Alli Raani

Alli Rani (Tamil: அல்லிராணி, lit. 'Queen Alli'), also known as Alli arasi , is a legendary Tamil queen of the Sangam period, who is thought to have ruled the whole western and northern coast of Sri Lanka from her capital Kudiramalai.[1][2] According to folklore, her fort, Allirani fort, is located in Mannar, Sri Lanka.[3] She is sometimes seen as an incarnation or multiform of Meenakshi and Kannagi.[4] Legends attribute her as an "Amazon" ruler, who had an administrative and an army of only women, with male being their subordinates and servants.[5]

Alli Raani
Alli Arasani
Reign	Sangam Period, Kudiramalai
Coronation	Madurai
Predecessor	Neenmugan
Dynasty	Pandyan Dynasty

There are references to her in several texts such as Alli katai, Alli Arasani Maalai, Pavazhakodi Maalai and Pulavendran Kalava Maalai.[6] She is also depicted in a popular dramatic compilation in Tamil language, entitled as Alli Arasani Nadakam.[7]

Legend

The only daughter of a Pandyan king, she was considered an immaculate conception as she was found on an alli (Tamil word for lily) after the end of a Putrakameshti ritual. She was at young age sent to gurukula and perfected riding and martial arts.[6] Alli Raani is described as beautiful, courages and alert.[8] She defeated and killed in a battle an usurper to the Pandyan throne named Neenmugan, "The blue faced one", who came at her with an army. After the victory was she crowned to the throne of Madurai.[4]

Several myths attribute her as being married to the Mahabharata hero Arjuna.[5] Arjuna who penetrated the palace of Alli Raani, took the form of an old ascetic man. He called out for the love of the queen, who responded back by sending snakes and elephants to kill him. Arjuna later on came to her room in the form of a snake as she was asleep, thereupon embracing the queen.[4] According to other versions of this myth is this event followed by a marriage with Arjuna tying the Thaali on Alli Raani.[6]

Alli Raani ruled over the in western and northern coasts of Sri Lanka and controlled there the pearl fishery.[1][9] According to local traditions did the gulf of Arasadi have no opening towards the north, but communicated with the sea by a channel running in the line of the present Chilaw canal. Alli Raani used to proceed from Kudiramalai to Akkaraipattu by land. A great flood submerged greater parts of land, subsequently leaving Arasadi on a narrow split of land, forming the present Puttalam Lagoon and destroying her palace.[10][11]

See also

• Kannagi
• Tamil mythology

References

1. Kforkfkrkfk4kf (1956). Ceylon Labour Gazette. Department of Labour. p. 102.
2. Skeen, William (1870). Adam's Peak: Legendary, Traditional, and Historic Notices of the Samanala and Srî-páda, with a Descriptive Account of the Pilgrim's Route from Colombo, to the Sacred Foot-print. W.L.H. Skeen & Company. p. 28. ISBN 9780598526236.
3. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka. Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka. 2004. p. 87.
4. Shulman, David Dean (2014-07-14). Tamil Temple Myths: Sacrifice and Divine Marriage in the South Indian Saiva Tradition. Princeton University Press. pp. 124–126, 210, 211. ISBN 9781400856923.
5. Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2017-08-25). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 50. ISBN 9781538106860.
6. Singh, Surinder; Gaur, I. D. (2008). Popular Literature and Pre-modern Societies in South Asia. Pearson Education India. pp. 210, 211, 213. ISBN 9788131713587.
7. Roberts, Joseph (1835). Oriental illustrations of the sacred Scriptures, collected from the customs, manners [&c.] of the Hindoos. London, United Kingdom. pp. 81.
8. Atlantis. Acadia University. 2002. p. 72.
9. Nevill, Hugh; Deraniyagala, Paulus Edward Pieris (1955). Sinhala Verse (Kavi). Government Press. p. 229.
10. Brohier, Richard Leslie (1973). Discovering Ceylon. Lake House Investments. p. 6.
11. Colombo, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland Ceylon Branch (1887). Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Colombo Apothecaries Company. p. 38.