Which of the following rulers is NOT the part of the Kadai Yelu Vallalgal (The Seven Great Patrons)?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Answer: (2) Nediyon
Explanation:
In Sangam literature, 'Kadai Yelu Vallalgal' translates to 'the Last Seven Great Patrons.' These seven were benevolent rulers and minor chieftains renowned for their immense generosity and for providing patronage to poets and scholars. The names of these seven patrons are as follows:
Pegan
Pari
Kari
Ay
Adhiyaman
Nalli
Ori
Nediyon is not part of this list. Nediyon was a renowned king of the early Pandya dynasty mythologically regarded as akin to the God of the Sea whose mention is associated with the very inception of the Sangam era, rather than with the specific category of the 'Seven Great Patrons.'
Analysis of Options:
Pegan: He draped his silken garment (shawl) over a peacock that was shivering from the cold.
Pari: He left his chariot behind to serve as a support for a vine (creeper), allowing it to climb upon it.
Adhiyaman: He presented the great poetess 'Avvaiyar' with a rare gooseberry (Amla) believed to grant immortality.
Potential Exam Questions and Answers:
Question: What are the seven patrons of the Sangam period called in Tamil?
Answer: Kadai Yelu Vallalgal.
Question: Which ruler gifted the 'immortal gooseberry' to the poetess Avvaiyar?
Answer: Adhiyaman.