Ezhimalai. Pandya foray into the Ay country In c. 765 AD, Pandya king Jatila Paranthaka/Nedum Chadayan Varaguna I (r. 765–815 AD) sacked port Vizhinjam by defeating the Vel chieftain (the Vel Mannan, who might have been related to the Ay family) and took possession of the Ay-Vel country ("the fertile country along with its magnificent treasures") (Madras Museum Plates of Jatila Parantaka, 17th year). This event is also remembered in the Velvikkudi plates (3rd regnal year, Nedum Chadayan) as "the suppression of the rebellious Ay-Vel". The Pandya foray into south Kerala brought the Chera-Perumal rulers into the conflict and a prolonged Pandya-Ay/Chera struggle followed. The Pandya king "Maran Chadayan" Jatila Paranthaka destroyed a fort at Aruviyoor (Aruvikkarai near Thalakulam) by defeating Chadayan Karunanthan of "Malai Nadu" in 788 AD (23rd year, Kalukumalai inscription). In 792 AD (27th year, Jatila Paranthaka) the Chera warriors (the Cheramanar Padai) are seen fighting for a fort at Vizhinjam and at Karaikkotta (Karaikkodu near Thalakulam) against a commander of Maran Chadayan (Trivandrum Museum Inscription of Maran Chadayan). Detachment of Venad In the 9th century, as a result of the encroachment of the Pandyas and Chera-Perumals, the ancient Ay territory was partitioned into two portions. Venad (the country of the Vel people) with its base at Kollam came under influence of the Chera-Perumal kingdom while the Ay kingdom, or what was left of it, with its base at Vizhinjam came under the influence of the Pandya ruler Srimara Srivallabha (r. 815–862). Larger Cinnamanur Plates do mention a victory of king Srivallabha at Vizhinjam. Ay vassal of the Pandya king Srimara Srivallabha was certain Karunanthadakkkan Srivallabha (r. c. 856/57–884). Srimara Srivallabha was succeeded on the Pandya throne by Varaguna II (r. 862–885 AD). The Ay kings of Vizhinjam remained vassals of the Pandyas, as indicated by the surname of the then king Vikramaditya (r. c. 884–911/920 AD). The Pandyas were defeated in the "great battle of Sripurambiyam" in c. 885 AD. Chera Perumal's considerable influence in the Ay country following this battle is visible in two records discovered from that region. A record of the Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli, the wife of Chera Perumal Vijayaraga, can be found in Tirunandikkara, a Shiva temple located in the Ay country. In 898 AD, Vikramaditya Varaguna is seen making huge land gifts to the Srimulavasa Buddhist vihara in the Chera Perumal kingdom (the Paliyam copper plates). The chieftains of Venad,