Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c18.s2.t2.9

v2.c18.s2.t2.9

References to these factions are also found in Tamil literature. In the Toṇḍaimaṇḍala-Śatakam there is reference to the curbing down of the insolence of the Kaṇṇāḷar (Kaṇṇāḷar-kurumbaḍakki) from which we may infer that the Veḷḷāḷas (agriculturists) and Kammāḷas (artisans) were not on friendly terms. The Tamil poet Kamban, though he makes no reference to the agricultural classes, in seven stanzas in his Erelu-pāḍu, praises the artisans who were naturally proud that nothing could be done without their help.¹