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No. 25.)
CHARALA PLATES OF VIRARAJENDRADEVA: SAKA 991.
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of Mudakkäru, and as there is no great possibility for two separate battles at the same place by two kings within a short interval, it is likely that both Rāja mahendra and Virarājēndra took part together in the same battle, and as such, this must have happened in about the beginning of A.D. 1062, when Virarājēndra was only a prince.
In the present record Virarājēndra states that, on the very day of his coronation, he proceeded against his enemy Ahavamalla and routed him and his sons at Kūdal-Sangamam in the north." This information is interesting and has not been specified in his other inscriptions. As Virarājēndra's coronation could have taken place only after Rājēndradēva's demise in A.D. 1063, this first buttle of Kudal-Sangamam by Virarajendra, as king, will have to be dated in about A.D. 1064 only. But on the other hand the Manimangalaun inscription mentions that after the notable victory at Kūdal-Sangamam, the king was pleased to ascend the virasimhasanan along with his consort Ulagamuļududaiyāl and donned (mēyndu) the crown (vijaya-manimakuļam). In view of the specific post-dating of the Kudal-Sangamam battle to his coronation in the present grant, the description given in the Manimangalam record has to be understood in the sense that the king signalised his success by a second elaborate coronation ceremonial after his return from the battle-field.
As Virarājēndra claims to have defeated Ahavamalla three times by his 4th year, he must have defeated bim on two other occasions in addition to the Kudal-Sangamam battle. These are mentioned in the Tamil preamble beginning with the words tiruralar, etc., i.e., (1) a campaign against Gangapadi in which Vikkalan and several sāmantas were routed and (2) another, against the Western Chalukya army in occupation in Vēngi. when the Chalukya general named Chamundarāja was killed. The Mudakkäru battle may have to be placed in one of the early campaigns.
Two other expeditions are also specified in the above prasasti to have been undertaken before the end of the 5th year of his reign. One of them was a battle on the bank of an unspecified river, when he slew a number of Chāļukya and other generals. The other was arranged to be fought at Kudal-Sangamam again, in response to a challenge issued by Ahava malla fixing & tryst there, but as Āhavamalla did not turn up in person, Virarājēndra waited for him at Kändai (or Karandai) in its vicinity for over a month. In the skirmish that, however, ensued between the. latter and the Chāļukya garrison that was near by, three Cbāļukya generals were killed. Virară. jēndra proceeding thence, overran Vēngi and gave it back to Vijayaditya, and raided the territory as far as Chakkarakkottam.
Thus the five occasions in which Virarājēndra' saw the back of Āhavamalla' were-- (1) the campaign against Ganga pādi in A.D. 1062, (2) the first invasion of Vēngi in A.D. 1063, (3) the battle of Kūdal-Sangamam in A.D. 1064, (4) the battle on the bank of an unnamed river in
Taking the 4th year record of prince Rajamahendra from Marangiyor as belonging to the beginning of that regnal year, the Mudakkāru battle, if it took place at the end of the 3rd year, may be dated in about March A.D. 1062.
: This battle is referred to as early as the 2+Ist year (No. 452 of 1918) or 2nd year+230th day (No. 113 of 1896) of the king. So Virarajendra's actnal coronation must have taken place before this date and the battle may have to be placed in the end of A.D. 1064. There is, however, one record from Tiruvorriyur (No. 136 of 1912) dated in the 2nd year which commences with 'ciramëy-tunai, ' but without mentioning any of his conquests at all. The Sanskrit verses (vv. 75, 76) also state that after he was crowned, he fought at Kudal-Sanga mam. The scene of this battle has been tentatively identified with a place on the confluence of the Krishna and the Tungabhadra. This will take up near Nandikötkör in the Kurnool District which would well fit in as a battle-field midway between the Eastern and Western Chalukyan territories. An alternative identification that had been suggested was Kadali at the junction of the Tungă and the Bhadra (The Colus, pp. 321-22).
38. I. I., Vol. III, No. 30, 11, 13-14.
* Räjēndradēva also claims to have defeated Ahavamalla twice (irumadi-ven. kanda) (ante, Vol. XXI. P. 233, 1. 11). He is called Iruemarli.ren-kanda Ulaguyyakkondaruliya Ayyar (An, Rep. on 8. 1. Epigraphy for 1931-32, p. 52).
