Dear Dr Jaybee I am not sure if Kaandhaluur salai was a training academy or naval base but this how I would plan my strategy in light of the chinese connection.
I would make big preparations for another ilangai invasion....I would send a good number of trade ships to the chera ports....a mixture of cyhinese dhows and chola vessels...
I would simultaneously prepare for a ground offence against the paniyan amarabhujangan and move a big army in the southeasterly direction to the pandya chgear border( bearing in mind that there is as such no pandya army till and it is only resistance)
When my fllet head south towards Srilanka they will not go south all the way but will turn westwards towards trivandrum and cochin...
With the knowledge gained about the chinese fireworks and gun powder I ll use to burn the chera fleet which will be caught unawares. if this is accompolished then thefleet and the shores can easily be destroyed within hours in the meanwhile I will have land backup from the army stationed in the borders
that way the perptual replenishing source for both the panyas and eelam is out of the way
I think I mentioned i would station a large army mobilised on the pretext of fighting the pandya offshoots in the chera pandya border near the passes like palghat and so on so they would be directly assulting the cheras from the backside..
on one side is the arabian sea and the sea raid on the other side is the western ghats and the chola army in the defects.
-Dear Dr. Jaybee, Interesting .. both RR & Manmatharasa..! 2 years back Kanchi Sankarmutt seer was planning a trip to China. The intenary comprised of a visit to a siva temple built by RR chola in China! I also volunteered to accompany the team. Last minute the trip was cancelled. Kalki also mentions of tradings of Chinese silk in PS! Fondly, SB
Dear Dr.Jaybee, Request more info on South Indian Kings' foreign connections :: Pallavas : Egypt (Pyramid etc.) Cholas : Far East / China' Pandiyas : Similar., etc. Regards, SB