So, we are back to the question we discussed nearly 3 years back - do 'kalvettugal' really provide historical information?
They do, in my opinion. I also state that they alone are not enough to decipher history.
It is true that the role of epigraphs(kalvettugal) was primarily to record grants. In that case, the copper plates from which we claim to have recored the chola lineage, also document grants.
The thanjai periya koyil inscriptions reveal a lot about administration, culture and the then prevalent social fabric. History is not just about kings. It is also about the society.
I would like to recall messages 9129, 9153 and 9180 in this regard.
Am yet to catch up with the backlog of posts in the group. Will post some more info after going through the rest of the posts.
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
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
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.