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DIVAKARAR.
145
Vēlir ?
an old poem. For these reasons, it may be said, that Sangam literature has not oniitted references to Pallavas who, in their carlier career, were known as Tirayar. . ,
As one realls the Sangam works, one finds Who are the eviclences that tend more and more to support the probability that the Sangam existed perhaps after the 4th or 5th century A.D. We shall examine one or two points. Throughout the Sangam literature, we have frequent references to a tribe called Vēlir. Who are these Vēlir? Pundit Raghava Ayyangar in his book Vélir Varulāru has stated that these Vēlir came from Belgaum' and sother places in the Bombay Presidency, and that they were the Chalukyas of Indian History. The literature of the Sangam period also makes mention of them. That the Vēlir were Chalukyas is known from the following passage in Divākaram -:
"வேள் புலவ் ரசர் சளுக்குவேந்தர் ''
his date.
What is the date of Divākarar ? The Dirākarar: patron of Divākarar was Ambarkilan Aruvandai. Kallādanar, the well-known Sangam poet, 'sang in 'praise of this Aruvandai. At the end of one of the chapters, Divākarar says that his patron was also praised by Auvayār, the famous court poetess of Adihamān Elini. From this it is evident that Divākarar, Kallādar, Auvayār and Adihamān Elini are contemporaries. That they belonged
1 மக்கட் பெயர்த்தொகுதி.
10
