Ayar

Ayar was a ethnic group of Konar of India. The word Ayar is derived from the Dravidian word "A" meaning cow. They were possibly related to the people mentioned as the yadava in puranic history., In the early sangam literature the ayars are described as having occupied the mullai or forest region. They are also known as kon, konar and idaiyar. In the Tamil land they were also called as Pothuvar or Commons (from the Dravidian word podhu meaning common) apparently because they possosed friendship to the nagas and Tamil alike. Originally they appear to have had their own petty kings, in the Chola country, but Karikal- Chola os said to have exterminated their line of kings. The Ayar in the Pandyan domminion had a tradation that they came into the Tamil land, along with the founder of Pandyan family.