Senguttuvan

Senguttuvan was a ruler of the Chera Kingdom in the Sangam Period. He is also known as Kadalpirakoottiya Vel Kelu Kuttuvan, Senguttavan, and Chenkuttuvan. Senguttuvan ascended the Chera throne after the death of his father Nedunjeral Adan. He won a war against the Mokur chieftain. The Silappadikaram tells us that he attacked Viyalur in the land of Nannan and took the Kodukur fortress in Kongu country.^[1] He successfully intervened in a civil war in the Chola Kingdom and established his relative Killi on the Chola throne. The land and naval expeditions against the Kadamba - "Yavana" allied forces were also successful. He is also said to have defeated the Kongu people. Under his reign, the Chera kingdom extended from Kollimalai in the east to Tondi and Mantai in the western coast.

Senguttuvan is famous for the legends surrounding Kannagi, the heroine of the legendary Tamil epic Silapathikaram. According to the legends, Ilango Adigal, the Jain author of Silapathikaram was his younger brother. Vel Kelu Kuttuvan was born to Nedum Cheralathan and Nalchonai- the daughter of a Chola king Manikilli.^[2] As per poets,their greatest King was Senguttuvan,the red chera. It is said that he invaded North and crossed Ganga,but it just seems to be the exaggeration.

Notes

References

• Singh, Upinder (2008), A history of ancient and early medieval India : from the Stone Age to the 12th century, New Delhi: Pearson Longman, ISBN 978-81-317-1120-0

Ancient India : RAM Saran Sharma