Puli Devar - History

History

Puli Thevar was born on 1st September 1715 to Chitra Putra Thevar and Sivagnanam Nachiyar; He was named Kathappar Devan, Puli Thevar as he was addressed was by his attachment towards tigers.There is a Tamil Folk song that describes his personality. மாவீரன் பூலித்தேவர் ஆறடி உயரமுடையவர். ஒளி பொருந்திய முகமும், திண் தோள்களையும் உடையவர், பவளம் போன்ற உதடுகளும், மார்பும் இருந்ததாக அப்பாடல் கூறுகின்றது. மேற்குத் தொடர்ச்சி மலையிலுள்ள புலிகளைக் கொன்று விளையாடுவதில் மிகுந்த விருப்பம் கொண்டு விளங்கினார். புலித்தோல் மற்றும் புலி நகங்களை அணிவதிலும் அவருக்கு விருப்பம் இருந்தது. இதனால் பூலித்தேவரை எல்லோரும் புலித்தேவர் என்றே அழைத்து வந்தனர். He was the descendant of பூலுடையார் and Rishi Danyul who meditated on the Nilgiri Hills. The Hill gets its name by this great Rishi.The descendants of the Rishi were Tiger friendly and without fear tread in the forest with tigers; their little children rode on tigers and played with the cubs.Devan was clothed with tiger skin. At the age of six Devan was introduced to his Guru Subramaniyam Pillai who lead him into the divine path of learning(சன்மார்க்க நெறிகளைப்)he was taught Meditation,Yoga,Physical training, Tamil Language, grammar and Tamil Literature;History, environment science and Mathematics. Devan was also well versed in Tamil poetry, he was also inducted into a warrior training course, at the age of twelve he excelled in horse riding, elephant taming,wrestling, sword fighting,silambam,archery,javlin, sling throw,bomarang,and many other martial arts.

In the year 1726 he was dedicated,anointed and enthroned as King and was married to his maternal uncle's daughter Kayalkanni daughter of Ninar Soundhar Thevar and Sivanthikanni who after her marriage was called Lakshmi Nachiyar a title bestowed to her on becoming a queen. Puli Thevar had three sons by name Gomathy Muthu Thalavacchi, Chitra Putra Devan, and Sivagnanam Pandiyan. He was a Philanthropist and irrespective of person, race or caste he supported wholeheartedly and took care of all the members especially the vulnerable widows and orphans, not only in his own Palayaam and throughout Tirunelveli, he is also known to have extended his social work practice to persons from other nations. Puli Thevar was a great soul under whose protection even the descendants of a great king from overseas took refuge.To mention King James Henry's son King Charles-I who was executed by Oliver Cromwell in 1649 and during a crisis the great grand children of King Charles-I who were exiled were given refuge by his grandfather ChitraPutra and during the First Carnatic War the women and children were moved into Devans refuge for safety in his own Palayam and Devan treated them with utmost dignity,respect and were also given an allowance from his own earnings and when the British invaded to uproot them even unto a foreign land, Puli Thevar fought tooth and nail to protect those who were under his care instead of handing over them to their seekers.He was a God-fearing man and The God he worshiped saved him from his enemies who could not lay their hands on the saintly king's mortal body also; likewise Muhammed Yusuf Khan alias Maruthanayagam Pillai's who was after Puli Thevar's life and attempted to destroy his entire lineage his wife Mercy Maasa a Portuguese Indian, who after witnessing the conspirators poison and kill Muhammed Yusuf Khan with her three year old child fled to Tirunelveli and took refuge in Devan house.October 15, 1764, near the army camp at samattipuram, on the Madurai Dindugal road, Yusuf Khan was ignominiously hanged by Mohammed Ali of Arcot.

Puli Thevar was one of the earliest opponents of the British rule in South India. He was involved in a vendetta with the Nawab of Arcot who was supported by the British. Thevar's prominent exploits were his confrontations with Marudhanayagam, who later rebelled against the British in the late 1750s and early 1760s.

Nelkatumseval was the headquarters of Puli Thevar, the first chieftain in India to resist the British.

The author of the Thirunelveli District Gazetteer, H.R. Pate, observes as follows:

Nelkatumseval is chiefly memorable as having been in the eighteenth Century stronghold of the redoubtable Puli Thevar, who figured for many years as the leader of the Marava Confederacy against the troops of the Nawab and the Company. He had a shrewd insight into the political situation of the time and was a veritable thorn against the side of the Nawab's agents.

Pulithevar remains one of the illustrious figures in the chequered history of palayakarars. The vivacity of his character gave him an ascendancy over the western palayakarars, while his determined resistance to the Nawab's overlordship made him a potential enemy of the Wallajahs. He was the principal architect of the coalition of the palayakkars organised against the Nawab. The Nawab acknowledged his victory by presenting him with a gold plate and sword.

Pulithevar is regarded as the first ruler in Indian history, who sowed the seed, by his gallant resistance, to expel foreigners from his native land. His services to the nation are honoured; the government of Tamil Nadu has erected a memorial for him in Nelkatumseval where there are the remnants of his palace.