The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.206

v1.c16.206

As the Mēṟpāḍi inscription of the same king, dated in his 9th year, does not contain any account of those conquests,² it has been assumed with some probability that these victories were obtained in the course of some expeditions undertaken between the 9th and 13th years of his reign.³ Rājendra Cola I, ascended the throne between the 27th March and the 7th July, A.D. 1012.⁴ It may therefore be suggested that this northern expedition probably took place roughly between 1021 and 1025 A.D. There are some differences of opinion about the identification of the countries and princes mentioned in the above quotation. But there is general agreement amongst scholars in accepting the identification of Mahīpāla of the Tirumalai inscription with the first prince of that name in the Pāla list.¹ The identifications of *Oḍḍa-Viṣaya* with modern Orissa and of *Kośalai-nāḍu* with Southern Kośala (the upper valley of the Mahanadi and its tributaries), first suggested by Hultzsch, are also generally accepted.² But there are differences of opinion about *Takkaṇa-lāḍam* and *Uttira-lāḍam*. Kielhorn in his list of *South Indian Inscriptions*³ accepted the suggestion of Hultzsch that they are to be identified with *Dakṣiṇa-Lāṭa*, and *Uttara-Lāṭa* and located in Gujarat in the Bombay Presidency. But while re-editing this inscription in 1907-08 Hultzsch accepted the view of Venkayya "that the Tamil term *Ilāḍa* does not correspond to Sanskrit *Lāṭa* (Gujrat), but to *Virāṭa* (Berar)."⁴ He would thus locate the places in Berar. I do not know whether *lāḍam* can really stand for *Ilāḍam*. Anyhow the suggestion of Mr. R. P. Chanda that *lāḍam* should be taken to stand for *Rāḍha* seems to be more in harmony with the facts.⁵ The mention of the *Vaṅgāla-deśa* after *Takkaṇa-lāḍam* and of the Ganges after *Uttara-lāḍam* appear to be favourable to this latter suggestion. The probable identification of *Taṇḍa-butti* (*Daṇḍa-Bhukti*) with the Balasore district and the Southern portion of Midnapore district,⁶ and the mention of *Uttara-Rāḍha* in Sena and Varman inscriptions seem to be additional grounds for locating the places in Western Bengal.¹