: The reserves, the tigers, and their future". Noyes Publications, Park Ridge, N.J..
57. (2 February 2009). "Project Elephant Status". [[Times of India]].
58. (1999). "Status survey of slender loris Loris tardigradus lydekkerianus". Oryx.
59. Kottur, Samad. (2012). "Daroji-an ecological destination". Drongo.
60. (3 October 2015). "Nilgiri tahr population over 3,000: WWF-India". [[The Hindu]].
61. (2011). "Indian National Studbook of Nilgiri Langur (''Trachypithecus johnii'')". [[Wildlife Institute of India]], Dehradun and [[Central Zoo Authority]], New Delhi.
62. Singh, M.. (2020). "''Macaca silenus''".
63. Stein, A.B.. (2020). "''Panthera pardus''".
64. "Tamil Nadu religion". [[Government of India]].
65. (2013). "Economic Change, Politics and Caste: The Case of the Kongu Nadu Munnetra Kazhagam". Economic and Political Weekly.
66. Thangavelu, Dharani. (12 October 2018). "In the name of caste, violence rules in Tamil Nadu's Kongu region". mint.
67. (1 July 2019). "Western TN gaining notoriety as honour killing capital". dtNext.
68. Silva, Severine. (1963). "Toponomy of Canara". University of Michigan.
69. (1809). "Tamil̲umaiṅakilēcumāyirukakir̲a akarāti". Oxford University.
70. "Language – India, States and Union Territories". Office of the Registrar General.
71. (2019). "Tiruvalluvar 2050". Periyar Enthusiasts Group.
72. S. Raju, Pulavar. (23 June 2010). "Kongu region's role in development of Tamil". The Hindu.
73. Sundaram, P. S.. (1990). "Tiruvalluvar Kural". Penguin.
74. (2018-10-31). "Dear Amish Tripathi, You're Wrong. Sati Was Never Just a 'Minor Practice' in India".
75. Arokiaswami, M.. (1956). "The Kongu Country: Being the History of the Modern Districts of Coimbatore and Salem from the Earliest Times to the Coming of the British". University of Madras.
76. (5 July 2008). "Is Coimbatore the next BPO city?". [[CNBC]]-TV18.
77. (22 June 2007). "German state keen to share expertise with Coimbatore". [[Business Line]].
78. Harman, William P.. (9 October 1992). "The sacred marriage of a Hindu goddess". Motilal Banarsidass.
79. Fergusson, James. (1997). "History of Indian and Eastern Architecture". Low Price Publications.
80. Ching, Francis D.K.. (2007). "A Global History of Architecture". John Wiley and Sons.
81. Ching, Francis D.K.. (1995). "A Visual Dictionary of Architecture". John Wiley and Sons.
82. Manickam, V.. (2001). "Kongu Nadu, a History Up to A.D. 1400". Makkal Veliyeedu.
83. (2000). "Advancing banana and plantain R & D in Asia and the Pacific". Biodiversity International.
84. Kalman, Bobbie. (2009). "India: The Culture". Crabtree Publishing Company.
85. (9 March 2015). "The Benefits of Eating Food on Banana Leaves". India Times.
86. Nagarajan, Rema. (26 March 2011). "Taste some cuisine from Kongunadu". [[Times of India]].
87. (1807). "A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar". T. Cadell and W. Davies.
88. (19 July 2013). "Snack Street combines taste of street food with hygiene of restaurant". [[The Hindu]].
89. Achaya, K.T.. (1 November 2003). "The story of our food". Universities Press.
90. Balasubramanian, D. (21 October 2014). "Changes in the Indian menu over the ages". [[The Hindu]].
91. (3 February 2011). "Kovakkai, Kongunadu and Quizzing". [[The Hindu]].
92. (26 March 2011). "Kongu Food Info by Times: Kongunadu Cuisine". [[The Times of India]].
93. Nagarajan, Rema. (26 March 2011). "Taste some cuisine from Kongunadu". [[The Times of India]].
94. Kannadasan, Akila. (2 November 2012). "A rainy day". [[The Hindu]].
95. Nath, Parthasarathy. (27 May 2013). "A taste of tradition". [[The Hindu]].
96. (8 January 2009). "Kovai's Roman connection". [[The Hindu]].
97. (21 January 2008). "On the Roman Trail". [[The Hindu]].
98. "A 2,500-year-old industrial estate". [[Rediff]].
99. Subramanian, T. S. (28 January 2007). "Roman connection in Tamil Nadu". [[The Hindu]].
100. Vanavarayar, Shankar. (21 June 2010). "Scripting history". [[The Hindu]].
101. M, Soundariya Preetha. (30 June 2007). "Tale of an ancient road". [[The Hindu]].
102. "Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2021". Directorate of Statistics, Department of Agriculture, Government of India.
103. "Food Staple". [[National Geographic Society]].
104. (29 December 2009). "Turmeric at an all-time high price". [[The Economic Times]].
105. "Sugracane in India". ICAR, Government of India.
106. "Plantation crops". Department of Horticulture, Government of Tamil Nadu.
107. Yeboah, Salomey. (8 March 2005). "Value Addition to Coffee in India". Cornell Education.
108. (2005). "South Asia 2006". Taylor & Francis.
109. "Sericulture note". Government of Tamil Nadu.
110. (28 June 2013). "Tamil Nadu Poultry Industry Seeks Export Concessions". [[The Financial Express (India).
111. "India's Gems and Jewellery Market is Glittering". Resource Investor.
112. "How can India replicate the success of Tiruppur in 75 other places?". Business Standard.
113. (17 April 2014). "Lok Sabha Elections 2014: Erode has potential to become a textile heaven says Narendra Modi". DNA India.
114. (7 August 2014). "State wise number of Textile Mills". Press Information Bureau, Government of India.
115. "Murmurs on Tamil Nadu's bifurcation resurface". [[The New Indian Express]].
116. PTI. (4 August 2013). "India may have 50 states if all demands are conceded". [[The Hindu]] Businessline.
117. (17 July 2021). "BJP looks to downplay 'Kongu Nadu' controversy". [[Hindustan Times]].
118. Venkataramakrishnan, Rohan. (17 July 2021). "Kongu Nadu, North Bengal: Is the threat of bifurcation a go-to weapon for the BJP?". Scroll.
119. (17 July 2021). "Caste organisation bats for Kongu Nadu". [[The Hindu]].