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Iraivikutty Pillai was the commander-in-chief of Venad Kingdom in the present Kerala, India<ref>{{Cite web|title=ഇരവിക്കുട്ടിപിള്ളപ്പോര് ഒരു പഠനം|url=https://keralabookstore.com/book/ഇരവിക്കുട്ടിപിള്ളപ്പോര്-ഒരു-പഠനം/4548/|access-date=2021-09-11|website=KeralaBookStore.com|language=ml}}</ref>
'''Iraivikutty Pillai''' was the commander-in-chief of Venad Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ഇരവിക്കുട്ടിപിള്ളപ്പോര് ഒരു പഠനം|url=https://keralabookstore.com/book/ഇരവിക്കുട്ടിപിള്ളപ്പോര്-ഒരു-പഠനം/4548/|access-date=2021-09-11|website=KeralaBookStore.com|language=ml}}</ref>
{{Infobox officeholder
| name        = Iraivikutty Pillai
| image      =
| image_size  =
| alt        =
| caption    =
| office1    = commander-in-chief of [[Venad|Venad Kingdom]]
| birth_name  = Iraivikutty Pillai
| birth_date  =
| birth_place = [[Venad|Kingdom of Venad]]
| death_date  =
| death_place =
| parents    = Keralapuram Raja (father)<br/>Easvari Pillai Amma (mother)
}}


==Overview==
==Overview==
Iravikkutti Pillai belonged to [[Nair]] family of Keralapuram in Kalkulam, [[Travancore]] now in the Kanyakumari District of [[Tamil Nadu]]. His father was Keralapuram Raja. His mother was Umayamma. Kuzhikkottu Pappuvilakathu Kochu Narayanan  was his Guru in warfare.
Iravikkutti Pillai belonged to the noble lineage of Valiya Veedu [[Nair|Illam Nair family]] of Keralapuram in Kalkulam, [[Venad kingdom|Venad (kingdom)]]. His father was Keralapuram [[Raja]], and his mother was Easvari Pillai. Kuzhikkottu Paduvilakathu Kochu Narayana Pillai was his guru in warfare.


He became a minister under the King Unni Kerala Varma of Venad. During his time, Madurai Thirumala Naickar attacked Venad. Pillai was asked to lead the Venad army and the attack which was spearheaded by Velayyan was repulsed. As a reward, Iravikkutti Pilla was appointed the Chief Minister and the Commander-in-Chief of Venad. But Thirumala Naickar sent another army under the leadership of Ramappayyan to attack Venad. The battle at Kaniyamkulam near Nagercoil was decisive. Some army commanders within Venad army were thirumala naicker army disguised as venad army attacked Pillai and eventually the Madurai army defeated the Venad army. Iravikkutti Pillai was killed in the battle. This incident became the theme for the folk song for the Villadichan Paattu ‘Kaniyakulathu Poru’ in the local Malayalam dialect. This song describes the life history of Iravikkutti Pillai and his trusted disciple Kunjirakottu Kaali Nair.
He became a [[Minister (government)|minister]] under King Unni Kerala Varma of Venad. During his time, Madurai Thirumala Naickar attacked Venad. Pillai was asked to lead the Venad army, and the attack, which was spearheaded by Velayyan, was repulsed. As a reward, Iravikkutti Pillai was appointed Chief Minister and Commander-in-Chief of Venad. However, Thirumala Naickar sent another army under the leadership of Ramappayyan to attack Venad. The battle at Kaniyamkulam, near Nagercoil, was decisive. Some army commanders within the Venad army, disguised as the Madurai army, attacked Pillai, and eventually, the Madurai army defeated the Venad army through betrayal. Iravikkutti Pillai was killed in the battle.


His cemetery was near Keralapuram Siva temple close to his ancestral house. There is also have Bhadra kali temple which is called as Padathalavan Bhadrakali Temple. His reputed horse was also cremated near his cemetery opposite the temple.
This incident became the theme for the folk song Villadichan Paattu "Kaniyakulathu Poru" in the local Malayalam dialect. The song describes the life history of Iravikkutti Pillai and his trusted disciple, Kunjirakottu Kaali (Kaaliyan). Kunjakott Kāli Nāyar was the son of a woman named Mathirampally Nangeli Pillai, from the land of Kunchakottu in Venad (present day Keezkulathucherry, Thengapattanam, Kanyakumari district.) At the age of five, Iravikkutty Pillai and his uncle Marthandan Thampi informally adopted the poor boy and took him to their ancestral [[tharavad]], which was an Ammaveedu (one of the ancestral bungalows built by the Venad/Travancore kings for their wives and their close relatives).
 
Iravikutty Pillai cemetery was near his ancestral house. There is also have Bhadra kali temple which is called as Padathalavan Bhadrakali Temple. His reputed horse was also cremated near his cemetery opposite the temple.


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]
[[Category:People from the Venad kingdom]]




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Latest revision as of 00:53, 30 March 2026

Iraivikutty Pillai was the commander-in-chief of Venad Kingdom.[1]

Iraivikutty Pillai
commander-in-chief of Venad Kingdom
Personal details
Born
Iraivikutty Pillai

Kingdom of Venad
Parent(s)Keralapuram Raja (father)
Easvari Pillai Amma (mother)

Overview[edit | edit source]

Iravikkutti Pillai belonged to the noble lineage of Valiya Veedu Illam Nair family of Keralapuram in Kalkulam, Venad (kingdom). His father was Keralapuram Raja, and his mother was Easvari Pillai. Kuzhikkottu Paduvilakathu Kochu Narayana Pillai was his guru in warfare.

He became a minister under King Unni Kerala Varma of Venad. During his time, Madurai Thirumala Naickar attacked Venad. Pillai was asked to lead the Venad army, and the attack, which was spearheaded by Velayyan, was repulsed. As a reward, Iravikkutti Pillai was appointed Chief Minister and Commander-in-Chief of Venad. However, Thirumala Naickar sent another army under the leadership of Ramappayyan to attack Venad. The battle at Kaniyamkulam, near Nagercoil, was decisive. Some army commanders within the Venad army, disguised as the Madurai army, attacked Pillai, and eventually, the Madurai army defeated the Venad army through betrayal. Iravikkutti Pillai was killed in the battle.

This incident became the theme for the folk song Villadichan Paattu "Kaniyakulathu Poru" in the local Malayalam dialect. The song describes the life history of Iravikkutti Pillai and his trusted disciple, Kunjirakottu Kaali (Kaaliyan). Kunjakott Kāli Nāyar was the son of a woman named Mathirampally Nangeli Pillai, from the land of Kunchakottu in Venad (present day Keezkulathucherry, Thengapattanam, Kanyakumari district.) At the age of five, Iravikkutty Pillai and his uncle Marthandan Thampi informally adopted the poor boy and took him to their ancestral tharavad, which was an Ammaveedu (one of the ancestral bungalows built by the Venad/Travancore kings for their wives and their close relatives).

Iravikutty Pillai cemetery was near his ancestral house. There is also have Bhadra kali temple which is called as Padathalavan Bhadrakali Temple. His reputed horse was also cremated near his cemetery opposite the temple.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "ഇരവിക്കുട്ടിപിള്ളപ്പോര് ഒരു പഠനം". KeralaBookStore.com (in മലയാളം). Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  • "Mahacharitha Samgraham" by Pallippattu Kunjukrishnan.
  • "Iravikuttipilla poru: Oru Padanam" by Doctor Thikkurisi Gangadharan