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Parantaka I

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Parantaka Chola I)

Parantaka I
Parakesari Varman, Maduraium Eelamum Konda Parakesarivarman, Veera Cholan, Irumudi Cholan
Chola Empire under Parantaka Chola I in 915 CE
Chola Emperor
Reign907–955
PredecessorAditya I
SuccessorGandaraditya
BornVeera Narayanan
873
Tiruvottiyur, Chola Empire
(Modern day Chennai Tamil Nadu, India)
Died955(955-00-00) (aged 81–82)
Tiruvottiyur, Chola Empire
(Modern day Chennai Tamil Nadu, India)
Consorts11 Total[1]
Including:
Ko "Kizhan Adigal" Iravi Nili
Solamadeviyar
IssueRajaditya
Gandaraditya
Uttamasili
Arinjaya
Viramadevi
Anupama.
DynastyChola
FatherAditya I
MotherTribhuvanamadeviyar
ReligionHinduism

Parantaka Chola I (r. 907–955; Tamil: பராந்தக சோழன், romanized: Parintaka Cōḻaṉ), also known as Vīracōḻaṉ and Maturai Koṇṭāṉ, was a Chola king who reigned in the early tenth century CE. He continued the expansion begun by his father, Aditya I, conquering and annexing territories in several directions. He annexed the Pandya kingdom, extended Chola power southwards to Kanyakumari and northwards towards Nellore, and brought the Gangas into a subordinate alliance while maintaining friendly relations with the Cheras.[2][3][4]

Invasion of the Pandya kingdom

[edit]

Parantaka I continued the expansion begun by his father and invaded the Pandya kingdom, He captured the Pandyan capital, Madurai, early in his reign and assumed the title Maturai Koṇṭāṉ (Capturer of Madurai) by the third year of his reign.[5][6]

The Mahavamsa describes the conflict in three stages.[7] In the first, the Pandyan king was defeated by Parantaka, after which Parantaka adopted the title Madhurantaka Maturai Koṇṭāṉ). In the second, the Pandyan king sought assistance from the ruler of Ceylon, and the combined Pandyan and Ceylonese forces were defeated and forced to retreat by the Chola army. The Mahavamsa further records a subsequent attempt by the Ceylonese commander, which ended after a plague killed him and led to the withdrawal of the Ceylonese army. Chola inscriptions corroborate the first two stages but do not mention the subsequent campaign or the plague.[5][8]

The decisive battle appears to have taken place at Vellur around 915. The Pandyan ruler Maravarman Rajasinha II sought the help of Kassapa V of Anuradhapura, who sent an army to his aid. Parantaka defeated the combined army at the Battle of Vellore, a decisive victory for the Cholas,[5] but this victory was narrow.[7] Two inscriptions from Parantaka's twelfth regnal year make brief references to the battle, recording the defeat of the Pandyan and Ceylonese forces by the Cholas.[5][9]

Then the Pandya king fled into exile in Sri Lanka, and Parantaka I completed his conquest of the entire Pandya country.[10][11][5] Following his victory, Parantaka sought to hold a formal coronation at Madurai and assume the insignia of the Pandyan monarchy. The insignia had been taken to Ceylon by the Pandyan king Rajasinma II and placed in the custody of the Ceylonese king.[5][12]

Lankan Expedition

[edit]

After completing his conquest of the Pandya country, Parantaka I sought to consolidate Chola control over the newly conquered territory. He planned to celebrate his victory with a formal coronation at Madurai and assume the royal insignia of the Pandya monarchy. However, these insignia had been taken to Ceylon by the Pandyan king Rajasimha and placed in the custody of the Ceylonese king Dappula IV.[5][13][14][15][16]

Parantaka I sent a messenger to Ceylon requesting the return of the insignia, but the request was refused by Uday IV the Ceylonese who ruled Ceylon at that time. Parantaka subsequently sent an army to Ceylon. In the ensuing conflict, the Ceylonese commander was killed and the Ceylonese army withdrew. The Chola army invaded Sri Lanka around 946–947 AD, defeated the Sinhalese army, and sacked Anuradhapura. Udaya IV, who had succeeded Dappula IV, moved the Pandyan insignia to Rohana in southeastern Ceylon. Mahavamsa also records that the Lankan king Udaya IV took the Pandya crown and the jewels and hid himself in the Rohana hills. Parantaka's subsequent attempts to recover the insignia were unsuccessful.[5][13] The remaining Sinhalese forces withdrew to Rohana and later returned to Anuradhapura after the Chola army returned to India.[17]

Although the Chola forces retreated with a large amount of plunder, Sri Lankan sources claims a successful counter-invasion by Ceylon and they were able to recover the loot - an event entirely unmentioned in the Chola records.[16][5]

Following his campaigns in the Pandya country and Lanka, Parantaka I assumed the title Maduraiyum Īḻamum Koṇḍa Parakēsarivarman ("Parakesarivarman who conquered Madurai and Lanka").[5][13]

War against the Rashtrakutas

[edit]

Background

[edit]

Aditya I had two sons, namely Parantaka I and Kannara Deva. The eldest son was Parantaka, born to a Chera wife; the youngest son was Kannara Devan, born to a Rashtrakuta wife. Following Aditya I's death, Rashtrakuta king Krishna II tried to exert his influence in the Chola country by placing his grandson Kannara Deva on the throne.[5]

Battle of vallala

[edit]

In 907 CE, Parantaka became king. Disappointed by this, Krishna II invaded the Chola country. On the Rashtrakuta side, prince Indra III led the battle, while the Chola side was led by King Parantaka and Prince Rajaditya. In the year 911, in the Battle of vallala,[2][18] a large number of Rashtrakuta soldiers died and their army began to weaken. Krishna II withdrew, and his forces retreated. The Cholas advanced, driving the Rashtrakutas completely out of their territory and securing a decisive victory. Parantaka Chola's early series of triumphs included this critical Rashtrakuta War.[19]

Conflict with Rashtrakuta feudatories

[edit]

Banas and Vaidumbas

[edit]

During the early phase of Parantaka I’s conflict with the Rashtrakuta Empire and its allies, campaigns were directed against the Bana and Vaidumba chiefs. According to K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, the Bana rulers Vikramaditya II and his son Vijayaditya III were defeated in these campaigns, leading to the incorporation of Bana territory under Chola control, at times administered through loyal subordinates. The Vaidumbas, who were associated with the Banas, also appear to have been reduced to submission during this period, with some chiefs seeking refuge in Rashtrakuta domains. These events are generally placed in the early decades of Parantaka I’s reign.[20][5]

Against Nolamba king Iriva Nolamba Diliparaja

[edit]

During the 29th year of Parantaka I's reign, Chola influence appears to have extended into regions near Nolambavadi. A Kannada inscription from this regnal year (c. 936 CE) of parantaka I, found at Bairakur in present-day Karnataka, indicates a possible conflict between Parantaka I and the Nolamba ruler Iriva Nolamba Diliparaja, a feudatory of the Rashtrakuta Empire. While the evidence is not conclusive, some historians suggest that this encounter may have ended in favour of the Cholas, pointing to a possible success of Parantaka I over a Rashtrakuta subordinate.[21]

Initial encounter with krishna III

[edit]

Some historians note that the struggle between Parantaka I and the Rashtrakutas was not uniformly favourable to the latter. The Kanyakumari inscription of Virarajendra states that Parantaka I defeated Krishna III.[22][23] Historian A. S. Altekar interprets this reference as possibly relating to an earlier engagement before 944 CE, suggesting that Parantaka I achieved a temporary success against Krishna III before the renewed Rashtrakuta invasion that culminated in the Battle of Takkolam (c. 949 CE). K. A. Nilakanta Sastri also questioned the early dating of the Siddhalingamadam inscription attributing the conquest of Kanchi and Tanjavur to Krishna III in 944–45, arguing that firm Rashtrakuta occupation of Tondaimandalam occurred only after the Battle of Takkolam.[24][5][11]

Civic and religious contributions

[edit]

Although Parantaka I was engaged for the greater part of his long reign in warlike operations, the internal administration of his country was a matter in which he took a keen interest. He laid out the rules for the conduct of the village assemblies in an inscription. The village institutions of South India date from a much earlier period than that of Parantaka I, but he introduced many salutary reforms for the proper administration of local self-government.[5]

Chola Territories c. 905

The copper-plate inscriptions detail Parantaka I's promotion of agricultural prosperity by the digging of numerous canals all over the country.[25]

He also utilised the spoils of war to donate to numerous temple charities. He is reported to have covered the Chidambaram Siva Temple with a golden roof. He was a devout Saiva (follower of Siva).

Personal life

[edit]

Parantaka had many wives, of whom no fewer than eleven appear in the inscriptions. He was deeply religious yet secular, actively encouraging diverse faiths. Multiple members of his family built temples and regularly donated to various shrines across the kingdom. Kotanta Rama, identical to Rajaditya, was the eldest son of Parantaka I. There is an inscription of him from Tiruvorriyur making a donation for some lamps during the 30th year of his father.[26] Besides Kotanta Rama, Parantaka had several other sons: Arikulakesari, Gandaraditya and Uttamasili.

Parantaka maintained a close alliance with the Chera rulers of Kerala, and this relationship was further strengthened through a dynastic marriage. He married a Chera princess, who later became the mother of his son, Rajaditya.[27] A member of the retinue of pillaiyar (prince) Rajadittadeva gave a gift to the Vishnu temple at Tirunavalur/Tirumanallur in the 32nd year of Parantaka I.[18] Tirunavalur was also known as "Rajadittapuram" after Rajaditya.[28] A large number of warriors from the aristocratic families of the Chera kingdom formed part of the retinue of this Chola prince.[29] In the 39th year of Parantaka I, his daughter-in-law, Mahadevadigal, a queen of Rajaditya and the daughter of Lataraja donated a lamp to the temple of Rajadityesvara for the merit of her brother.[30] He had at least two daughters: Viramadevi and Anupama. Uttamasili does not appear to have lived long enough to succeed to the Chola throne.

He bore numerous epithets such as Viranarayana, Virakirti, Vira-Chola, Vikrama-Chola, Irumadi-Sola (Chola with two crowns alluding to the Chola and the Pandya kingdoms), Devendran (lord of the gods), Chakravartin (the emperor), Panditavatsalan (fond of learned men), Kunjaramallan (the wrestler with elephants) and Surachulamani (the crest jewel of the heroes).[citation needed]

Parantaka I died in 955. His second son Gandaraditya succeeded him.

Inscriptions

[edit]
Thyagaraja Temple
Sculpture in Tiruvottiyur.

The following is an inscription of Parantaka I from Tiruvorriyur. It is important as it shows that his dominions included regions beyond Thondaimandalam:[31]

..record of the Chola king Maduraikonda Parakesarivarman(Parantaka) dated in his 34th year. Records gift of lamp to the temple of Tiruvorriyur Mahadeva by Maran Parameswaran alias Sembiyan Soliyavarayan of Sirukulattur in Poyyurkurram, a sub-division of Tenkarai-nadu. Refers to a military officer who destroyed Sitpuli and destroyed Nellore.

This is of his son Arinjaya making a donation. Once again it is from Tiruvorriyur:[32]

On the eleventh slab. Records in the 30th year of Maduraikonda Parakesarivarman(Parantaka) dated in his 30th year, gift of gold for a lamp by Arindigai-perumanar, son of Chola-Perumanadigal (i.e Parantaka), to the god Siva at Adhigrama.

There are also several inscriptions of his son Rajaditya from Tirunavalur. One such inscription is the following from the temple of Rajadityesvara in Tirunavalur. The temple was also called Tiruttondîsvaram:[33]

A record in the 29th year of the Chola king Maduraikonda Parakesarivarman. Records gift of 20 sheep for offerings and of two lamps to the shrines of Rajadityesvara and Agastyesvara by a servant of Rajadityadeva.[34]

Chola-Chera relations (c. 9th-10th centuries CE)

[edit]
Cola-Cera Perumal relations (c. 9th-10th centuries CE)
Sister?Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara
Vijayaraga
(Jayaraga?)		Ravi Nili
alias Kilan Atikal
Ravi Nili
alias Ko Kilan Atikal
(fl. 935/36)		Parantaka I
(fl. 907-955)		Paluvettaraiyar princess
(Arumoli Nankaiyar?)
Rajaditya
(fl. 948/49)		Arinjaya

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ S. R. Balasubrahmanyam. Volume 1 of Early Chola Art, S. R. Balasubrahmanyam. Asia publ. house, 1966. p. 165.
  2. 1 2 K.A., Nilakanta Sastri (1955). A History of South India from Prehistoric to the Fall of Vijayanagar. Oxford University Press. p. 168.
  3. ↑ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. pp. 46–49. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
  4. ↑ "Thiruvindalur Copper Plate (திருவிந்தளூர்ச் செப்பேடு)". Internet Archive (in English and Tamil). Retrieved 21 September 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta (1955). Colas. pp. 121–197.
  6. ↑ Rajagopalan, Ku. (1972). சோழர் வரலாறு (History of Cholas). தமிழ்நாட்டுப் பாடநூல் நிறுவனம். p. 148.
  7. 1 2 Wijetunge, Sirisaman (2016). The ancient heritage of Sri Lanka part 1 (1st ed.). Samudra Book Publications. p. 149. ISBN 978-955-680-538-3.
  8. ↑ Rajagopalan, Ku. (1972). சோழர் வரலாறு (History of Cholas). தமிழ்நாட்டுப் பாடநூல் நிறுவனம். p. 148.
  9. ↑ Rajagopalan, Ku. (1972). சோழர் வரலாறு (History of Cholas). தமிழ்நாட்டுப் பாடநூல் நிறுவனம். p. 148.
  10. ↑ Historical Inscriptions Of Southern India. BRAOU, Digital Library Of India. Kitabistam, Allahabad.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. 1 2 Krishnan, K. G. "Karandai Tamil Sangam Plates of Rajendrachola I" (PDF). Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India, No. 79. Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  12. ↑ Rajagopalan, Ku. (1972). சோழர் வரலாறு (History of Cholas). தமிழ்நாட்டுப் பாடநூல் நிறுவனம். p. 148.
  13. 1 2 3 Rajagopalan, K (1972). History of Cholas [சோழர் வரலாறு] (in Tamil). Tamil Nadu Textbook Corporation Madras. pp. 133–148.
  14. ↑ Sastri, K. Nilakanta (July 1974). The Pandyan Kingdom. Ind-U. S. Incorporated. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-88253-426-8.
  15. ↑ Pillay, Kolappa Pillay Kanakasabhapathi (1963). South India and Ceylon. University of Madras. pp. 62–63.
  16. 1 2 Spencer, George W. (1976). "The Politics of Plunder: The Cholas in Eleventh-Century Ceylon". The Journal of Asian Studies. 35 (3): 408–409. doi:10.2307/2053272. ISSN 0021-9118. JSTOR 2053272.
  17. ↑ de Silva, K. M. (1981). A History of Sri Lanka. University of California Press. p. 42. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  18. 1 2 Early Chola Temples Parantaka I To Rajaraja I Ad 907 985. pp. 56, 64.
  19. ↑ Dutta, Vidhan (15 March 2025). A Glimpse of the Former Glory of India- The Chola Empire. Blue Rose Publishers.
  20. ↑ Sen, Sailendra Nath (1990). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. Wiley Eastern Ltd. p. 439. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  21. ↑ N. Sethuraman (1995). "Dates of the Pallava Kings of the 8th and 9th Centuries" (PDF). Epigraphical Society of India (Conference Paper). Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions Volume_3 - Misc.Inscriptions in Tamil @ whatisindia.com". www.whatisindia.com. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  23. ↑ E. Hultzsch, ed. (1987). South Indian Inscriptions, Volume III, Parts I & II (PDF). Archaeological Survey of India. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  24. ↑ Altekar, A. s (1934). Rashtrakutas And Their Times.
  25. ↑ Nilakanda Sastry, The Colas pg.122
  26. ↑ South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 55,56
  27. ↑ Gillet, Valérie (2024). Minor Majesties: The Paluvettaraiyars and Their South Indian Kingdom of Paluvur. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 17-18 and 253.
  28. ↑ South Indian Inscriptions: Miscellaneous inscriptions in Tamil (4 pts. in 2), page 198
  29. ↑ Narayanan, M. G. S. (2013) [1972]. Perumals of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks. pp. 98–100. ISBN 9788188765072.
  30. ↑ Epigraphia Indica and record of the Archæological Survey of India, Volume 7, page 167
  31. ↑ South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 55
  32. ↑ South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 55
  33. ↑ A topographical list of inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala states, Volume 2, page 393
  34. ↑ A topographical list of the inscriptions of the Madras Presidency, collected till 1915, page 232

References

[edit]
  • Thiruvindalur Copper Plate (திருவிந்தளூர்ச் செப்பேடு)". Internet Archive (in English and Tamil). Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  • Venkata Ramanappa, M. N. (1987). Outlines of South Indian History. (Rev. edn.) New Delhi: Vikram.
  • Early Chola temples: to Rajaraja I, A.D. 907–985 By S. R. Balasubrahmanyam
  • South Indian Inscriptions: Miscellaneous inscriptions in Tamil (4 pts. in 2) By Eugen Hultzsch, Hosakote Krishna Sastri, V. Venkayya, Archaeological Survey of India
  • A topographical list of the inscriptions of the Madras Presidency, collected till 1915: with notes and references, Volume 1 By Vijayaraghava Rangacharya
  • A topographical list of inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala states, Volume 2 By T. V. Mahalingam
  • Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
  • Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
  • South Indian shrines: illustrated by P. V. Jagadisa Ayyar
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