South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c9.5

c9.5

Māravarman Sundara Pāṇḍya I.—The succeeding Pāṇḍyan, Māravarman Sundara Pāṇḍya, whose reign began in 1216 and continued to 1239, and his successor Māravarman Sundara Pāṇḍya II, whose reign commenced in A.D. 1238 and lasted on to A.D. 1255, take up the period of rule of Kulottunga III’s successors Rājarāja III and Rājendra III and of the life time of the Hoysala Vīra Somēśvara who ruled from Kaṇṇanūr, near Śrīrangam, the whole of the Hoysala empire.¹ During this period, the Pāṇḍyas recovered much of their lost power and prestige. Māravarman Sundara I seems to have carried on a successful invasion of the Chola territory capturing the country round Tanjore and Uraiyūr. He claims to have defeated the Cholas taken their country and made ‘a present of it’ again. He then proceeded to Chidambaram, and after worshipping God Naṭarāja there, performed the anointment of heroes at Muḍikoṇḍaśolapuram.² So much is clearly stated in an inscription from Tirukkōḷūr in the Tinnevelly district where this Sundara Pāṇḍya is said to have lowered ‘the tiger and the bow flag’, burnt down Tanjore and Uraiyūr and having turned out the Chola into the forest, anointed himself in the ‘thousand-pillared hall’, of the Cholas. He then proceeded further north putting an end to the other kings, till he reached Chidambaram, when the Chola came with his wives and children begging for his protection. On his submission, the Pāṇḍya bestowed upon the Chola his crown. Then there came to him the ruler of the north and south Kongus with whom he returned to Madura. He settled the boundary dispute between them and sent them back contented. The ungrateful Chola now undertook an invasion against the Pāṇḍya. Defeating the army of the Cholas and killing their chief, he again performed the anointment of heroes at Muḍikoṇḍaśolapuram. This is a free translation of the preamble of the inscription of the year 20 of Māravarma Sundara Pāṇḍya ¹ published in the *Sen-Tamil*, volume xii, pages 346 to 350. This date would correspond to the year A.D. 1236–37.