| Srikantha Chola | |
| Rajakesari Varman, Choladhiraja, Tondaiyarkon, Mayilayarkon | |
| Reign: | 817 CE - 845 CE |
| House: | Pottapi Cholas |
| Religion: | Hinduism |
| Dynasty: | Chola |
Srikantha Chola (Telugu: శ్రీకంత చోళుడు) (Tamil: ஸ்ரீகந்த சோழன்) was a Telugu Chola ruler belonging to Pottapi Chola family which claims descent from ancient Tamil king Karikala Chola. He was ruling Renadu region as a feudatory of Pallavas.
Five copper-plates which have been preserved in the Madras Museum for a long time. They are strung on a ring, which carries a signet ring, to which a seal is soldered. It bears, in relief, a standing boar facing the proper right. An elephant goad surmounted by the sun and moon is above the boar and a dagger is to its proper right.
Three inscriptions are recorded in these plates. The first inscription is in Sanskrit. It occupies three plates and a portion of the fourth plate.
It records that Srikantha, a Chola Adhiraja, gave the village of Mandara to Balashakti, for the regular conduct of worship and offerings to Siva.
The second and third inscriptions are in Telugu, the script employed being old Telugu. These occupy the remaining portion of the fourth and one side of the fifth plate.
The inscription introduces Balliya Chola with Charana Saroruha prasasti which is a characteristic of Pottapi Cholas.[1] The former records that Balliya Chola Maharaju gave Sasi Satesvara Bhatara the enjoyment of the income of the villages named Mandara, Inumbrolu, and Umbaka, on the auspicious occasion of nttarayana. The latter records that Vaidumba Maharaja gave the village of Katicheruvu, situated in Kadapa, to Nrittilokesvara for the sake of dakshinayana sankranti.
The grant was made on the saptami tithi in the bright fortnight in the month of Ashadha.
This Srikantha traces his descent from Karikala Chola, the ancient Chola king, who built steps on the banks of the river Kaveri and conquered Trilochana-Pallava.[2] This inscription is younger than Pedda Cheppali plates of Srikantha Srimanohara Chola by 2 decades which is dated around first half of 9th century AD.[3] Below chart shows the genealogy of Srikantha Chola from Madras Museum plates. Based on the genealogy, Srikantha belongs to the Sundarananda branch of Renadu Cholas.
Sri Kantha is considered as the contributor to the Eastern Chalukya king's Copper plate grants.[4]
The Anbil plates[5] of Parantaka Chola II and Velanjeri plates[6] of Parantaka Chola I mention the name Sri Kantha whose name precedes that of Vijayalaya Chola, however, it is unknown if both individuals are the same and share any relations between.[7]
After mentioning Kochchenganan and his son Nalladikon, Anbil plates has the following verse,
"Srikantha-graha [na]rudha kumkumamka-bhujantarah
Srikantha iti-rajendras tat-kuli sam-ajayata"
The above line translates to: In his family was born the chief of kings called Sri Kantha on whose chest were impressed marks of saffron from Lakshmi (Sri)'s embracing his neck.[8] It will be evident from this that Srikantha was not the immediate successor of Nalladikon, but was a descendant of his, born in the family long after. The next verse introduces Vijayalaya Chola, the founder of Imperial Cholas.
Srikantha Chola is from Pottapi Chola family ruling Tondaimandalam and her daughter's name is Akkalanimmati, the mother of Pandyan king Parantaka Viranarayana. The following lines are taken from Dalavayapuram copper plate of Pandyan king Parantaka Viranarayana,[9]
"Aravaraiian paltuli ayirama yiruttalaiyal
peritaritin porukkinra penim porai man magalai tta
todittolil inrutangiya tondaiyarkon tulakkijli
vadippadai manabharanan tirumagan mayilayar kon
Pottappi kulacholan pugaltarusiri Kandarajan
mattama malai valal manimagalakklanimmidi
tiruvayiru karuvuyirtta Sri Parantakamagarajan"
The above lines translates to: Tondainadu king, Srikantharaja, the leader of great elephants belonging to Pottapi Chola family had a daughter named Akkalanimmati who was married to Pandyan emperor Srimara Srivallabha and their son is Pandyan king Parantaka Viranarayana. The lines also indicates that Srikantha was the king of Tondaimandalam which is the capital of Pallavas and Srikantha Chola must have captured Tondaimandalam from the Pallavas.
During the reign of Pallava Dantivarman, no Pallava inscriptions were found in Tondaimandalam since at least 819 CE till the end of his reign. The Velurpalaiyam plates of Pallava Nandivarman III, successor of Dantivarman, issued in the sixth year of his reign mention that the donor had to obtain his kingdom with the prowess of his arms killing many enemies in the battlefield. This could suggest that the Pallava kingdom was in someone else's hands and Pallava Nandivarman III had to battle and recapture it. This event happened in the closing years of the reign of Dantivarman who was old by then. This alien occupation of the Pallava kingdom was perhaps the reason for the absence of inscriptions of Dantivarman. This foreign occupation of the Pallava kingdom was none other than Sri Kantha Chola of the Pottapi line. It could not have been that of the Rashtrakutas, as there was no inscriptions of Rashtrakutas found in Pallava kingdom during 27 years. Very likely it was by Sri Kantha Chola. This is supported by a Thillaisthanam in Thanjavur. The inscription says,
"Tondainadu pavina Solan Palayanaik-ko-kandan ayina Rajakesari Varman"
This Rajakesari Varman refers to Srikantha Chola and not Aditya Chola I as Aditya Chola never bore the name "Kantha". The attributes mentioned here like "Tondainadu pavina" (who spread or stabilized the Thondai nadu) and "Palayanaik" (Possessor of many elephants) are the same attributes given to Srikantha Chola in the Dalavayapuram copper plates of Parantaka Viranarayana Pandya. According to Venkayya, The name Rajakesari Varman in some of the inscriptions like the previously mentioned Thanjavur Thillaisthanam and the other one at Bhaktavatsala temple in Thirukalukundram is Srikantha Chola and not Aditya Chola I based on the age of the script used in those inscriptions. Those inscriptions were issued when Srikantha reissued the land grants made by previous rulers to Siva temples and this reissue happened when Srikantha Chola briefly occupied Tondaimandalam from the Pallava Dantivarman.[10] The reason for Srikantha to reissue the temple lands could be that the temple lands were taken away during the initial years of Pallava Dantivarman when he was under Rashtrakutas who were Jains. There is no reason for Aditya Chola I to reissue the temple lands.