Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

Vanakkam Swetha Avargale..

Pls post whenever convenient.

sps

while on this topic – how many plates are there intoto that are
asigned to pallava, chola clans. can we do a listing, with name of the
plate, ruler , main info in it etc

http://thearcheologist.com/velancheriplatesofparantakachola.asp

VELANCHERI PLATES OF PARANTAKA CHOLA I
The plates

Parantaka’s charter, consists of five plates fastened to a ring and
seal. The plates measure 22 cm. in length, 6.5 c.m. in breadth and 3
m.m. in thickness. The charter is engraved on both the sides of all
the copper plates. The ring and seal are intact. The lertters are
fairly well preserved.
The seal
The seal, fairly well preserved and measuring 7.5 c.m. in diameter
is fastened to a ring 15.0 c.m. in diameter. On the face of the seal
is found the chola emblem, viz. two fish and a seated tiger placed
on a bow flanked by two lamp stands and topped by a parasol and two
chauris. Running around the emblem is an inscription in grantha
characters recording that it is a charter of Parakesarivarman. The
inscription is fully preserved. The emblem and the letters are
embossed from a mould and are not chisselled. The inscription on the
seal reads:-
Svasti Sri Srimat chandra nyuteneva Chola vamsa sikhamaneh Sasanam
Chola bhubartuh Parakesarivarmanah.
The grant
The grant is in two parts, the first part is in Sanskrit, written in
grantha characters and the second part is in Tamil, in Tamil
characters. Both the parts refer to the gift of villages made by
Parantaka chola, the Sanskrit part being brief and the Tamil part
giving detailed descriptions of the lands, taxes exempted etc.
However it is in the Sanskrit portion the geneology of the grantor
is given, which is of great interest for reconstructing history.
Like all other copper plates of the period, the sanskrit portion is
in poetry and prose. However the sanskrit portion lacks the poetic
embellishments found in Aparajita’s charter. The Sanskrit part
consists of 17 verses followed by a prose.
Parantaka’s plate is dated in his 25th regnal year, 932 A.D. It
gives the names of the progenitors of the Chola line beginning with
Vishnu, followed by Brahma, Marichi, Kasyapa, Surya and Usinara.
Karikala, Sibi and Koccengannan receive special attention. The tale
of Sibi is often repeated in all the Chola records and literature.
This record says that Lord Agni took the form of a vulture and came
chasing the dove. With a view to save the suffering and life of the
dove, Sibi gave his own flesh and rescued the dove from torture.
Karikala
Three important events in the life of Karikala are mentioned. (1) He
caused the crest of the Cholas marked on the slopes of Himalayas.
(2) He raised embankments on either side of river Kaveri and
controlled its flood and (3) he made Kanchi a city of palaces.
Parantaka Chola’s Udayendram plates(1) mention only the name of
Karikala without referring to his exploits. Hence this is perhaps
the earliest Chola record to refer to the exploits of Karikala. The
two points of historic interest are the raising of embankments on
either side of river Kaveri; and his conquest upto Kanchi. Regarding
the later event, Prof. Sastri has the following to say(2) ‘His
conquest of Tondaimandalam and settlement of agrarian colonies
there, are other elements in the Karikala legends, that can find no
support from the earliest authorities on his reign. It would seem
that Tondainadu was ruled by Tondaiman Ilamtiraiyan in the days of
Karikala and there is no satisfactory evidence in support of the
suggestion that has been made that this chieftain was the grandson
of Karikala or atleast a viceroy appointed by him after his conquest
of Kanchi’.
The above views of Sastri need modification in the light of the
present grant. This seems to suggest that Karikala’s power extended
upto Kanchi and that Karikala fortified the city and built great
palaces. According to literary sources Karikala’s son is said to
have married a Naga princess and the child born to them was called
Tiraiyan. The word Tiraiyan is derived from the legend that he was
wafted on the shore by the waves of the sea (tirai-i.e.-wave).
Interestingly an eighth century Pallava copper plate seems to lend
support to this legend. The Kasakkudi plate(3) referring to the lake
(now called Tenneri) Triayaneri calls it in the sanskrit portion as
Tira-laya-tataka. Tira-laya (wafted on the shore) appears as the
Sanskrit equivalent of Tiraiyan. This legend seems to have been
popular long before 8th century., the date of the Kasakkudi plates.
Karikala’s conquest of Kanchi as suggested by the present copper
plate of Parantaka shows that it was a historical fact and that
Tiraiyan was in some way connected with Karikala.
Koccengannan
The legend of Koccengannan, being a spider in his earlier birth and
on account of weaving a web over the linga, is referred to in saint
Appar’s Devaram in 7th Century A.D. The story of Kaccengannan being
a spider and blessed by Siva, taking birth in the line of Cholas is
mentioned in this grant. It seems to be almost a translation of what
Saint Appar says in his Devaram.
A point of interest is the number of battles won by Koccengannan,
mentioned by Thirumangai Alvar.(4) In the Thirunaraiyur Padigam
(sacred hymns on the Lord of Thirunaraiyur), Thirumangai Alvar,
calls him Sembiyan Koccengannan Koccolan, Ten nadan (Lord of the
Southern country is Pandya), Kudakongan Ponninadan, Ten Tamilan,
Vadapulakkon etc. Among the battles, Venni figures prominently, but
his opponents at Venni are not mentioned. One Vilandavel is
mentioned as an enemy defeated by him. Alundai, probably identical
with Teralundur near Mayuram is also mentioned as a battlefield
where he distinquished himself. Thirumangai also refers to the
construction of seventy madakkoil to ‘Entol Isar’ generally
identified with Siva. There are also others who consider this as a
reference to ashta bujakara Vishnu. At any rate he seems to have
been a great devotee of both Siva and Vishnu. While such great
victories are mentioned by Thirumangai, a saint of eighth century
A.D., no other record speaks of his conquests. Even this plate of
Parantaka refers only to the spider story of Koccengannan.
(Parantaka was not a religious fanatic. In this very copper plate
his benefactions to Srirangam and Kanyakumari are mentioned). That
this plate also refers to Koccengannan as a Sivabhakta and is silent
abut this Vishnu bhakti would indicate that Thirumangai’s reference
to his construction of seventy mada temple to

http://www.lankalibrary.com/geo/ancient/codaganga.htm

the lankan angle – copper plates there too – defeat of the chola
invading army!!

A new facet of our history buried

with the copper plate of King Codaganga

(Dr. Malini Dias, Archaeological Department)
A buried element of our heritage was uncovered by the sudden
discovery of a rare piece of evidence that was brought to the
Archaeological Department from Kurunegala by the ASP Kuliyapitiya,
Mr. Rohan Fernando. Four Copper Plates with writing on either side
of each plate had been inscribed in the Polonnaruwa period during
the reign of King Codaganga (1196-97 AD).

The chronicle Culavamsa reveals that king Codaganga had been a
nephew of King Nissankamalla (1187-1196 AD) who preceded him as the
ruler of Sri Lanka. Though the reign of King Codaganga was very
short, this epistle brings to light a Cola invasion from South
India, which was successfully repulsed during this period of reign.
The script in these copper plates shows a resemblance to the script
of the Panakaduwa copper plate of King Vijayabhahu I (1056-1110 AD)
and the script of the Devanagala Rock inscription of King
Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 AD).

Similar panegyrics on the achievements of the Kings, frequently
found in the stone inscriptions of the twelfth century are found in
this copper plate as well. With minor variations from those of King
Vijayabahu I, King Parakramabahu I and King Nissankamalla, the
eulogy of this copper plate confirms the regency of King Codaganga.

The copper plate mentions the prevalence of rival invasions during
this period. This is all the more important as it mentions a foreign
invasion Sri Lanka had experienced. The copper plate states that the
leaders who repulsed the invading Army of Cholas (who are identified
as Tamils, who had landed at Mavutu Tota) called Mantota today and
Mantai in Tamil had been gifted with titles and with farm lands.

By having placed the country on a war footing during his reign,
Parakramabahu I was successful in countering foreign invasions and
waging war with success against foreign countries. The Devanagala
Inscription, dated in the twelfth year of King Parakramabahu,
records a grant of lands to Kit Nuvaragala, a Commander of the Army
who won success in the Myanmar expedition. The loss of human
resources and the depletion of the coffers due to these costly wars
resulted in the inability of the kings who ruled after him to stave
off foreign invasions.

The undue prominence given to the wars by King Parakramabahu I
resulted in some of his generals crowning puppet rulers and ruling
the country according to their whims and fancies after his demise.
The underlying factor emerging from the incidents mentioned in the
copper plate is that a certain general with the intention of
deposing King Codaganga from the throne and foist an aristocrat of
his choice on the throne had been instrumental in bringing a Chola
army from South India which was summarily routed by the King.

The copper plate mentions how the Colas, with the “four armed
forces” stormed Mavutu Tota, took over the harbour and subjugated
the people whilst making incursions inland. The description also
adds that two hours before the dawn of the fifth day, the Cola
invasion was quelled. The King elated by the rout of the Cola Tamil
army by a general named Kilingam Minalnavan, who exhibited his valor
at war is said to have bestowed him with titles and lands. The lands
were located in the kingdom of Maya. These gifts are termed
as “Pamunu Deemana” and the presentation of these were to be
considered perpetual by the fact that it was done by the king with
an entourage of queens, ministers and generals. The title Lanka
Adhikari mentioned here and in some of the inscriptions of this
period was generally given to the Prime Minister or the Chief
Minister.

A general by the name Lolupelakulu Kitalnavan, mentioned in this
copper plate and in Doratiya Sannasa of King Nissankamalla could be
one and the same person. The copper plate describes how King
Codaganga with his chief queen and queen Ratnavali accompanied by
the heads of the royal assembly including the ministers met the
general and bestowed on him the Pamunu Deemana of paddy fields and
other properties. An exceptionally important feature is that the
chief queen and queen Ratnavali are mentioned in this function. The
significance of Pamunu Deemana is borne out in the Doratiyava
Sannasa that the head queen Subadra and queen Kalyanawathi of King
Nissankamalla too had taken part in similar presentations.

Another significant discovery is that the engravings found in the
copper plates are very lucid and the script is engraved in a series
of minute punch marks. This method of engraving has hitherto not
been discovered in any inscription either on plate or on rock. This
copper plate could be grouped in the same category of rare copper
plates as the allai Kantale and the Panakaduwa copper plates. The
moon and the sun engraved in the first of the four copper plates
signify that this Pamunu Deemana should not be revoked until the sun
and the moon continue to exist.

Though a number of copper plate inscriptions have been discovered in
India, only three have been discovered so far in Sri Lanka. These
copper plates have undergone deterioration by the fact that they had
been buried in the soil for a considerable period of time. They
should all be treated chemically, deciphered, published in the
Epigraphical series and thereafter placed on public view.

— In [email protected], “Vijay Kumar .S”
wrote:
>
> the same site has a nice article/map reg korkai
>
> http://thearcheologist.com/korkai.asp
> ==========================================

Dear Vijay,

Can we load these details in the File section too for quick reference ?

BTW, in Srirangam a NILAVARAI was found while cutting the road for
drainage by the Municipal workers, reported Dinamalar trichy yday (it
appears).

Locals fearing acquriring of their properties, closed the same and
behaved as if nothing was found …. !!!!!!

Recalling Dr. TSM’s Lecture in BHEL, Trichy meet – a couple of years
back. It was uphill task to locate Historical sites in Kerala and
reach them as most of them privately compounded !!!!

sps