Name Vaiyavik Pekan | ||
Vaiyāvik Kōpperum Pēkan was a Tamil Vēlir king and one of the 7 great patrons (kadai-ezhu vallal) of arts and literature during the Sangam era. He was the lord of the Āviyar clan of Vēls, a contemporary of poet Paranar, and was known for his lavish gifts and kindness. The Āviyar line of Vēls ruled over the area around Palani hills and bore the title Vēl Āvi.
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An act of kindness
According to tradition, once when Pēkan was going around his country, he sees a peacock shivering in the rain and cloaks it with his gold laced silk robe; (Purananuru, song 145 of Paranar):
Squanderer of wealth but a warrior nevertheless
Pēkan was a patron of not only bards but was known to bestow lavish gifts on just about anyone who visited his court. This incited his court poet Paranar who mocks that his patron was ignorant to the point of being foolish when it came to giving away gifts but at the same time was not so ignorant in battle; (Purananuru-song 142):
Infidelity
Pēkan was a philanderer and was unfaithful towards his virtuous wife who is often compared to Kannaki, the goddess pattini of Silapathikaram. He indulges in dancing women in Nallur(near present day Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu) and abandons his wife at which point the latter seeks the help of various poets to bring him back home. Even though he was king, the poets rally behind his wife and question his actions while urging him to return home:
Even though tradition paints a rosy picture that Pēkan finally came to his senses, in reality there is no evidence that the king corrected his erring ways and returned to his virtuous queen.