Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

Date: Tue, 16 May 2006 09:10:57 -0000
Subject: [thamizhsamraajyam] Cholas and their relationship with
Myanmar!

The following is an article on Cholas and their relationship with
Myanmar. The article was written by Virarajendhra in Formhub.

Period of Rajaraja Chola - 1 {A.D.985 - 1014}

With the beginning of the tenth century the Cholas with their
capital in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, emerged as a powerful ruling
dynasty after a long spell in partial obscurity in the political
scene of South India.

In the year A.D.985 king Rajaraja Chola -1 ascended the throne as
the next successor to the Chola kingdom in Tamil Nadu. He gradually
conquered the neighbouring and far lying territories within the
Indian continent, forming a great Chola empire.
He laid a firm foundation to this empire by the wits of his
political ingenuity and well streamlined administrative system
backed by a powerful army and naval power which made it to grow
steadily into an overseas empire.
During this period in Miyanmar (the former Burma) there existed two
main kingdoms, namely the Arimaddanapura kingdom of the region
called Marammadesa (the present central Miyanmar) having the capital
at Arimaddanapura (the present Pagan), and the Talaing (Mon) kingdom
of the region called Rammanadesa (the present southern Miyanmar also
known as Arumanam in Tamil) having its capital at Sudhammavati (the
present Thaton). The capital city of Arimaddanapura of the medieval
period was also known as Pugarama and Pukkan.

While emperor Rajaraja Chola -1 was on the Chola throne, king
Kyaungbyu (A.D.984 -1006) was on the throne of Arimaddanapura
kingdom of Marammadesa, and was followed by his son king Kyizo
{A.D.1006-1012} on throne. But we are aware of the king who was
ruling the Talaing kingdom of Rammanadesa during the period of
Rajaraja - 1.

During this period the traders from these two kingdoms traded with
Tamil Nadu in their commodities, and the teak wood from Rammanadesa
being one of their trading items, was known as "Arumanavan" in the
Tamil Nadu.

Period of Rajendra Chola 1 {A.D.1012-1044}

With the succession of emperor Rajendra Chola - 1 on Chola throne
after Rajaraja Chola - 1, king Sokkate (A.D.1012-1037) started rule
in the Arimaddanapura kingdom after his elder brother king Kyizo,
and in this same period we also note a king named Manuha (A.D.?? ñ
1057) ruling the Talaing kingdom of Rammanadesa.
During this time there had been much sea traffic between these two
countries. The traders from Tamil Nadu engaged themselves in trade
with the Miyanmar kingdoms of Rammanadesa (also known as Arumanam)
and the Mirammadesa.

In the meantime the Sri Vijaya kingdom of Sumatra was spreading it's
authority over whole of Sumatra and Java - of the present Indonesia
and over whole of Malaysia, forming an empire which was at one time
a great hinderance to the flourishing trade of the Cholas in South-
East Asia. It also seems that there had been similer hinderences to
the traders from Tamil Nadu in Rammanadesa in present Miyanmar.
Rajendra Chola ñ 1 sent one of his grandson with great force in
A.D.1024 in many ships under a Chola prince who later bore the title
as "Kadaremkonda Cholan", which on their way to South-East Asia
after capturing the Manakkavaram (Great Nicobar Island), reached the
country of Rammanadesa in southern Miyanmar.

They devastated the seaport city of Mapappalam (most possibly the
present Dagon or Rangoon), and the interior capital city of
Sudammavathi (Thaton) with "protected fortress walls" - of the
Talaing (Mon) kingdom of Rammanadesa (Arumanam), and defeated it's
ruling king Manuha. It seems king Manuha submitted to the Rajendra
Chola's forces in this war and agreed to pay tributes.

At the Arimaddanapur kingdom king Sokkate was followed by his
younger brother Anuruddha also known as Anawratha (A.D.1037-1079) on
the throne.

Period of Rajadhiraja Chola 1 {A.D.1018-1054}

In the year A.D.1044 Rajendra Chola -1 died and followed by his
eldest son emperor Rajadhiraja Chola ñ 1 {A.D.1018-1054} on Chola
throne. It appears the king Manuha continued to pay tributes to the
Cholas and the trade between two countries continued.
Period of Rajendra Chola -2 {A.D.1051-1063}
Rajadhiraja Chola 1 was followed by his younger brother emperor
Rajendra Chola 2 on Chola throne.

Some years later a Buddhist dignitary named Shin Arahan who came to
the Arimaddana kingdom from the Talaing kingdom in south Miyanmar
and converted king Anuruddha to Theravada Buddhism. Shin Arahan also
informed him that in the capital city Sudammavati of the Talaing
kingdom, there were thirty sets of three Buddhist Pitakas and also
many sacred relics.

King Anuruddha deeply engrossed in Theravada Buddhism sent his wise
minister with much gifts and presents to king Manuha requesting some
copies of Pitaka and relics which was refused by him with much ill
reply.

This ended up with enraged king Anuruddha waging war with king
Manuha of the Talaing kingdom in the year A.D.1057, in which king
Manuha was defeated and taken captive with his entire family to
Arimaddanapura.

empire under the rule of king Anuruddha, and a viceroy was appointed
to overlook the affairs of this region. King Anuruddha chose
Tharehkiltara (present Prome) in the Pegu region as his new capital
of Rammanadesa in place of Thaton, which has now lost it's
importance with it's destruction by his forces and with the capture
of it's king Manuha.

It appears emperor Anuruddha with the fall of Rammanadesa, and it
coming under his empire possibly appointed one of his own viceroy to
rule over same, and also refused to pay tributes to the Cholas.
There seems to have been no immediate response and retaliation from
the Cholas on the fall of Rammanadesa to Anuruddha's forces, and
which was now in the hands of the Arimaddanapur empire.

Period of Virarajendra Chola {A.D.1062-1070}

Rajendra Chola ñ 2 was followed by his younger brother emperor
Virarajendra Chola on Chola throne. It appear during this time the
viceroy of Anuruddha interfered with the privilages enjoyed by the
Chola traders already trading in Rammanadesa.

In this same period the king of Kadarem (present Kedah region of
Malaysia) with the re-capture of this kingdom by the ruling king of
Sri Vijaya of that period, sought the assistance of Virarajendra
Chola in regaining his k