Indian Antiquary Vol 45

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 143

Auquer, 1916]
THE HISTORY OF THE NAIK KINGDOM OF MADURA
135
viceroyalty. The keen soldier then devoted himself to the extension of his control over the other chiefs of Carnâta. He had already oonquered " Auka Hebbal, Kembala, Karugullee, Arrakera and Taloaud, eto.", and he now proceeded to annex the territory of Jagadeva Raya in the north and of Nanja Raja of Ummattor in the south. It is not improbable that he took advantage of Jagadêva's defeat in the war of succession to annex his possessions. It is even more probable that he helped Eohchama Naik and Sri Rama, with a view to bring about the fall of Jagadêve. For, by Jagadeva's misfortune he gained. By opposing him he would have more than made up for his recent policy towards the imperial viceroy. In all this he was not only an enemy of Jagadêva but of Muttu Virappa, his ally. At the same time his conquest of the powerful Nanja Raja Udayâr of Ummattûr and the annexation, besides Ummattûr, of the estate of Harnhally which had belonged to him (together with the district of Terkanamby), put an end to the existence of a buffer state which existed between Madura and Mysore. From this time onward the frontiers of the two kingdoms met, and naturally gave rise to, a number of border wars and troubles. The region covered by the modern district of Coimbatore was henceforth the scene of constant warfare between the Udayârs of Maisûr and the Náiks of Madura. We may well believe that in 1616, when Jagadêva and Muttu Vîrappa fought against the Emperor and Tanjoro. Raja Udayar probably joined the latter. Raja Udayar died in 1620, but his grandson and successor Châma Raja, an equally aggressive and ambitious monarch, carried on the policy of consolidation within and aggression without, and as a result, came into frequent struggles with Madura.
The Raid of Mukilan. The Madura chronicles narrate the invasion of a Muhammadan adventurer named Mukilan, which took place in the course of these frontier struggles. Nothing definite is known about this man, his origin or office. He might have been an employee of the Mysore king or a servant of the Sultan of Bijapur. He might have been, on the other hand, an independent chieftain, who wished to carve out a principality for himself at the expense of his neighbours. However it was, about 1620 he burst into the north-west frontier of the kingdom and spread terror for scores of miles. His ferocious troops swept the country from the frontier ti Dindigul and the endeavour of the Poly. gars to check him proved futile. They however soon found a leader in the Polygar of Virûpakshi, who, rallying the scattered men of his brother chiefs, met the invader near Dindigul, inflicted a crushing defeat on his arms, and drove him out of the kingdom. In recognition of this service, we are told, the king distinguished the merit of the viotorious Polygar by bestowing on him the title of guardian of the roads. A similar or the same invasion is described in the account of the Kaņnivadi estate. It says that a certain Mukilan penetrated the north-west frontier of Madura, conquered the country from the mountains to Dindigul, and invested that place. The Polygars of the region under the lead of Nadukkuttali Chinna Kadir Naik of Kannivadi, gave battle to the besiegers and inflicted on them such a serious defeat that they had to retreat to Mysore. The victorious general was then, we are told, rewarded by the gratified king with the title of Chinna Maisúran, and with the first place among the Dindigul Polygars. The defence of Dindigul itself in future was left under his charge. All this munificience of Virappa was not misplaced. It was, on the other hand, an act of prudence. For it created in the Kannivadi chief a loyal and faithful lieutenant, whose capacity and vigilance were, from this time, of immense service to the peace and security of the kingdom. Kannivadi was henceforth a stronghold of