VEERAKODI VELLALA WARRIORS

Weerakodiyaana

வீரகொடியான
Vīrakoḍiyāṉa

Weerakodiyaan+a

The place of Veera-kodiyaar (a Tamil guild of mercantile guards)

Veerakodiyaar	Also 18-Bhumi-Veerakodiyaar, 18-Bhumi-Veerar, E'riveerar, Veerar: A Tamil guild of warrior-guards, operating between 11th and 13th centuries CE, as a constituent body of the merchant guild called Ayyaavo'le-500/ Va'lagnjiyar (Tamil inscriptions, found from southern Karnataka to southern Ilangkai/ Lanka); Veerakodiyaar inscriptions in the island are found in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Matale districts (Indrapala. K., Veluppillai. A., Subbarayalu. Y.); Weerakodi: A surname found in some Sinhala families
Veera	Man, hero, son (Sanskrit, Rig Vedic, CDIAL 12056); Hero (Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 12056); To be valiant, hero, warrior, champion, heroism, heroic feeling; (as adjective) Excellent, eminent, heroic, powerful, mighty, strong, robust (Sinhala); Vira: Man (Sanskrit, CDIAL 11840); Viru: Hero, skilful warrior (Sinhala); Wera, Were: Strength, force, muscular power, hate, enmity (Sinhala); Veeram, Veeriyam, Veeran (masculine), Veeri (feminine), Veera (adjective): The meanings are the same in Tamil as in other South Asian languages for the cognates related to Veera in Sanskrit, but the Tamil usage examples come from post-Changkam times. Before that another set of words of a parallel etymology was in use; Vi'ral: Victory, strength (Tamil, DED 5439); Valour, pride, greatness, determination, big size, intensity, skill (Tamil, other usages found in Changkam literature); From the root Vi'ra: To be dense, close, be intense, abound, increase, conquer (Tamil, DED 5439); Vi'ralavan: Victorious or valorous man (Tamil, Changkam usage, Ku'runthokai 359:5); Vi'rali: A female member of the community of bards (Tamil, Changkam usage); Vee'ru: distinctive excellence, victory, unique beauty, splendour, greatness, abundance, good fortune, merit, arrogance (Tamil, DED 5462); stiffness, grandeur, dignity, valour, power (Malayalam, DED 5462)
Kodi	Banner, flag, streamer (Tamil, DED 2049); Related to Koadu: Summit of a hill, peak, mountain (Tamil, DED 2049); Koti: Top, extremity, flag, banner, sprout (Malayalam DED 2049); Kudi: Pointed end, point, extreme tip of a creeper, sprout, end, top, flag, banner (Kannada, DED 2049); Gudi: Point, flag, banner (Kannada, DED 2049); Kodi: Top, rim of pit or tank, flag (Kodagu, DED 2049); Point, end, extremity, sprout, flag (Tulu, DED 2049); Tip, top, end or point of a flame (Telugu, DED 2049); Point (Gondi, DED 2049); Kodiya (singular), Kodi (plural & word combination form): Flag, standard, banner, colour (Sinhala); Kodi-kaarayaa: Standard bearer (Sinhala); Kodi-tuwakkuwa: A sort of gun used by the Kandians and placed when fired on a portable tripod (Sinhala)

The place name Veerakodiyaana (Veerakodiyaan-a) means one that belongs or comes from the Veerakodi. The name may even be a shortened form of Veerakodiya-daana, meaning the charity or endowment of the Veerakodiya.

The plural Tamil term Veerakodiyaar was a collective name for a group or guild of warrior guards, who were in the service of protecting a medieval trade guild and its towns and settlements.

The Veerakodiyaar warrior-guards formation was constituent or affiliated to the trade guild, known by the names, The 500, Ayyaavo'le-500, Aiyap-pozhil, 18-Bhumi and Naanaadeasi, and also to a major component of the trade guild called Va'lagnjiyar or Va'lagncheyar. (See columns on Valagnchiyan-ve'li and Naanaaddaan)

It is noticed in the inscriptions (Subbarayalu 2012) that the trade guild was referring to Veerakodiyaar as “Nam-makka'l” (our children or people) and the Veerakodiyaar in turn were referring to the trade guild members as “Nam-peru-makka'l” (our great people or seniors). The usages speak of the relationship between the guild of guards and the trade guild.

Veerakodiyaar literally means the ones who hold the flag of valour. They were also known in the inscriptions as 18-Bhumi-Veerakodiyaar (the Veerakodiyaar of the 18 lands, or the Veerakodiyaar of the 18-Land trade guild), 18-Bhumi-Veerar (the valorous of the 18 lands, or the valorous of the 18-Land trade guild), E'ri-veerar (the valorous who fight/ attack/ capture/ chase/ kill/ destroy/ launch weapons), E'ri-veera-padai (the military formation of E'ri-veerar) or simply as Veerar (the valorous).

The trade guild or the umbrella corporate called by the names, Ayyaavo'le etc., (associated with today's Aiho'le in northern Karnataka) was operating in southern South Asia and in Southeast Asia, from 10th to 14th centuries CE. But the available inscriptions of Veerakodiyaar or on Veerakodiyaar are confined to a region from Mysore (southern Karnataka) and Chittoor (southern Andhra) to Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Matale districts of southern Ilangkai/ Lanka. The inscriptions are also confined to a time span between 1050 CE and 1300 CE. Therefore it seems that Veerakodiyaar was just one of the security formations of the corporate.

The corporate seems to have had its own security arrangements so that it could maintain neutrality and independence in transacting trade in a large region ruled by different dynasties.

Veerakodiyaar were not mercenaries. The name also does not figure among the regiments of the Cholas. Though presented with a common identity, Veerakodiyaar themselves drew the membership from various subgroups. But they were bound by a common code of conduct called Veera-mu'raimai (the code of the valorous) and also by the motto Veerum Cheerum Aadduthal (the practice of valour and orderly conduct). In a way, they were operating as their own group or assembly of identity, maintained links among them in a large region and were issuing inscriptions called Veera-saasanam.

From the inscriptions we come to know that the guards as a right were levying dues from the inmates of the town in the form of oil (for the torches), clothe (Paavaadai), food and money.

The mercantile towns or settlements guarded by Veerakodiyaar were sometimes designated as E'riveera-paddinam/ padda'nam (the town protected by E'riveerar), Veera-padda'nam, E'riveera-tha'lam, Veera-tha'lam (the base of the E'riveerar/ Veerar), E'ripadai-nalloor, (the endowment village protected by E'riveera-padai), E'riveeran-thaanam (the place of E'ri-veerar) etc., in honour of some particular services rendered by the guards to the town.

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Veerakodiyaar inscriptions are found in the districts, Mysore, Chittoor, Erode, Chenkalpaddu, Trichi and Thi'ndukkal in southern India and in the places, Padaviya and Vaahalkada in the Anuradhapura district, Budumuttaava, Detiyamulla and Galtenpitiya in the Kurunegala district and in Viharehinna in the Matale district in the island Ilangkai/ Lanka. All of them are in Tamil.

The Padaviya inscription comes out with the subgroups of Veerakodiyaar and records their decision to donate some of their dues in the town to the lamp service of the god Vidangar. The inscription also notes the place name as Pathi (the place) alias Southern Aipozhil Veera Padda'nam that included a protected market place called Vikkarama-kadigaith-thaava'lam.

The Vaahalkada inscription records the oath taken to protect the town Kaaddaneari (the forest tank), which was a Naanaadeasi Veera Padda'nam.

The Budumuttaava inscription notes the place name as Maa-gal (the big rocky hill) alias Vikkiramasalaameaga-puram. In return for the decision of the Great Men (Perumakka'l) of the guild to name the temple of Lokamata (the mother goddess of the merchants) as Veera-maa-kaa'lam, in honour of the Veerakodiyaar, the guards decided to grant the oil they get for their torches and other dues to the deity Paramesvari (the mother goddess of Aiya-pozhil merchants), and to the deity Lokap-perugn-cheddi (Buddha or Bodhisatva) of the A'n'noottuvan-pa'l'li (the Buddhist temple of The 500).

The Detiyamulla inscription also records the Veerakodi decision to relinquish their dues and cloth money to the deity Loka-perugn-cheddiyaar (Buddha or Bodhisatva of the Mahayana tradition). The place name is noted as Sri Bhayankarapura Naanaadesi Padda'nam. Galtenpitiya inscription is worn out to give a clear reading.

The Viharehinna inscription records the Veerakodi decision to give up collection of oil and fees in the town, in return for the Perumakka'l designating the town as E'riveeran-thaanam and as thanksgiving for them paying the ransom money to a local chief, Vea'naadudaiyaar, who had arrested one of the guards named Muththan alias Naanaadeasiyaa'ndaan. The place name is noted as Maasena-gaamam alias Thanmasaagara-patta'nam

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Veerakodiyaar inscriptions discussed above have been studied and published by Professors, K. Indrapala, A. Veluppillai, Y. Subbarayalu and many other scholars over the last four decades.

Professor Subbarayalu has discussed them extensively and in new light in his latest publication, “South India Under The Cholas”, Oxford, 2012.

Weerakodi still survives as a surname in some Sinhala families.

See table for the etymology of the components Veera and Kodi. Some place names connected to the components are brought out under the related place names. They are not related to the meaning of Veerakodi as a phrase

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Weerakodiyaana is a place in Udubaddawa division of Kurunegala district. It is now divided into Ihala-weerakodiyana and Paha'la-weerakodiyana, the upper part and lower part.

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Some related place names:

Weera:

Weerada-dana: The place that received endowments or was endowed by a Veera (a valorous person) or Veerar, probably the guild of Veerar (Veerakodiyaar), or Veerada-thaana, the place of the Veerakodiyaar; Kotavehera division, Kurunegala district

Weera-kon-gama: The village of a person whose family name was Weerakon; Hildummulla division, Badulla district. Koa, Koan, Koamaan: Emperor, king, great man, leader (Tamil, DED 2177); King (Malayalam, DED 2177)

Weera-pura: The town or settlement of valour; the town or settlement named after a person whose name had a prefix Weera; or the settlement having Weera trees which was given with the suffix Pura later (the Pura suffix mostly comes in new place names); Lankapura division, Polonnaruwa district; Munthal division, Puththa'lam district; Karuwalagaswewa division, Puththa'lam district

Weerambu-gedara: The house of Weerambu, probably a personal name: Weerambugedera division, Kurunegala district

Weerambuwa: The place of Weerambu, probably a personal name; Kuliyapitiya division, Kurunegala district

Weerakutti-goda: The village of a person who had the name Weerakutti; Kutuwana division, Hambantota district

Weerasekara-pura: The settlement named after a person called Weerasekara; Kothmale division, Nuwara Eliya district

Weerasooriya-kanda: The hill named after a person called Weerasooriya; Mirigama division, Gampaha district

Weerangula: Probably, Weera+ankura: The place named after a scion, nobleman or king; Attanagalla division, Gampaha district. Ankura: Name applied to a king and a god (Sinhala)

Kodi: Flag (Sinhala)

Kodikara-goda: The village of the standard bearer; Pitabeddara division, Matara district

Kodithuwakku-thalawa: The grassland belonging to a Kodithuwakku; Mahaoya division, Ampaa'rai district. Kodithuwakku: Family name of people whose ancestors were operating the Kodi-tuwakku gun during Kandian times. The gun was called by that name probably because of the tripod (Kodi) on which it was mounted. Thuvakku: Gun (Sinhala and Eezham Tamil, from the Turkish Tupak)

Kodippili-Kanda: Kodi+pi'li+kanda: The hill placed with a cloth flag or flag-mast; Kalawana division, Ratnapura district. Pi'li: Cloth, tree (Sinhala)

Kodi: Flag (Tamil)

Kodi-poadda-malai: The hill placed with a flag; Vaazhaichcheanai division, Batticaloa district

Kodi-kaamam: Probably, the village having a flag or flag mast (Thenmaraadchi division, Jaffna district)

First published: Monday, 06 January 2014, 11:44

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