Etymology
The name Venad is believed to derived from Ay vel (Ay=shepherd, Vel=king), referring to the ancient rulers of Velnad. Sangam literature mentions three sets of seven Vallals (philanthropists). Out of the last set (the Kadaiyezhu Vallals, circa 100 AD), three lived in present-day Kollam and one in the Trivandrum area. Sangam literature also mentions the murder of Pari, ruler of Quilon. Kapila, a poet friend of Pari, married the slain Ay vel's daughters of to the Thirukovilur (Kollam) prince and built a temple for Pari at Parippalli. The places Ayur (Ay), Oyur (Oy) and Kariavattam (Kari) were also named after Ay vels.
The earliest use of the term "Venad" is found in the Tharisapalli plates of 849 AD, which gifted lands to the Assyrian Metropolitan, Mar Sabor, by Venad king, Iyenadikal Thiruvadikal. There are also many manuscripts which support the conclusion that the land was ruled by Vels. Another theory regarding the origination of the name is that, in ancient Tamil, Vezham meant "elephant", so Vezha Nadu meant "Elephant country".
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