South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c11.9.2

c11.9.2

Sundara Pāṇḍya thus driven from the throne looked out for help and sought the assistance of the Sultan of Delhi either at head-quarters directly, or with the Naib of the Sultan, Malik Kafur, who was then in the South. Sundara’s appeal gave the occasion for interference, if such an occasion were necessary for Malik Kafur at all. This is the trend of events described by Wassaf in relation to the fratricidal war in the Pāṇḍya country. Kales Dewar, Kulaśēkhara Dēva, was a highly prosperous monarch whose rule extended over ‘forty and odd’ years, ‘during which time neither any foreign enemy entered his country, nor any severe malady confined him to bed.’ He had accumulated much wealth during this long reign so that he had in the ‘treasury of the city of Mardi’ (Madura) 1,200 crores of gold not counting the accumulation of precious stones ‘such as pearls, rubies, turquoises, and emeralds.’ ‘This fortunate and happy sovereign had two sons, the elder named Sundar Pandi, who was legitimate, his mother being joined to the Dewar by lawful marriage, and the younger named Tira Pandi, was illegitimate, his mother being one of the mistresses, who continually attended the king in his banquet of pleasure.’ ‘As Tira Pandi was remarkable for his shrewdness and intrepidity, the ruler nominated him as his successor. His brother Sundar Pandi being enraged at this supersession killed his father in a moment of rashness and undutifulness, towards the close of the year A.H. 709 (A.D.