Indian Antiquary Vol 38

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 13

JANUARY, 1909.) ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE NELLORE DISTRICT.
and 1165-66.42 Ballichoda does not acknowledge the overlordship of the reigning Eastern Chalakya kings Kulôttunga II. and Rajaraja II. But another Telagu-Chôda chief who was & contemporary of Ballichoda, viz. Tribhuvanamalladeva-Cho ta maharaja was actually an Eastern Chalukya feudatory in A. D. 1147-48 (0.142). He probably built the Kêśava temple at Konidena. In A. D. 1152-53 (0. 19) he seems to have been a semi-independent ruler of Kamnganându. In A. D. 1226-27 Mallidera-Chodamaharaja of the same family appears to have been governing Kammanându (0.17). D. 28 dated in A. D. 125+-55 introduces Haridêvats.Chôdamahârâja who might have been a Kakatiya feudatory. On the same dayt6 Gangayasîhani, another Kakatiya feudatory, already known from the Tripurantakam inscriptions 47 made a grant at the same village, vix. Gangavaram in the Darsi division (. 25).43 [Singalyadeva Gadideva Chôda-Mahârâja, who was a feudatory of Rudramshiraja and for whose merit a grant was made in A. D. 1267-68 (D. 24 must also have belonged to the Telugu-Chods family, though it does not appear how he was connected with the other members who have been already mentioned. Another branch of the Telugu-Chodas is represented by the inscriptions of the scuthern
tálaks of the Nellore District. The capital of this family appears The Telugu Cholas of Nellore.
" to have been Nellore. They were, accordingly, more in touch with the Chola kings whom they generally acknowledged as their overlords. Some of these chiefs appear to have carried their arms as far south as Conjeeveram. In the temples of Conjeeveram as well as in the North Arcot and Chingleput districts, a large number of inscriptions of this branch, have been found. One of its members was also a patron of Telugu literature.
The earliest members of this branch were Madhurintaka Pottapi-Chô!a and Tilunga-Vidya. Of the former it is said that he acquired the name Madhurântaka by conquering Madura and Pottapi-Chola by founding in the Andhra country tle town of Pottapi. Tiluiga-Vidya is reported to have erected pillar of victory with a figure of Garuda at the top at a place called Ujyapuri.50 The time when these two flourished is not known. But as the latter is said to have been born in the race of the other, the interval of time between the two mnst be considerable. The first five kings of the family inentioned in inscriptions from the Tamil country are not represented in the
0.92 dated in Baka-Sarhvat 1079=A.D. 1156-57 meations six generations, vir. Rajamahendra-Potapi-Choda; his father Surapariju; his father Nanni-Choda; his father Ka[ptra) Vakya; his father Balleriju; and his father Chagi-Vankans of the Solar race. There is nothing in the inscription to show that these chiefs enjoyed any dominica. They might have been private individuals who boasted of some remoto connection with the Telugu Chôdrs. If this be the case, the origin of the Telaga-Chida family is carried to a period anterior to the oldest hitherto discovered record of the family. D. 36 dated in A. D. 1163-37 rocords gift for the merit of the Mahamandalesvara Pamttadeva-Chôļamahåraju, who might be a local chief, though it is doubtful if he had anything to do with the family of which we are now speaking.
See also the Annual Report on Epigraphy for 1899-1900, para. 47. The name of the chief is not preserved in full in O. 19, as the stone sooms to be built into a tank-band. 0. 120 also belongs to the Telagu-Chola family. But as it is very hodly damaged, neither the king's name nor the Baka dito is certain.
4 Choďadeva-Chodamaharaja and his brothers Malidêvarja and Chikkiraju are mentioned in KR. 22 dated in A. D. 1236-37.
45 A close examination of the impression makes me think that the rending Ghatilda is not uulikely. 46 The details of date are the same in D 28 and D. 25. 4 Anual Report on Epigraphy for 1905-03, Part II, paragraph 44.
* A later Kakatiya feudatory was Chodamalideva Maharaju, who, in A.D. 1291-92, made a grant for the merit of Prataparudra (D.6). To judge from the name he might have been a Telugu-Chods. Other inscriptions which may be assigned to the Telugu-Chôda family on the same ground are:-0.66, which mentions the Mahamandalesvara Mallidêva-Cholamahårdja; 0.117, where the king's name is only partially preserved: 0.91, dated during the reign of Jaga(dobba ganda Ujrala-Choda-Ba[1]laya-Chodamahår&jn; and 0.195, where the king's name cannot be made out in full from the impression. As late as the 15th century A. D. there was a chief who boasted of having obtained dominion through the favour of KarikAla-Choda (O. 148).
*9 The details which follow are taken from Dr. Lüders' paper in the Epigraphia Indica, Vol. VII.
50 Dr. Lüders identifies this place with Ujipuram or Ujjapuram, 18 miles east-south-east of Kollégal in the Coimbatore District. There is, however, a place now known as Utaur in the Salarpot Division of the Nellore Dis trict. The village is called Uchchiyur in a Tamil inscription found at the place (S. 19).
1 Members of the Telugu-Choda family who were contemporaries of the Cbla kings Vikrama-Chola and Knottanga II: are mentioned in inscriptions from Nandalar in the Cuddapah District ; see my Annual Report on Epigraphy for 1907-8, Part II, paragraph 78.