Srimara Srivallabha (r. c. 815–c. 862 AD
[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 165.]) was a
Pandya king of early medieval south India.
[Noburu Karashima (ed.), ''A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations.'' New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 88-89.][Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 151-52.]
Srimara was famously known as the Parachakra Kolahala ("the Confounder of the Circle of his Enemies").
[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 154-55.] The Larger Sinnamanur Plates are the major source of information about this Pandya king.
[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1929) ''The Pandyan Kingdom.'' London, Luzac and Company. 68-69.] The Pallava version of the events related to this period can be found in the Bahur Plates of
Nripatunga
Amoghavarsha I (also known as Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I) (r.814–878 CE) was the greatest emperor of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, and one of the most notable rulers of Ancient India. His reign of 64 years is one of the longest precisely dated mo ...
.
[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1929) ''The Pandyan Kingdom.''London, Luzac and Company. 74–76.]
Life and career
Srimara was born to Pandya king Parantaka Nedunchadaiyan (Varaguna I).
The Larger Sinnamanur Plates (Sanskrit portion) tells that Srimara defeated the "Mayapandya", the Kerala (Chera), the king of Simhala, the Pallava and the Vallabha.
The Tamil portion claims victories at Kunnur and
Vizhinjam
Vizhinjam is a region located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala in India. It is located 16 km south west from the city centre and 17 km south of Trivandrum International Airport along NH66. Adani Por ...
as well as in Sri Lanka.
It also describes his repulsion of an alliance of the Gangas, the Pallavas, the Cholas and others at Kudamukku (
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam (formerly spelt as Coombaconum or Combaconum) or Kudanthai is a city municipal corporation in the Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Chennai and is the headquarters of the ...
).
Invasion of Sri Lanka
The Pandya victories in Lanka are corroborated by the
''Mahavamsa''.
Srimara invaded Sri Lanka during the reign of king
Sena I of Anuradhapura
, ravaged northern countries and sacked the city of
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...
.
The king fled from his capital and took refuge in the Malaya country.
Sena was eventually forced to make terms with the Pandyas (and the Tamil forces were withdrawn from Sri Lanka).
Struggle with the Pallavas
Srimara was defeated at Tellaru (Wandiwash/
Vanthavachi, North Arcot) by an alliance led by Pallava ruler Nandivarman III. The Pallava allies were the Gangas, the Cholas and the Rashtrakutas.
[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 152-53.] The Pandyas retreated southwards into their home country (and the Pallava army even advanced as far the
Vaigai
The Vaigai is a river in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India; it passes through the towns of Theni, Dindigul and Madurai. It originates in Varusanadu Hills, the Periyar Plateau of the Western Ghats range, and flows northeast through the ...
).
However, Srimara was able defeat the Pallava alliance in a battle near Kumabakonam (the Kudamaukku, c. 859 AD).
Srimarara was then defeated by the
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana dynasty, with whom they had formerly served as f ...
king Nripatunga in the battle of Arichil.
Rise of the Cholas
Chola
Vijayalaya captured the city 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 ...
some time before 850 AD. The flight with the Muttarayars of Tanjore, probably owing allegiance to the Pandyas at this time, meant weakening of the Pandya influence north the Kaveri River.
[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 167.] This also strengthened the Pallava position in the region.
Late setbacks
While the Pandya was concentrating his attention in the north against the Pallavas, the Sri Lankan king
Sena II (successor of Sena I)
attacked and sacked the city of
Madurai
Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration i ...
.
According to the Lankan sources, the invading king had allied himself with a rebel Pandya prince.
[Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1929) ''The Pandyan Kingdom.''London, Luzac and Company. 69-70.]
Army commanders of Sena II installed prince
Varaguna II on the Pandya throne (Srimara Srivallabha is believed to have died in injuries sustained in battle).
Notes
References
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{{Authority control
Pandyan dynasty
Pandyan kings
9th-century Indian monarchs