Tamil literature in the Chola Empire

Last updated

Chola literature, written in Tamil, is the literature created during the period of Chola reign in South India between the 9th and the 13th centuries CE. The age of the imperial Cholas was the most creative epoch of the history of South India and was the Golden Age of Tamil culture.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aditya I</span> Rajakesari, Thondainadu kondaruliya

Aditya Chola I, the son of Vijayalaya Chola, was the Chola king who laid the foundation of the Imperial Chola Empire by the conquest of the Pallavas and occupied the Western Ganga Kingdom. Aditya Chola I was succeeded by his eldest son Parantaka Chola I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aditha Karikalan</span> 10th century Indian emperor

Aditya II, also known as Aditha II or Adithya Karikalan, was a Chola prince who lived in the 10th century in India. He was born in Tirukoilur and was the eldest son of Parantaka Chola II. He was the elder brother of Rajaraja Chola I and Kundavai. He was called Virapandiyan Thalai Konda Koparakesari Varman Karikalan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vijayalaya Chola</span> Parakesari

Vijayalaya Chola was a descendant of the Early Cholas who founded the imperial Chola Empire. He ruled over the region to the north of the river Kaveri. Vijayalaya Chola is one of the descendants of famous Sangam age Chola king Karikala Chola. According to Anbil plates of Parantaka Chola II, Vijayalaya's predecessor is a Telugu Chola king Srikantha Srimanohara Choladhiraja who was ruling Renadu region and belongs to Pottapi Chola lineage and is a descendant of Tamil king Karikala Chola. Vijayalaya was succeeded by his son Aditya Chola I, who laid the foundation of Imperial Chola Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karikala</span> Historical Chola king who ruled over southern India

Karikala often referred to as Karikala the Great was a Tamil Emperor of the Early Cholas of the Chola dynasty who ruled ancient Tamilakam in the Southern India from Uraiyur. He is credited with the construction of the flood banks of the river Kaveri. He is recognised as the greatest of the Early Cholas. In Thiruvalangadu plates of Rajendra Chola I, Medieval Tamil Cholas listed Karikala Chola as one of their ancestors. In Malepadu plates of Renati Chola king Punyakumara, Telugu Cholas claimed that they belong to the family of Karikala Chola and praises him for stopping the overflow over the banks of river Kaveri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ilamchetchenni</span> Chola King

Ilamchetchenni was an early Tamil king of the Chola dynasty during the Sangam period. He was a great warrior and ruled the Chola kingdom with Uraiyur as the capital. He married a Velir princess from Alundur and their child was Karikala Chola. Ilamchetchenni Chola was succeeded by his son, Karikala Chola, who is considered one of the greatest among the Early Cholas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chola Empire</span> Medieval Indian Empire (848 CE–1070 CE)

The Chola Empire was established by a branch of the Chola dynasty that rose to prominence during the middle of the 9th century CE and successfully united southern India under their rule. Through their naval strength, they established one of the greatest maritime empires of the Medieval world, extending their influence through Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. They had trade contacts with the Arabs in the west and with the Chinese in the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nalankilli</span> Nalankilli Chola

Nalankilli was one of the Tamil kings of Early Cholas of the Chola Dynasty who ruled Tamilakam in the Southern India and was mentioned in the ancient Sangam Literature. He was the son of Karikala Chola the Great. Nalankilli was mentioned in context with a civil war between him and another Chola king Nedunkilli. The information known about him are from the fragmentary stanzas of Purananuru and Manimekalai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nedunkilli</span> Tamil king

Nedunkilli was a Tamil king of the Early Cholas from the region of Tamilakam mentioned in Sangam Literature. Nedunkilli was mentioned in context with a civil war between him and another Chola Nalankilli. The only information we have is from the fragmentary poems of Sangam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killivalavan</span> Kulamuttrathu Tunjiya Killivalavan

Killivalavan was a Tamil king of the Early Cholas mentioned in Sangam literature, and of a period close to that of Nedunkilli and Nalankilli. We have no definite details about this Chola or his reign. The only information we have is from the fragmentary poems of Sangam in the Purananuru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kopperuncholan</span> Chola Ruler

Kopperuncholan was a Tamil king of the Early Cholas mentioned in Sangam Literature. We have no definite details about this Chola or his reign. The only information we have is from the fragmentary poems of Sangam in the Purananuru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perunarkilli</span> Rasasuyam Vetta Perunarkilli

Perunarkilli was one of the Tamil kings of the Early Cholas mentioned in Sangam Literature. There are no definite details about this Chola or his reign. The only information available is from the fragmentary poems of Sangam in the Purananuru poems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kochchenganan</span> Chola Ruler

Kochchenganan (Kōccengaṇān) Kochengat Cholan or Śengaṇān (Tamil: சோழன் செங்கணான்) was one of the Tamil kings of the Early Cholas mentioned in Sangam literature. The only surviving details about his reign come from the fragmentary poems of Sangam in the Purananuru poems. Today historical accounts of the life of Kochchenganan are often confused with more contemporary accounts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vikrama Chola</span> KoParakesarivarman, Tyagasamudra

Vikrama Chola, known as Kō Parakēsari Varman, was a 12th-century ruler of the Chola Empire in southern India. He succeeded his father Kulothunga I to the throne. Vikrama Chola was crowned as the heir-apparent by his father early in his life. He was appointed as viceroy of the Vengi province in 1089 C.E., succeeding his brother Rajaraja Chodaganga. Vikrama during his tenure successfully managed to check the ambitions of the Western Chalukya Vikramaditya VI on the Vengi kingdom.Vikrama Chola inherited the territories which included Tamil Nadu and some parts of Andhra Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kulothunga II</span> Rajakesarivarman, Tirunirru Chola

Kulothunga II was a Chola Emperor from 1133 CE to 1150 CE. He succeeded Vikrama Chola to the throne in 1135 CE. Vikrama Chola made Kulothunga his heir apparent and coregent in 1133 CE, so the inscriptions of Kulothunga II count his reign from 1133 CE. According to historians Nilakanta Sastri and T.N Subramanian, Kulottunga Chola II was not the son of Vikrama Chola and they have suggested that there was a break in the line of succession.

Vinayaditya ruled the Chalukya kingdom from 681 to 696 AD. He was the son of Vikramaditya I and the successor of the chalukya kingdom. Similar to his forefathers, he took up titles such as "Shri-Prithivi-Vallabha", "Satyasraya", "Yuddhamalla" and "Rajasraya". He carried campaigns against the Pallavas, Kalabhras, Haihayas, Vilas, Cholas, Pandyas, Gangas and many more. He levied tribute from the kings of Kavera, Parasika (Iran), Sinhala (Ceylon). He acquired the banner called Palidhvaja by defeating the Lord of the entire Uttarapatha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajendra III</span> KoParakesarivarman, Narapati

Rajendra Chola III came to the Chola throne in 1246 CE. Rajendra began to take effective control over the administration, and epigraphs of Rajendra Chola III indicate there was civil war ending with the death of Rajaraja Chola III. Rajendra's inscriptions laud him as the "cunning hero, who killed Rajaraja after making him wear the double crown for three years".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Someshvara II</span>

Someshvara II who was administering the area around Gadag succeeded his father Someshvara I (Ahavamalla) as the Western Chalukya king. He was the eldest son of Someshvara I. During his reign Someshvara II was constantly under threat from his more ambitious younger brother Vikramaditya VI. Eventually Someshvara was deposed by Vikramaditya VI.

Uraiyurpronunciation  is a posh locality in Tiruchirapalli city in Tamil Nadu, India. Uraiyur was the ancient name of Tiruchirappalli City. Now, it became the one of the busiest area in Trichy City. It was the capital of the early Cholas, who were one of the three main kingdoms of the ancient Tamil country. Sometimes spelt as Urayur, this location is also known as Thirukkozhi, Nikalaapuri, Uranthai, and Kozhiyur or Koliyur. It has a history dating back to before 300 BCE There is definite mention of the Cholas, and their capital in Ashokan inscriptions in Orissa pushing back the antiquity of the Cholas as well as Uraiyur to 272–232 BCE, which was the period of Ashoka who was ruler of the Maurya Dynasty of Pataliputra. Inscriptions and rock edicts of Ashoka and the Satavahanas describe Urayur as "the citadel and centre of the Cholas". Uraiyur was ruled by Karikala Cholan. A revered Digambar Jain Acharya, Samantabhadra, was born here in the later part of the second century CE. His notable works include Ratnakarandaka Shravakachara, Aaptamimamsa and Swambhu Stotra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. A. Nilakanta Sastri</span> Indian historian (1892–1975)

Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta Sastri was an Indian historian who wrote on South Indian history. Many of his books form the standard reference works on the subject. Sastri was acclaimed for his scholarship and mastery of sources and was a recipient of the third highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Bhushan.

Sadayavarman Kulasekaran I was a Pandyan king, who ruled regions of South India between 1190–1216.

References