Indian Antiquary Vol 43

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 194

190
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[SEPTEMBER, 1914.
of Travancore were engaged in this dispute. And now, Udaya Mârtâņła was so much inspired by the desire to achieve a permanent conquest of the region that he seems to have employed all his resources against the Pandyan Ahava-Râma88 and had such a triumphant career that, by the year 1530, he had the villages of Brahmadêéam, Shermadevi, Ambasamudram, Kalakadu, etc., in his hands. The Pandyan, in alarm, appealed to the emperor for protection. Achyuta Raya commanded the Tiruvadi39a to disgorge his spoils and surren. der his conquests, but the imperial mandate had only the effect of confirming the rebel in his treason and extending the range of his activities. He did not only withhold the customary tribute due to the Empire, but entered into an active alliance with Saluva Naik and his ally Tumbichchi Naik. It is not improbable that the Chola princess whom he is said to have married was the daughter of Sâļuva39 Naik. There thus came into existence a powerful confederacy against the Empire in the south, a chain of enemies from the Kávéri to the end of the peninsula. Sâļuva Naik guarded the districts on the banks of the Kaveri, Tumbichchi those on the banks of the Vaigai, and Udaya Mârtânda assailed those on the Tambraparņi. Nothing is known about the attitude of the Vânadato Râyars of Madura, and Bôgaiyyadêva-Maharaja 11 of Trichinopoly in this crisis; but as they were the enemies respectively of Sâluva Naik and Tum bichchi Naik, they possibly threw in their lot with the Pandyas and the Empire; but divided from one another by inimical territory and open to raids on every side, they could not make a successful resistance.
Achyuta's Generals: Tirumalaiya and Nagama Naik. There was now no other alternative for Achyuta Raya than to prepare for a decisive blow against the enemies. The Pandya had to be saved from danger, perhaps from destruction. The prestige of imperial power had to be restored. Delay meant disaster, and Achyuta Rêya hastily patched up peace with his adversaries in the north, and himself took the command of the gigantic army which was to chastise the spoliators of the imperial fabric. The ablest generals of the day commanded the different sections of the grand army. TiruVarma 1458-71; Eravi Varma 1478-1504; Mártanda Varma 1504; Vira Eravi Varma 1504 1528; Mártanda Varma 1528-1537 and Udaya Mârtânda Varma 1537-1560; Kerala Varma 1560-3 (See Sewell's Antiqui. ties, II p. 238 and Shungonny Menon's Hist of Travancore p. 95-6). There are thus two different accounts, the more reliable being Nagama Aiya's, but both agree in regard to a MArtånde-Verma in the early years of the 16th century. By the year 1509 he got possession of Kalakadu, as an inson in the local siva temple shewe MArtands was a liberal donar to temples. Sewell mentions his grants of lands in 1511, 1513, 1521, 1531, etc., to the temples of Siva, Gomati, etc., in Cape Comorin, Nigerodil, (Inson. 63 of 1896), and other places. Kalakadu seems to have been Mårtánda Varma's seat of residence. Mr. Nagama Aiya bays that he got this place as a dowry of his queen, a Chola princess, by name Chakulavalli. "Bhútala Vira mado Kalakadu his capital and built in it & new palace." On account of this marriage, MartanaVarma is said to have called himself Puli-Marlanda- from the fact that the Chola dynasty had “the leopard" for its insignia. He is also said to have conquered Ceylon and exacted tribute. He maintained 300 female arohers. His enlightened religious policy is clear in his Edict of Toleration to the Parayas. See Trav. State Manu, I, p. 296. The latest epigraphical reports also contain inscns. concerning him. E. g. 463 and 473 of 1909. See also the Christ Col. Magaz., 1904-5 for an excellent article on the relations between Travancore and Vijiyanagar.
38 Mr. Gopinatha Rao says the king at this time was Srivallabha, Ahavarama's successor. But Sri. vallabhas came to the throne only in 1533. It is highly probable, however, that Srivallabha distinguished himself even in his predecessor's time, and so came to have the title of Irandakalamedutta and Pánlya Rajyasthd pandcharya.
39 The writer in the Christ Col. Mag. (1904-5) makes a curious mistake in saying that Taylor and Nelson attribute Achyuta's invasion of 1532 to the struggle between Chandra Sekhara and Vira Bekhara. He thinks that the Chola queen referred to was the daughter of Vira Sekhara Chola.
"a. For the origin of this word see Indian Antiquary XXIV, p. 267. Tiruvads means Holy Feet. As Sundaram Pillai says, the kings of Vêņad were always known to literature as Vēņáttualigal, “the Holy feet of Vepad." Sri Vira-Kerala-Varma (c. 1140) was the first king to bear this title, and Sundaram Pillai sees in it the indication of the expansion of his dominions and the growth of his power.
40 There is evidence to show that about this time there was a war between the Vana king and Tumb. ichchi Naik. See the Hist. of the Palayam of the Tumbichchi Ndiks, Appendix VI.
41 Owing to the absence of epigraphical lore, Caldwell said that it was simply a struggle between the Påndya and the Chða. It was Mr. Venkayya that first suggested that the Chola referred to was probably Chann'aiya, evidently co-ruler with Bôgayyadeva Maharaja, Mr. Krishna Sastri thinks that Bogayyadeva Maharaja was the successor of the deposed Vira-Narasimha-Nayaka. He does not trace any connection between Channayya and Bogayya. It seems to me that the latter was the contemporary, if not successor of the former and perhaps shared or inherited his dislike of Sauva Ndik. Arch. Suru. Ind. 1908-09, p. 188.