Among the three great kingdoms of South India the Cheras, the Cholas and the Pandyas, the Pandyan Kingdom had existed longer from since the ancient times till the 14^th century AD. The capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom is Madurai, Tamil Nadu, which should have been their stronghold for more than 2000 years.

So such a city should have strong fortifications and various types of defense mechanisms. The history of ancient Tamil Nadu exists only in Tamil Literature, Stone Inscriptions, Copper Plates and Archeological excavations.

There have been recent Habitual Site findings on Keezhadi in Madurai District which dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization. It may have been a part of the ancient city of Madurai or its suburbs.

Silappathikaram (The Tale of an Anklet), a tamil epic written by Ilango Adigal gives us detailed information on the fortifications, weapons and defense mechanisms existed in the Ancient city of Madurai.

From lines 207-217 under the ‘Adaikala kaathai’ section in ‘Madurai Kandam’, we get those details.

மிளையும் கிடங்கும் வளைவிற் பொறியும்

கருவிர லூகமும் கல்லுமிழ் கவணும்

பரிவுறு வெந்நெயும் பாகடு குழிசியும்

காய்பொன் உலையும் கல்லிடு கூடையும்

தூண்டிலும் தொடக்கும் ஆண்டலை அடுப்பும்

கவையும் கழுவும் புதையும் புழையும்

ஐயவித் துலாமும் கைபெயர் ஊசியும்

சென்றெறி சிரலும் பன்றியும் பணையும்

எழுவுஞ் சீப்பும் முழுவிறற் கணையமும்

கோலும் குந்தமும் வேலும் பிறவும்

ஞாயிலும் சிறந்து நாட்கொடி நுடங்கும்

வாயில்…

மிளை (Milai) – An artificially made forest around the fort. This is probably maintained to keep the enemy siege machines out of range, so that they cannot damage the walls of the fort.

கிடங்கு (Kidangu) – Moat around the fort probably filled with water, which protects the enemy ladders and siege towers in getting near the walls.

வளைவிற் பொறியும்:

வளை (Valai) – Bent

வில் (Vil) – Bow

பொறி (Pori) – Device / Machine

– This is a Catapult placed on the walls of the fort, which can launch arrows as projectile.

கருவிர லூகமும்:

கரு (Karu) – Black

விரல் (Viral) – Finger

ஊகம் (Oogam) – Monkey

– A Black fingered monkey, probably a species of Bonnet Macaque which is largely seen in South India. Mostly all authors misinterpret this as some monkey like weapon, machine or projectile.  Monkeys can normally be seen on high places like top of fort walls and trees. So here it is an actual monkey the author mentions here.

கல்லுமிழ் கவணும்:

கல் (Kal) – Stone

உமிழ் (Umizh) – Projecting

கவண் (Kavan) – Device which has a sling to hold the stone projectiles.

– Another type of Catapult or Ballista placed on the walls of the fort, which can launch stones as projectile.

பரிவுறு வெந்நெயும்:

பரி (Pari) – Sense of touch

உறு (Uru) – Inflict Pain

வெந்நெய் (Vennei) – Ghee or most probably Oil.

Heated Oil was kept ready on walls of the fort to pour on enemy soldiers who try to climb the walls.

பாகடு குழிசியும்:

பாகு (Paagu) – Sugar or Jaggery syrup.

அடு (Adu) – Boiled

குழிசி (Kuzhisi) – Pot probably large in size.

Boiled Sugar or Jaggery syrup was also kept in a large pot on walls of the fort to pour on enemy soldiers.

காய்பொன் உலையும்:

காய் (Kaai) – Heated

பொன் (Pon) – Metal probably Iron

உலை (Ulai) – Furnace to heat the metal

Hot liquid metal was also kept ready using Furnace on walls of the fort to pour on enemy soldiers.

கல்லிடு கூடையும்:

கல் (Kal) – Stone

இடு (Idu) – Throw

கூடை (Koodai) – Bucket

This is a Mangonel, a type of catapult which has a bucket to place the stone projectiles before firing.

தூண்டில் (Thoondil) – A giant Fish hook like device called a Tolleno to hook any floating objects in the Moat, raise it and drop it to sink. The enemies may try to use floating objects like small boats on the moat to reach the walls. This device is used to destroy those boats.

A very similar device is used by Archimedes, the famous greek mathematician and inventor in the Siege of Syracuse (214-212 BC), which is called as the Claw of Archimedes.

தொடக்கு (Thodakku) – Similar device like the Tolleno explained above, but instead of the hook at the end, it has a rope or a chain to tie the neck of enemies, lift them and kill them.

Similar device is used in Cremona in 69 AD, probably in the Battle of Bedriacum to snatch the individual soldiers and swung them inside the walls to kill them.

ஆண்டலை அடுப்பும்:

ஆண் (Aan) – Man

தலை (Thalai) – Head

அடுப்பு (Aduppu) – Stove

Aandalai means Owl. So this is actually a Pot or Stove made in shape of Owl, probably to cook food for the soldiers or to heat the Oil or Jaggery syrup mentioned above. There are a lot of confusions on the word Aandalai in Tamil literature. An Owl’s head resembles like a man because of its flat face. So it was called Aandalai meaning man’s head. Later authors wrote fanciful and mysterious things about Aandalai meaning a real man headed bird or an animal. Some mentioned it as fowl or cock. Even if we think of the tamil word Aandhai, it sounds like Aandalai, so it should have come from this word.

Also in this context, many authors say this as some projectile. But the word Aduppu clearly means that this is a stove and nothing else.

கவை (Kavai) – A forked weapon, most probably a Trident or Trishula to kill and push the enemies from the walls.

கழு (Kazhu) – A wooden palisade, which is a fence made of Sharp wooden poles usually on ground in front of the walls to make gaps in enemy formations or to delay them in nearing the walls.

புதை (Puthai) – A pit around the wall with sharp wooden sticks (Punji sticks) placed and camouflaged with crops, leaves and grass. This is to trap attacking Soldiers, horses or Elephants.

புழை (Puzhai) – A Postern or a sally port, which is a small entrance next to Main entrance and in other concealed locations in the fort walls. The postern near the Main entrance is mostly used by the common people and sally ports are used by soldiers to attack enemies from a defensive position.

ஐயவித் துலாமும்:

ஐயவி (Iyavi) – A weight

துலாம் (Thulaam) – balance

This is a drawbridge balanced by a counterweight at one end. We have seen above that there is a moat. So, there should be a drawbridge, which is raised during a siege. It is maneuvered using pulleys and counterweight.

கைபெயர் ஊசியும்:

கை (Kai) – Hand

பெயர் (Peyar) – Piercing

ஊசி (Oosi) – needle

This is a Caltrop, which is made of two or more needles in such a way that when placed or thrown one of needle always points upwards. These are placed on top of walls, so that when the enemies trying to grab the wall when climbing, they may get their hands pierced with these needles.

சென்றெறி சிரலும்:

சென்று (Senru) – Go or Fly in this context

எறி (Eri) – Throw

சிரல் (Siral) – Beak of a Kingfisher

Again many authors say this is a kingfisher like weapon which may fly and pierce enemy’s eyes. This is actually a dart like weapon called Plumbata, which is sharp and looks like a beak of a kingfisher.

பன்றி (Panri) – A Pig. Pigs are hung down on the walls, where the squeal of a pig would terrify enemy war elephants.

பணை (Panai) – A peg which is used to fit something in a wall or ground. This may be used for various purpose in a fort. It is also used to tie a horse.

எழுவுஞ் சீப்பும்:

எழு (Ezhu) – Raise or Slide up

சீப்பு (Seeppu) – Comb

This is a portcullis, a vertically closing gate with comb like appearance at the bottom. We have seen that there is a drawbridge, so it may be designed in such a way that when this door is dropped, the drawbridge automatically raises and when the door is raised, the drawbridge drops.

முழுவிறற் கணையமும்:

முழு (Muzhu) – Large

விறல் (ViRal) – Strong or heavy

கணையம் (Kanaiyam) – Club or mace

This is war club or mace which is heavy and large. There are many different types of mace used in ancient times.

கோல் (Koal) – Staff or Stick

குந்தம் (Kundham) – A Javelin or Pilum, which can be thrown.

வேல் (Vel) – A Spear

பிற (Pira) – Other things.

ஞாயிலும் சிறந்து:

ஞாயில் (Nyayil) – Battlement

சிறந்து (Sirandhu) – Excellent

An excellent battlement, which is a parapet at the top of a wall, having regularly spaced opening for the Archers to fire arrows.

நாட்கொடி நுடங்கும் வாயில்:

நாள் (Naal) – Day

கொடி (Kodi) – Flag

நுடங்கு (Nudangu) – Wave or flutter

வாயில் (Vaayil) – A Gate or Entrance

An Entrance with a waving Flag hoisted on daytime.

From the above explanations, we now know How the Pandyan Kingdom survived for centuries.

Unlike many authors who wrote fanciful explanations to ancient tamil poems, I tried to give a logical explanation by researching into Greek and Roman Fortifications, weapons and Artilleries and it all matched perfectly like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Wonder how? Because, Silappathikaram also tells us that all of the above weapons and artilleries were maneuvered by people called ‘Yavanas’. The term ‘Yavana’ or ‘Yavanar’ refers to Greeks and then Romans in many ancient Tamil Literature.

It is of no wonder because Greeks and then Romans had a prosperous business relationship with the kings of Tamil Nadu since ancient times. So a cultural and technological exchange would have taken place long ago.

But why did the Yavanas guarding the city of a Tamil King? Perhaps this question would lead me to another extensive research on the ‘Yavanas’ in Tamil Land!!