Ajila

Ajila is a common surname of the Bunt people,^[1] the landed gentry of Tulu Nadu region in the south west of India.They were mostly in Tamil Nadu region.It is believed that the founder of this community was named Ajila A Abhilashmanzil.It is also the name of the Jain Bunt Dynasty who ruled the principality of Venur for several centuries (1154 to 1786 C.E). The most notable of the Ajila kings was Veera Timmannarasa Ajila IV.^[2][3]

The monolith of Bahubali in Venur was erected by Ajila kings Veera Timmannarasa Ajila IV in 1604 C.E. The descendants of the Ajila rulers still survive and inhabit the Aladangady Aramane (Ajila Palace). An inscription in Old Kannada by Veera Timmannarasa Ajila IV unearthed in 2006 reads

On Saturday, the seventh day of Kanya month in Vikari Samvatsara, the Ajila king, Swasthi Shri Mahamandalika Somanatha Perunana Salva Shri Veera Thimmaraja Wodeya made a regulation for his 3,000 followers that they should perpetuate the grant of pepper made by him to his traditional tenants. They should also maintain the grants made to the Bunts of the palace. They and the merchants who has settled in the kingdom must attend the ‘Brahmotsava’ ceremony in the temple of Aladangadi. Neglecting this regulation is equal to neglecting the tradition and also the four deities of Aruvu, Shri Somanatha, Shri Shanthishwara of Venur.^[4]

The succession to the Ajila throne was as per the Bunt custom of matrilineal inheritance (Aliyasantana).^[2] The present head of the Ajila dynasty is Padmaprasad Ajila, fourteenth in line through the matrilineal lineage of Veera Timmannarasa Ajila IV.^[3]

• Jain Bunt
• Venur