For story continuity please check previous blogs.

This did not make any sense to Vandiyadeva, who were these soldiers? Who comes in the mated boats behind? Where do they come from? Perhaps a member of the royal family?

Vallavarayan approached an old man who was standing on the bank of the lake with a stick in his hand. “Sir! Who do these players belong to? Whose streams are like the swans that follow? Why are these warriors driving people away? Why are people in such a hurry?” He asked questions.

“Brother! You don't know what? There is a flag flying in the middle of the boats! Look what is written in it!” said the elder.

“Looks like a palm tree.”

"The palm tree! Don't you know that the palm vine is the harvester's vine?”

"Mahaveer is coming as the avenger?" Vandiyathevan asked in a startled voice.

“That's how it should be; Who else can come with palm flag raised?” said the elder.

Vallavariya's eyes widened with boundless astonishment and looked towards the direction from which the boats had come. Vallavarayan had heard so much about Paluvettaraiyar. Who could not hear? The names of brothers Periya Paluvettaraiyar and Chinnap Paluvettaraiyar were famous from Eeland in the south to Kalinga Nadu in the north. Their town is Paluvur on the north bank of the Vada Kaveri next to Varayur. The Paluvettarayar clan was renowned for its valor since the Vijayalaya Chola period. The family used to buy and sell with the family of the Chola king. Because of this and because of their nobility and valor, the Paluvettarai clan had all the privileges of a royal clan. Akula also has the right to put up a separate flag.
The elder of the two, the present Paluvettarai, fought in twenty-four battles. In his time, there was no equal in the Chola country. Now that Prayaam is over fifty, he does not go to the battlefields in person. But he held many of the highest positions in the Chola government. He was the dictator of the Chola Empire; Commissioner; Dhanabandaram and Thanyabandaram were under his authority.

He had the power to levy and levy according to political exigencies. Ask any petty king, clan leader, or big drunkard, "Do you want to give so much this year?" He had the right to order and collect that. So, next to the Sundara Chola Maharaja, Paluvettarai was now the most powerful person in the Chola Empire.

to be continue………………………………………………………………………………