Kundavai Pirattiyar commonly known mononymously as Kundavai, was a princess of the

Chola The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...

empire who lived in the tenth century in

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

.''Lalit kalā, Issue 15, page 34'' She was the daughter of

Parantaka II Parantaka Chola II (Tamil: இரண்டாம் பராந்தக சோழன்) (r. 958 – 973 CE) was a Chola emperor. He is also known as Sundara Chola as he was considered an epitome of male beauty.''Early Chola temples:Parantak ...

and Vanavan Mahadevi.''Early Chola art, page 183''''A Topographical List of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States: Thanjavur District, page 180''''Worshiping Śiva in medieval India: ritual in an oscillating universe, page 5'' She was born in

Tirukoilur Tirukoilur also spelt as ''Tirukkoyilur'' or ''Tirukovilur'' is a city and the headquarters of Tirukoilur taluk in Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located on the southern bank of Thenpennai River and famous for Ulagala ...

and was the elder sister of Chola emperor

Rajaraja I Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...

. She had title as ''Ilaiyapirātti Kundavai Nachiyar''. However when her husband

Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan was a commander of the Chola Army. He was one among the famous chieftains of the Chola emperors Rajaraja I and Rajendra I and chief of the Samanthas of North Arcot and also the husband of Rajaraja's elder sister Kunt ...

was crowned king in his hometown

Bana Kingdom The Bana was a dynasty based in South India, who claimed descent from king Mahabali. The dynasty takes its name from Bana, the son of Mahabali. The Banas faced opposition from several neighbouring dynasties and served some major dynasties such as ...

, she did not accept the offer to become queen of the kingdom and remained as the princess of

Tanjore Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...

Life

Kundavai (also transliterated as Kundhavai or Kunthavai) was born in 945 CE. She was the only daughter of the Chola king

and queen Vanavan Mahadevi. She had an elder brother – Aditha Chola II, and a younger brother – Raja Raja cholan I. Kundavai married

, a member of the Bana Dynasty, a feudatory of the

Cholas The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE d ...

mentioned in the

inscriptions. He was also the commander of the Chola infantry that fought in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

in the days of Rajaraja l. The territory under his authority was known as 'Vallavaraiyanadu', and occasionally 'Brahmadesam'. Along with her great-aunt

Sembiyan Mahadevi Sembiyan Mahadevi was Queen regnant and empress of the Chola Empire from 949 CE - 957 CE as the wife of Gandaraditya Chola. She is the mother of Uttama Chola. She was one of the most powerful empresses of the Chola empire who over a period of si ...

, Kundavai brought up her nephew,

Rajendra I Rajendra Chola I (; Middle Tamil: Rājēntira Cōḻaṉ; Classical Sanskrit: Rājēndradēva Cōla; Old Malay: ''Raja Suran''; c. 971 CE – 1044 CE), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, and also known as Gangaikonda Chola (Middle Tamil ...

, who was the son of

and ''Thiripuvana Madeviyar'', princess of

Kodumbalur Kodumbalur is a village in Tamil Nadu, India. It is the site of the Moovar Koil temple complex. Location It is located at a distance of 35km from Trichy and 40km from Pudukkottai. The name Kodumbalur has been mentioned in the Tamil epic Cilappa ...

. Rajendra I spent most of his childhood in Pazhaiyarai with Kundavai and Sembiyan Mahadevi.

In popular culture

Kundavai is celebrated as mentor to

. Her influence continued into the next generation as she helped rear

Rajendra Chola Rajendra Chola I (; Middle Tamil: Rājēntira Cōḻaṉ; Classical Sanskrit: Rājēndradēva Cōla; Old Malay: ''Raja Suran''; c. 971 CE – 1044 CE), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, and also known as Gangaikonda Chola (Middle Tamil ...

. Uniquely for her era, where royal women were used to forge alliances, Kundavai's father allowed her to exercise her free will, whereupon the princess resolved to stay in the Chola kingdom all her life. Esteemed throughout the Chola realm for her taste and learning, Kundavai was requested to look after the daughters of other royal clans, tutoring them in art, music, and literature.

Life and works

Kundavai commissioned many temples for

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

and Siva .''Women in Indian life and society, page 49''South Indian Inscriptions – Vol II-Part 1 (Tanjore temple Inscriptions) She features in

inscriptions.''Śrīnidhiḥ: perspectives in Indian archaeology, art, and culture, page 364''''Encyclopaedia of Jainism, page 1000'' Kundavai jinalaya

She built at least two Jain temples, one at Rajarajeswaram later known as

Darasuram Darasuram or Dharasuram is a locality in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. The area is known for the Airavateswara temple constructed by the Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE. The temple is a recognised UNESCO World Heritage monument. Demog ...

and the other at Tirumalai. She built a hospital after her father named Vinnagar athura salai at

Thanjavur Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...

and donated extensive lands for its maintenance.''Ancient system of oriental medicine, page 96'' She made lavish donations to the

Brihadeeswarar Temple Brihadishvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram () by its builder, and known locally as ''Thanjai Periya Kovil'' ("Thanjavur Big Temple") and ''Peruvudaiyar Kovil'', is a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style located on the ...

during the reign of her younger brother

Rajaraja Chola I Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...

and her nephew

Rajendra Chola I Rajendra Chola I (; Middle Tamil: Rājēntira Cōḻaṉ; Classical Sanskrit: Rājēndradēva Cōla; Old Malay: ''Raja Suran''; c. 971 CE – 1044 CE), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, and also known as Gangaikonda Chola (Middle Tami ...

. One of the inscriptions reads: ''Portrait sculpture in south India, page 34'' Some of the images or idols set up by princess Kundavai include:''Middle Chola temples:Rajaraja I to Kulottunga I (A.D. 985–1070), page 42'' Here is an excerpt from the 29th year of Rajaraja that lists some of her gifts to

: Kundavai spent the last days of her life with her nephew

at the palace in Pazhaiyarai.''Great women of India, page 306''''Encyclopaedia of Status and Empowerment of Women in India: Status and position of women in ancient, medieval and modern India, page 176''''Middle Chola temples: Rajaraja I to Kulottunga I (A.D. 985–1070), page 381''

In popular culture

* ''

Ponniyin Selvan ''Ponniyin Selvan'' () is a historical fiction novel by Indian author Kalki Krishnamurthy, written in Tamil. It was first serialized in the weekly editions of ''Kalki'', a Tamil magazine, from 29 October 1950 to 16 May 1954 and later integrat ...

a 1955 historical fiction novel by

Kalki Krishnamurthy , birth_name = Ramasamy Aiyer Krishnamurthy , birth_date = , birth_place = Puthamangalam, near Manalmedu , death_date = , death_place = Chennai, India , occupation = journalist, critic and writer , nationality = Indian , education = ...

'' revolves around the early days of Rajaraja, the mysteries surrounding the assassination of Aditha Karikalan and the subsequent accession of

Uttama Uttama was a Chola Emperor who ruled from 973 CE to 985 CE in present-day Tamil Nadu, India. According to Tiruvalangadu plates of Rajendra Chola, Madurantaka Uttama Chola's reign is placed after Aditya II. The latter may have been a co-regent ...

to the

throne. * Indian actor

Trisha Trisha is a unisex given name, usually derived from the female Latin given name Patricia. Notable people and characters with the name include: People *Trisha (actress), Indian film actress Trisha Krishnan (born 1983) * Trisha Baptie (born 1973 ...

played her role in ''

Mani Ratnam Gopala Ratnam Subramaniam (born 2 June 1956), known professionally as Mani Ratnam, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema and few Hindi, Telugu and Kannada films. Ratnam has won six Nat ...

's 2022 film Ponniyin Selvan: I which is based on Kalki's novel.''

Life

In popular culture

Life and works

In popular culture

See also

References

Further reading