defeated by the Pandyas in the 8th century A.D. and they migrated to Vizhinjam, a sea port eight miles south-east of Trivandrum. The Ay kings continued to cherish their association with the Yadu-kula and Krsna in the later times also as seen in their copper plate grants and inscriptions. The medieval Ay claimed that they belonged to the Yadava or Vrishni lineage and this claim was advanced by the rulers of Venad and Travancore. Sri Padmanabha in Trivandrum was the tutelary deity of the medieval Ay family. History The Ay clan was one of the major hill-chiefs of early historic south India. Members of the Ay family – of the Podiyil Hills (the Aykudi) – were related to the early historic Cheras of central Kerala. Towards the close of the early historic period, Pandya supremacy might have extended to the Ay territory (through it is likely that the Ay gained their independence during the Kalabhra period). Ay chieftains of early historic south India A number of Ay chiefs such as Andiran, Titiyan and Atiyan are mentioned in the early Tamil poems. Ay Andiran is praised by early Tamil poets such as Mudamochiyar, Odakizhar, and Kiranar in Purananuru. He is mentioned in the Purananuru as the "Lord of Podiyil Mala" in southern Western Ghats. He is said to have defeated the Kongu chiefs and pursued them to the Arabian Sea. He was an elder contemporary of the Chera chief Antuvan Cheral. Ay Titiyan (the Podiyil Chelvan) is praised by authors Paranar and Bhuta Pandya (the Pandya chief) in Akananuru. It seems that Ay Titiyan was a vassal of the Pandya ruler Bhuta Pandya. Ay Atiyan, successor to Ay Titiyan, is mentioned by authors Paranar and Madurai Kanakkayanar in Akananuru. Paranar and Kanakkayanar also mention Podiyil Mala, the Ay base, as the property of Pachupun Pandya (Azhakiya Pandya), the successor to Bhuta Pandya. An Ay ruler took part in the famous battle of Talai-yalankanam, in which the Pandya chief Nedum Chezhiyan defeated several of his enemies. Originally the whole region of Venad (Vel+natu = the country of the Vel people, related to the Ay family) was part of the larger Ay-Vel territory. Persons (the Vels) belonging to the Ay family were the chieftains of the Vel country. Veliyan Venmal Nallini was the wife of the Chera chieftain Utiyan. Veliyan Venman Ay Eyinan was the leader of the Chera warriors against Nannan of