Rajaditya Chola (''fl.'' mid-10th century AD) was a

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 ...

prince, son of king

Parantaka I Parantaka Chola I (Tamil : பராந்தக சோழன் I) (873 CE–955 CE) was a Chola emperor who ruled for forty-eight years, annexing Pandya by defeating Rajasimhan II. The best part of his reign was marked by increasing success ...

(r. 907–955) and a Chera/Kerala princess ( the Ko Kizhan AdigalNarayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 96-100.), known for commanding the Chola troops in the

battle of Takkolam The Battle of Takkolam (948–949) was a military engagement between a contingent of troops led by Rajaditya, crown prince and eldest son of the Chola king Parantaka I (907–955), and another led by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III (939–96 ...

(948–949).Ali, Daud. "The Death of a Friend: Companionship, Loyalty and Affiliation in Chola South India." ''Studies in History'', vol. 33, no. 1, Feb. 2017, pp. 36–60. Atakur inscription (cropped)

The death of prince Rajaditya in the battle is unusually commemorated by the Cholas. The Chola version of the events can be found in Larger Leiden Grant (1006 AD) of

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 ...

and Tiruvalangadu Plates (1018 AD) of

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 ...

. An account of the battle, which differs in some details from the Chola version, is found in the Atakur inscription issued by

Krishna III Krishna III whose Kannada name was Kannara (r. 939 – 967 C.E.) was the last great warrior and able monarch of the Rashtrakuta dynasty of Manyakheta. He was a shrewd administrator and skillful military campaigner. He waged many wars to bring b ...

and prince

Butuga II Butuga II (938–961 CE) became the ruler of the Western Ganga Dynasty after his elder brother Rachamalla III. Relations with Rashtrakutas In order to ascend the throne he had to first seek help from the Rashtrakutas who were hitherto their a ...

(a young underlord of Krishna III) of the Western Ganga family.''Epigraphia Indica'' 6 (1900–01), no. 6c: 53–56. The Sravana Belgola record of Ganga king Marasimha (963 - 975 AD) also claims victory of the Chera king for his predecessor Bhutuga II. Indirect references to the battle can also be found in the inscriptions of

Vellan Kumaran Vellan Kumaran (''fl.'' mid-10th century AD), diksa name''Epigraphia Indica'' 27 (1947–48), no. 47: 292–304. Chaturanana Pandita, was a Kerala commander in the Chola army and a close confidant of prince Rajaditya. He was probably one of the ...

, a Kerala commander in the Chola army.

Early life

Rajaditya was the son of the Ko Kizhan Atikal, the

Chera Perumal Chera Perumals of Makotai, also known as the Perumal dynasty of KeralaThapar, Romila'', The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300.'' Penguin Books, 2002. 331-32., or Cheraman Perumal dynasty of MahodayapuramNoburu Karashmia ...

princess, and the Chola king

(r. 907–955 AD).Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 99-100. King Parantaka I is known to have married two distinct Chera princesses, Ko Kizhan Adigal and Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli (the mothers of his two sons, Rajaditya and Arinjaya Chola). The marriage between a Chera princess and Parantaka, c. 910 CE, is mentioned in the Udayendiram plates of Ganga king Prthivipati II Hastimalla.Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 96-101, 437, 442, 445 and 473. It seems that Chola king

anticipated a climactic battle with the

Rashtrakuta Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...

s and their allies in Tirumunaippati Nadu. Sometime in the 930s, or perhaps as early as 923 AD,''South Indian Inscriptions'' 7 (1932), No. 1009. prince Rajaditya was sent with a substantial military contingent, including elephants and horses, as well as his entire household, to Rajadityapura (Tirunavalur/Tirumanallur) in Tirumunaippati Nadu (to protect the northern edges of a nascent Chola stateNarayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 100-101.). The prince was joined at Rajadityapura by his mother (the Chera princess

Ko Kizhan Adikal Ko Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli was the traditional title of the queens/princesses of the Chera Perumal kingdom in medieval south India. It was initially assumed that Kizhan Adikal was a proper given name (and not a royal title). The title was used ...

) in the mid-930sNarayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 100-01. and his half-brother Arinjaya. Rajaditya was supported by a number of military personnel from

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

(Chera) chiefdoms in Tirumunaippati Nadu.

Battle of Takkolam

Battle of Takkolam The Battle of Takkolam (948–949) was a military engagement between a contingent of troops led by Rajaditya, crown prince and eldest son of the Chola king Parantaka I (907–955), and another led by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III (939–96 ...

, Takkolam is a town in

Arakkonam Arakkonam () is a railway town and suburb of Chennai within Chennai Metropolitan Area limit, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with a population of 78,395 per the census 2011. It is in the newly created Ranipet district, about from Ranipet head ...

taluk of the

Vellore Vellore (English: ), also spelt as Velur (), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Palar River in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu and is separa ...

district, northern

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

. The Rashtrakuta cont at Takkolam included a collection of feudal militias and royal soldiers (from

Western Gangas Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga (mo ...

, Banas and Vaidumbas among others). Prince Rajaditya, in addition to the Chola warriors, was supported by a number of military personnel from

(Chera) chiefdoms. The

fought in 948-49 CE resulted in the death of Rajaditya on the battlefield and the defeat of the Chola garrison at Takkolam. According to the Atakur inscription, during the battle, Rajaditya was struck while seated atop his war elephant by an arrow from prince

.''Epigraphia Indica'' 6 (1900–01), no. 6c: 53–56. The Chola prince died instantly. The Chola army was subsequently defeated and retreated in disorder. The collapse of the Chola resistance after the battle of Takkolam lead to the virtual destruction of the Chola empire. Here is an excerpt from Atakur inscription : The subsidiary record engraved on the upper part of slab throws some more light on the incident:

Chola-Chera Perumal relations (c. 9th-10th centuries AD)

Early life

Battle of Takkolam

Chola-Chera Perumal relations (c. 9th-10th centuries AD)

References

Further reading