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Vēḷ Pari was avelir ruler who ruled Parambu nadu and surrounding regions in ancientTamilakam during theSangam period. He was the patron and friend of poetKabilar and is extolled for his benevolence, patronage of art and literature. He is remembered as one of thekadai elu vallal (literally meaning, the last seven great patrons) inTamil literature.[1]
Pāri is described as the master of the hill country of Parambu Nadu and held sway over 300 prosperous villages.[2] Parambu Nadu consisted of parts of modern-dayTamil Nadu andKerala stretching fromPiranmalai inSivaganga district inTamil Nadu toNedungadi inPalakkad district inKerala. PoetKabilar was his close friend and lifelong companion.[3] Pari patronized various forms of art, literature and bards in his court.[4] Kabilar states in song 107 ofPurananooru:
Again and again they call out his name: "Pāri! Pāri"! Thus do poets with skilled tongues all praise one man.
Yet Pāri is not alone: there is also the rain to nourish this earth.[5]
Pari was noted for his generosity and is described as one of thekadai ezhu vallalgal (last seven great patrons). He is described inSangam literature as "mullaiku ther koduthaan Pari" (one who gave his chariot to a climber plant). He was so generous that he gave away his chariot to a climber plant when he saw that it was struggling to grow without a suitable support.[6][7]
Thethree crowned kings of Tamilakam–Cheras,Cholas andPandyas expanded their kingdoms ruthlessly and turned their attention towards independent velir kings, turning them into subordinates or eliminating them and assimilating their kingdoms. They laid siege to the Parambu country.[8] However, Pari was garrisoned atop the hill, and refused to give in. The war dragged for months and his people sustained on various forest produce.[9] Kabilar approached the kings and asked them to turn back describing his patron Pari as an unconquerable warrior (excerpt fromPurananooru song 109):
You may think Pāri's mountain is easy to conquer. Even though the three of you with your gigantic royal drums lay siege to it..Like the sky is his mountain. Like the stars in the sky are its springs. Even though your elephants are tied to every tree, your chariots spread through every field, you will not take it by fighting. He will not surrender it by the sword. But here: I know how you can win it. If you play little lutes, their strings of rubbed twine, have your dancing women come behind with thick, fragrant hair, and go to him dancing and singing, he will give you his mountain and his whole land.[10]
Pari's enemies plotted against him, and planned to kill him. When Kabilar was out of the country, they took advantage the situation. Knowing Pari's generosity towards poets, they sent some of the soldiers disguised as poets to Pari. Pari was later killed by them through treachery.[11][12]Purananooru, song (112) on the description of his death by his daughters:
That day in that white moonlight, we had our father, and no one could take the hill. This day in this white moonlight, kings with drums beating victory, have taken over our hill, and we have no father.[13]
Pari and his wife Aadhini had two daughters, Angavai and Sangavai. Kabilar become their guardian after Pari's death and the three of them left Parambu country. Kabilar unsuccessfully approached various velir kings to find grooms.[14] Kabilar later killed himself byvadakirrutal, one of the Tamil ways of committing suicide.[3] Later, poetessAvvaiyar took care of them and married them successfully to the descendants ofMalaiyamaan Thirumudi Kaari.[14]
Pariyur ("place of Pāri") or Parapuri nearGobichettipalayam inTamil Nadu is named after Pāri. After Pāri was defeated, the place was deserted towards the end of thirteenth century A.D. and people migrated to settle down in neighboring areas what became the modern day town of Gobichettipalayam. Pariyur has four temples dedicated to various Gods namely,Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman Temple, Amarapaneeswarar Temple, Aadhinarayana Perumal Temple and Angaalamman Temple.[15]