polygars

Polygars, also known as Palaiyakkarars, were hereditary chieftains or military governors in Southern India, particularly in the Tamil-speaking regions. They were appointed by the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire and later by the Nayak dynasties that succeeded it. The polygar system was a feudal arrangement where these chieftains were granted territory and the right to collect taxes and maintain troops. In return, they owed military service and tribute to their overlord. This system played a significant role in the administration and defense of the region for several centuries.

The powers and responsibilities of polygars varied. They were expected to quell rebellions, maintain law and order within their territories, and provide soldiers and cavalry when called upon by the ruling sovereign. Their territories, known as palayams, often encompassed significant land and resources. This decentralized system allowed for local control and enabled rulers to manage vast empires more effectively. However, it also sometimes led to centrifugal tendencies, with powerful polygars acting with considerable autonomy.

The influence of the polygars continued even after the decline of the Vijayanagara and Nayak powers, and they often clashed with the encroaching European colonial powers, particularly the British East India Company. The British found the polygar system an obstacle to their consolidation of power and engaged in numerous campaigns to subdue them. The last major polygar rebellions were suppressed in the early 19th century, marking the end of this distinct socio-political and military structure.