Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c18.s1.65

v2.c18.s1.65

Divested of fable, the probabilities in the above account may be summarized thus: The *Kurumbars* originally spread over the Karṇāṭaka and Tamil lands, were destroyed by the Tamil king Ādoṇḍai Chakravarti; consequently, the *Kurumbars* of the south disappeared as a political factor in the Tamil land; their place was taken by the Tuḷuva Veḷḷāḷers and the Vaṇṇiyars, both of whom were given to agriculture;⁴ and the Vaṇṇiyars continued the traditions of the *Kurumbars* of rejecting all claims of customary tribute from superior kings. This came into conflict with the imperialistic policy of Vijayanagara. Failing to subdue the Vaṇṇiyars by honest means, the State had recourse to deceit and achieved its end by means of a dancing girl. But it protected the agriculturists whose leaders it had subjugated.