Elelasingan , also known as Elelasingan Chettiyar, Elela and Alara, was a Tamilmerchant who lived in Mylapore, by the shores of the Chola Kingdom, trading between India and Ceylon. He is best known as the contemporary, friend, and disciple of the celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher Valluvar.
Biography
Elelasingan is mentioned as Elaela and Alara in Ceylon history, who lived between 144 BCE and 101 BCE. However, given the fact that Elelasingan was a contemporary of Valluvar and with the date of Valluvar remaining dubious, it is still under debate whether Elaela of Cylone was the same person as Elelasingan. Elelasingan belonged to the Karaya or Parava community and was a merchant by profession. He was also the chief of the townsmen at Mylapore. He was wealthy and is said to have owned vessels and had trade with foreign countries, chiefly Ceylon. He also sold thread to Valluvar, who earned a living by engaging in his occupation as a weaver. Over the years, Elelasingan became a close friend and a disciple of Valluvar. Elelasingan and his wife had been without a child for years. One day when visiting the localShiva temple, they found a baby lying beside a cow. The couple adopted the baby as their own and named it Arlyakananthar. It is believed that it was none other than Arlyakananthar who requested Valluvar to "write an ethical treatise for the world's good." Valluvar acceded and eventually authored the Kural text. Elelasingan, along with other friends, advised Valluvar to travel to Madurai and present his work at the Pandiyan King's court. When Valluvar did so and returned triumphantly, Elelasingan and others welcomed him and celebrated the happening. At the point of Valluvar’s death, Elelasingan expressed his intention to place Valluvar's corpse in a golden coffin and place it in a monumental grave. Valluvar, however, politely refused and instead requested Elelasingan to tie his corpse with cords and throw it among the bushes outside the town so that scavenging animals can feed on it. Elelasingan obeyed and soon observed that the crows and other animals that fed on his corpse "became beautiful as gold." He soon built a templeon the spot where Valluvar's corpse had lain and instituted worship. The temple remains today in Mylapore.
