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Kongu Nadu is a region in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. The term Kongu means honey or nectar of flowers. The Kongu country had vast stretches of forests. It was believed to be rich in honey or nectar of flowers and hence it came to be known as the Kongu Nadu meaning country. The people who lived in that part of the Tamil country were called Kongars. The ancient Kongu country extended up to the River Kaveri in Mysore. The people of this region identified themselves by either wearing garlands of distinct flowers or by having the totem of an animal or a bird. They especially wore garlands of Kongam flowers (Cochlo spermum Gossypium). A sangam*1 verse that praises Nannan, the Velir chief of the Coorg and Mysore region, referred to him as 'Ponnam-kanni Nannan'. Since the Kongam flowers are yellow in colour, like gold, 'Ponnam-Kanni' was described as a beautiful garland of the gold-like yellow Kongum flowers. It is also mentioned in a verse of Perumkadai of Konguvel, that Barugur and the North Coimbatore plateau formed the southern extension of the Mysore plateau and had plenty of Kongam or Kongilavam trees.

The strategic location of Coimbatore near the Palghat gap within the Western Ghats has made this region an area of conflict between different southern kingdoms since ancient times. Not much is known about the prehistory of this region. However, during the Vedic age (1500 BC-600 BC) Dravidians are supposed to have inhabited this region, like most other areas of South India. An alternative theory says that it is the land of Gangas. Ganga in Tamil is written Kanka which subsequently has become Kongu. The Kongu Vellalar community living here is the majority, its original name is Ganga kulam Gounder (caste)

The region around Coimbatore was amongst the first places in Tamil Nadu where the local Tamil speaking people set up territorial states. In the ancient period the region around Coimbatore was known as Kongu Nadu (Kongu country) and was ruled by local Velir chiefs, who were of Tamil origin. In the course of time Kongu country witnessed long drawn out struggles between the different kingdoms of south India: the Cholas (who ruled the area of Tanjore), the Pandyas (who ruled in the region of Madurai) and the Cheras or Keralas (who ruled the Kerala coast). The region ruled by these kingdoms was known as the land of the Tamils, as Tamil was the language spoken here. The information we get about these three states is mainly based on Tamil literature also called the 'Sangam literature'*1.

Go to Gounder (caste) for more on Kongu history.

The countries comprising ancient Kongu Nadu are:

1. Poondurai Nadu
2. Erode & Thiruchancode
3. Thenkarai Nadu
4. Dharapuram &Kurur
5. Kangeya Nadu
6. Dharapuram & Kankeyam
7. Pongalur Nadu
8. Palladam & Dharapuram
9. Arayai Nadu
10. Kovai & Avanasi
11. Varakka Nadu
12. Palladam & Pollachi
13. Thiruvavinankudi Nadu
14. Palladam & Pollachi
15. Mana Nadu
16. South-West region of Karur Taluk
17. Thalaiyur Nadu
18. South& West regions of Karur
19. Thataiyur Nadu
20. Kuliththalai Taluk
21. Poovaniya Nadu
22. Omalur & Dharmapuri Taluks
23. Araya nadu
24. Erode & Namakkal
25. Oduvanga Nadu
26. Gobi Taluk
27. Vadakarai Nadu
28. Bhavani Taluk
29. Kilakku Nadu
30. Karur & Kulithalai Nadu
31. Nallurukka Nadu
32. Udumalaipettai
33. Vallavandi Nadu
34. Namakkal Northern part, Karur
35. Anda Nadu
36. Palani Taluk, Eastern Part
37. Venkala Nadu
38. Karur Taluk, Eastern Part
39. Kazalakkala Nadu
40. Pollachi Taluk
41. Anamalai Nadu
42. Pollachi South-West
43. Rasipura Nadu
44. Selam, Rasipuram, Kollimalai
45. Kangikovil Nadu
46. Gobi,Bhavani
47. Kurumbu Nadu
48. Vellakovil

References

• 1 - Sangam literature: Sangam literature is a vast collection of ancient Tamil poems. These poems are treasure troves of information, as they vividly describe the life and culture of the common people and the rulers of South India.

• Ancient history of Kongu Nadu