The Middle Country

But the vadavar territory was separated from Tamilakam by a land inhabited by another people that the Tamil called vadukar. This is probably the territory that the Mysore Gazeteer talks about as the “land covered with one mighty and all-embracing forest … inhabited by aboriginal races or the descendants of primeval immigrants.” (Rice, 1897 : Mysore, 271) Incidentally, vadukar too means northeners, and is analogous to the modern Kannada word badaga. Tamil literature describes vadukar as robbers by profession habitually engaged in cattle-lifting. The chieftain Erumai of Kudanadu (Kodagu or Coorg) is referred to as a vadukar; the corresponding chieftain on the eastern side with his capital at Tirupati was also possibly a vadukar by name Pulli who is described as the ‘chieftain of robbers’, kallvarkoman. According to one poet vadukar kept cruel dogs; another Sangam poet refers to the sacrifices that these people offered in thanksgiving for the capture of herds of cattle. (Aiyangar, 1923 : 3)