South Indian Inscriptions : Vol II : Part I: Inscription no:
1. Hail! Prosperity! This (is) the edict (sasana) of Rajaraja (alias)Rajakesarivarman, which is cherished by the multitude of the diadems of (i.e., which is obeyed by) the crowd of all princes.[3]
2. On the twentieth day of the twenty-sixth year (of the reign) of Ko-Rajakesarivarman, alias Sri-Rajarajadeva, who – while (his) heart rejoiced, that, like the goddess of fortune, the goddess of the great earth had become his wife, — in his life of growing strength, during which, having been pleased to cut the vessal (kalam) (in) the hall (at) Kandalur, he conquered by his army, which was victorious in great battles, Vengai-nadu, Ganga-padi, Tadigai-padi…. (And so on… )
“ kandalur salaikkalamarutharuli ..”
To be brief - the points for observation is :
i) Kalamaruthu is equated with KALAM AZHITHU. So translations necessarily stick to PLEASED TO CUT THE VESSAL.
ii) MANAKKOLA : BEAR IN MIND figures in the Original Prasasti. No attempt has been made to include this term.
iii ) Recently found " Kandalur salaik kalamaruthu angulla malalayalar kazhutharuthu .. IS NOT DIRECT OF INSCRIPTION OF THE KING RRC. A reference to King RRC period.. Malayalar term whether existed that time etc to be gone into detail.
The search to explain this lead me to ERIPATHAR NAYANAR Episode in Periyapuranam. It also made to realise the difference between the term " SOLDIER" and " WARRIOR ".. We have read of Warrior - fighting one to one basis - to establish his claim to succession to throne in Rome and Greek empires. Eripathar was one such Warrior - assisted the King in his Missions and when he was confronted cunningly by a Contender and revealed Holy ashes, he treated him like a Sivanadiyar and laid his arms and was beheaded, but Lord Siva brought him back alive.
From the 8th Century Sendalai inscriptions of Suvaran Maran – a Mutharaya Chieftan, ( EI – Vol XIII – 146 ) describing “Vandaravam Kaarthotrum Kandalur
Manthotra Vendar Manam “
“How the valour of the King, who lost his right (to establish his claim ) at Kandalur, gets diminished.. “ - From this it can be derived that there existed an Authority in Kandalur, to establish One’s right to rule a province whose decision was accepted by the claimants and the counter-claimants. Another Very important factor is often quoted line of Rajadhiraja’s inscription ( SII – V - 633 – AR 75 of 1895 - Tirumazhapadi ):
meaning " Kaandalursalai kalamaruthatharpin Thangulathavan ivar nangu tharu thagaimayil Arisiyalurimai muraimeyil ethi
Succession disputes were settled and the rights were MURAIMEYIL ETHI... WELL REGULARISED IN ORDER...
Therefore the popular belief that Rajaraja conquered Kandalur and attained Mummudi is REINTERPRETED as IT IS BECAUSE OF KANDALUR Rajaraja attained Mummudi.
A simple query is : If King like Rajaraja really DESTROYED Kandalur would it survive to draw another reference by RAJENDRA I to RAJARAJA II and so on.. ? Even succession disputes of Pandyas and Cheras are settled in Kandalur...