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No. 22 ] TWO INSCRIPTIONS OF PARANTAKA, YEAR 9
191 The indifferent use of both the titles Rājakēsarivarman and Parakësarivarman for Vikramachõla might also be construed as pointing to such & conclusion ; but it may also be merely the result of a mistake of the kind, of which other instances are also known. Kulõttunga, being a Rājakësarivarman, his immediate successor on throne should have been a Parakësarivarman. The occasional use of the title Rājakësarivarman by Vikrama-cholal presupposes the existence of another king with the title Parakēsarivarman between him and Kulõttunga even though Vikrama-chõļa did not perhaps recognise such position and, claiming himself as the direct successor of his father Rājakēsarivarman Kulõttunga I, used the title Parakēsarivarman which is generally found applied to him in his inscriptions.
There are about half a dozen undated inscriptions of Parantakadēva at Drākshārāma registering the oaths of fealty taken by certain persons to serve Parāntakadēva faithfully. The occasion which necessitated such a step is not clear. But it is significant to note that these oaths were taken to serve faithfully Paräntakadēva personally and not in respect of the throne or kingdom of the Chola or Chāļukya as the case may be, probably indicating that there was another person at that time claiming equal rights as Parāntakadēva and that the oath was meant to safeguard the interests of their liege-lord Parantakadēva against the other person.
It may also be said that the political condition of the country at this period was favourable to Vikrama-chōļa for embarking on a civil war.
We know that towards the end of his reign, Kulottunga I lost some portions of his territory, both in the west and in the north. In the west, the province of Gangavādi was lost to the Hoysalas. Bittiga Vishņuvardhana, the Hoysala ruler of the period claims the title Talakādu-konda which is applied to him for the first time in an inscription dated in 1117 A.D.,' and in the same year he is described as ruling in Tala kādu and Kõlāļa (Kolar) and over the whole of Gangavādi Ninetysix Thousand as far as Kongu. This province which was under the Chōļas at the time and was regularly administered as a division of the Chola empire was conquered for the Hoysala by Dandanāyaka Gangarāja. This event is graphically described in several of the Hoysala inscriptions." The success of the Hoysalas was complete and this was followed by the expulsion of the Cholas from Gangavādi. That this campaign was not in the nature of a mere raid and that the Hoysala was well-pleased with the result will be evident by his assuming the title Talakādu-konda and by the issue of gold coins bearing the legend śri-Talakādu-gonda. .
The victory gained in Gangavādi was pursued by the Hoysalas even in regions beyond its frontiers. Of Puņisa-rāja, another general of the Hoysalas, who also seems to have taken part in the expedition against Gangavādi, it is said in an inscription dated 1117 A.D. that he 'frightened the Todas (of the Nilgiris), drove the Kongar underground (or to the low-country), slaughterod the Põluvas, put to death the Maleyālas, trifled king Kala (Kalapala) and offered the peak of the Nilagiri to the goddess of victory. It also adds that on receiving the king's order, Punisa seized Nīlādri, and pursuing the Maleyāļas captured their forces and made himself master of Kerala before showing again in Pongal-nādu.' The Põluvas slaughtered by him are evidently the Pūluvas, a community of the Kongu country,' round about Avinasi. The region also came to be
1 E.g., A. R. Ep., 1908, Nos. 426, 431; ibid, 1926, No. 144; ibid., 1909, Part II, para. 46 ; ibid., 1926, part II, para. 27.
+ SII, Vol. IV, Nos. 1270-75A.
Ep. Carn., Vol. III, M1. 31; also Vol. IV, Yd. 6. • Ibid., Vol. IV., Ch. 83.
. Ibid., Vol. II, (rev. ed.) Sb. 240. The same account is given in Vol. III, MI. 81 sloo dated in 1117 A.D.
• Ibid., Vol. IV., Ch. 83. TA. R. Rp., 1923, Part II, para. 59.
