The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c12.92

v1.c12.92

There had been occasional fights between Travancore and the Pandyas from the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the first half, Chera Udaya Marthanda Varma had captured all the south-eastern possessions of Travancore on the Tinnevelly side which, he said, had been taken from his predecessors by the Pandya king. This Chera Udaya often resided at Valliyur and Chera Maha Devi, in the newly conquered territories 1. The Balabhagavatam records the campaign of another Raja of Travancore against the Pandya kingdom in which he was aided by Chinna Timma, a Prince of the Aravidu family who received the title of Tiruvadi Rajyasthapanacharya 2. The monarch of Travancore who received in his territory the insurgent Sellapa and afterwards invaded the Pandyan dominions, was Bhutala Sri Vira Udaya Marthanda Varma (1494-1535) of the Tirupattur branch. He had previously exacted tribute from Ceylon, and used to keep a corps of three hundred female archers 3. With the aid of Sellapa and taking advantage of the decease of the Emperor, which Nuniz speaks of, 4 Marthanda Varma over ran a large part of the Pandya country consisting practically of the whole present district of Tinnevelly 5. The Tumbichchi Nayaka Kumaralinga, (1502-1535), whose rebellion is recorded in these years, probably joined the invaders against the neighbouring Pandya 6. This unfortunate ruler was Srivallabhadeva, the son of Ahavarama 7. He was unable to challenge the allies and retreated without giving battle to the enemy. No encounter is mentioned anywhere between these parties. But he appealed at the same time to the Vijayanagara Emperor for help.