Perumbanappadi was the original home of the historic Bana Chieftains of the early Pallava period.Early inscriptions, by Sadhu Subrahmanya Sastry, p.55 It extended from the South Pennar (Ponnaiyar River) to the Tirupati (Thirumala) hills. Perumbanappadi was made up of sub-divisions such as the Thiruvenkata-Kottam (or Vengada Kottam),Early inscriptions, by Sadhu Subrahmanya Sastry, p.55 and many Nadus such as Tuy-nadu,Ancient India: collected essays on the literary and political history of Southern India, by Sakkottai Krishnaswami Aiyangar, p.166 Puli-nadu, Vada Pulinadu, and Silai-nadu A study of Telugu place-names: based on inscriptions from the earliest to the 13th century, by S. S. Ramachandra Murthy, p.122 within it. During the Chola period, Perumbanappadi was a major division of the Jayakonda Chola Mandalam.A study of Telugu place-names: based on inscriptions from the earliest to the 13th century, by S. S. Ramachandra Murthy, p.122South Indian Inscriptions: Miscellaneous inscriptions in Tamil, by Eugen Hultzsch, Hosakote Krishna Sastri, Archaeological Survey of India, p. 89 and p.113 and also represented the north-western portions of Thondai-Mandalam.Trade, ideology, and urbanization: South India 300 BC to AD 1300, by Radha Champakalakshmi, p.374
Boundaries Perumbanappadi is rendered in Tamil as Perum-pana-p-pati and Pana Rashtra (Bana Rashtra). The boundaries of Perumbanappadi were made up of Kolar, Punganur and Srisailam in the west, and Kalahasti and Sholingur in the east. The river Palar ( South Pennar and Ponniyar) formed its Southern boundary.Feudatories of South India, 800-1070 A.D, p.35-36The Tirumala Temple, by N Ramesan, p.17-18 The capital of Perumbanappadi was Thiruvallam, which lies 22 km from Vellore.The early Chōḷas history, art, and culture, by S. Swaminathan, p.46
Mavali Vanadarayan was the title of chiefs of the Bana country in the basin of the Palar river, the extent of whose territory changed according to the vicissitudes of history.History of the nayaks of Madura, by R. Sathianathaier and Sakkottai Krishnaswami Aiyangar, p.78 Territorial changes are deducible from epigraphies. However, the personal names of many Bana Chieftains are not known, especially with regard to the wars they waged against their opponents. One such example is the Thiruvallam record of Vijaya Nandivikrama Varman (792-793 AD) which states that a certain Mavali-Vanaraya was ruling Vadugavali-12000. However, the personal name of this Mahavali-Banaraja is not known.Chittoor through the ages, by MD Sampath, p.37
Most epigraphies / inscriptions mention just the title of the Bana Chieftain as "Mahabali Banaraja". The Banas were identified by their geographical location as Pulinadu Banas, Tuynadu Banas, etc. Their genealogy was puranic and was narrated on copper-plates or temple grants. One example is the Udayendiram grant of Bana Vikramaditya III which narrates the puranic connection of Mahabali with Vishnu.Chittoor through the ages, by MD Sampath, p.34
Bana Chieftains The Bana chieftains claimed descent from the asura Mahabali. They were called or addressed as Perumbanadiyarasar (Brihad Bana Adhirajas) or Mahabali Banarajas.Art and culture of Tamil Nadu, by Irāmaccantiran̲ Nākacāmi and R. Nagaswamy, p.13 Chiefs in the early period held names such as Perumbana-araicar and figured in the hero-stones (vira-kal).The political structure of early medieval South India, by Kesavan Veluthat, p.109 The Bali Vamsa claimed traditional lordship over Kishkinda. They had over their banner the figure of an Ape and as their heraldic device the figure of a Turtle.Epigraphia Indica, Volume 15, p.108
Chieftains of Perumbanappadi
Names of some Bana chieftains who ruled in different parts of Perumbanappadi are: From the epigraphies of kings who made endowments to Sri Varadarajaswami Temple of Kanchipuram, we find the name of Mahabalivanarayar Sri Varadarajaswami Temple, Kanchi: A Study of Its History, Art and Architecture, by KV Raman, p.17 Vikramaditya I Bana had a daughter named Kundadevi who was given in marriage to the Ganga King, Prithvipati I Ganga in the 9th century. This however did not prevent the Gangas and Nolambas from combining to fight against the Banas History of Tamilnad: to A.D. 1565, by N. Subrahmanian, p.272 The Chirrur plate of Nripatunga Varman mentions a Bana Chieftain, titled Paranjaya and called as Kadupatti Muttaraiyan.History Of Ancient India (portraits Of A Nation), By Kapur, Kamlesh, p.613
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