Varunakulattan (also identified as Khem Nayak or Chem Nayak) was a 17th-century general of Tanjore nayak , feudal lord and military commander from the Tanjore Nayak Kingdom.[1][2] He led a rebellion as the military commander of Thanjavur Nayak against the Portuguese in their conquest of the Jaffna kingdom in 1619.[3] Although the nominal king was Cankili II, Varunakulattan was described as the king of Karaiyars, and wield the real power in the Jaffna Peninsula.[4]