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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXIV.
the Pandyas of the Kulasekhara line which commenced in the days of Kulasekhara's father continued to exist is proved by the presence of Solan Silamban alias Virachōla Lankesvaradeva, a samanta of the next Kongu king Vira-Chōla in the vicinity of Madura, and the interest taken by him in making gifts to the Mulasthānēsvara temple at Tenkarai, a village 15 miles from Madura, in the 3rd year of the reign of Jatavarman Kulasekhara with putala-madandai introduction.1 This samanta continued to live in the reign of Vira-Chōla's successor Virarajendra who, like his predecessor, ruled the two Kongus together and who, in the 25th year of his reign corresponding to Saka 1153 (A.D. 1231) made a gift of land in the Kongu country for conducting a festival in the temple at Tirumaliruñjōlai (i.e., Alagarmalai) in Kil-Iraniyamuṭṭa-nadu, a subdivision of Pandi-mandalam. During Virarajendra's reign a further, and this time a double, marriage alliance was brought about between the Kongu and Pandya kings. Virarajendra, it would appear, had two daughters whom he gave in marriage to Maravarman Sundara-Pandya II and Maravarman Vikrama-Pandya, for both of them call Vikrama-Chōla-who, to judge merely from the dates of these contemporaries, must be no other than the next Kongu Chōla king of that name -their brother-in-law (machchunanar). Vikrama-Chōla's presence in the Pandya country and the influence which he wielded with both the Pandya relations of his are amply evidenced in inscriptions. The position held and the part played by the Hoysala Vira-Somesvara and the Kongu Vikrama-Chōla in the politics of the Pandya country seems to have been quite identical. The names of the Pandys kings that espoused Kongu princesses, viz., the two Kulasekharas and Vikrama Pandya, strongly suggest that the Kongu kings were allied with that party of the Pandyas who were opposed to the members of the Parakrama line. Be this as it may, there is no doubt that Maravarman Sundara-Pandya II was helped both by his uncle the Hoysala Vira-Somesvara and by his brother-in-law the Kongu Vikrama-Chōla.
It may be useful to say a word about the attitude of Maravarman Sundara-Pandya I towards the two Kongu contemporaries of his days, one of whom was Virarajendra the father of VikramaChola and the father-in-law of Maravarman Sundara-Pandya II. The historical preamble of the inscriptions of Maravarman Sundara-Pandya I seems to leave no doubt that he prosecuted a successful war against the two Kongu kings and triumphantly returned to his capital with the vanquished kings taken captive in war, and, receiving their homage, dictated to them the terms to be abided by in future and that on pain of death. The suppliant attitude of the two kings is expressed in unambiguous terms, though the victorious Pandya is described as being more favourably disposed to the South Kongu king. Even here, one cannot but recognise in Maravarman Sundara-Pandya l'a powerful rival and a descendant of Vira-Pandya, up in arms against all those that were ranged on the side of Kulasekhara's party. The end of the rule of Maravarman Sundara-Pandya I and the accession of Maravarman Sundara-Pandya II helped, as the latter was by the Hoysala and the Kongu kings throughout his reign, seem to mark the final part of the third stage of the civil war in the Pandya country. The following will show at sight the
18. 1. 1., Vol. V, p. 110, No. 296.
No. 106 of the Madras Epigraphical collection for 1909.
No. 135 of the same collection.
8. I. I., Vol. V, No. 421 and A. R. on 8. I. Epigraphy for 1930, Part II, paragraph 12. The inference that the two Pandya kings must have been benthers is wrong.
• Ibid.
Above, Vol. XXII, pp. 48 f.
