Velliveedhiyar


Velliveethiyār was a poetess of the late Sangam period, to whom 14 verses of the Sangam literature have been attributed, including verse 23 of the Tiruvalluva Maalai.

Biography

Velliveedhiyar hailed from the Pandya Kingdom. She lived in the Velliambala Veedhi area of Madurai and came to be known thus. She remained separated from her husband, who left her, and spent her remaining life in search of him. Many of her verses reflected her poignant lived experience. The verses are rife with feministic psychological thoughts. She has been cited by Avvaiyar I.

Contribution to the Sangam literature

Velliveedhiyar has written 14 Sangam verses, including 8 in Kurunthogai, 3 in Natrinai, 2 in Agananuru, and 1 in Tiruvalluva Maalai.