The Pandyan Kingdom from the Earliest Times to the Sixteenth Century c18.6

c18.6

The story as given by Wassaf is this: ‘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 709 H (A.D. 1310) and placed the crown on his head in the city of Mardi (Madura). He induced the troops who were there to support his interests, and conveyed some of the royal treasures which were deposited there to the city of Mankul, and he himself accompanied, marching on, attended in royal pomp with the elephants, horses, and treasures. Upon this his brother Tira Pandi, being resolved on avenging his father’s blood, followed to give him battle, and on the margin of a lake which, in their language, they call Talachi, the opponents came to action. Both the brothers, each ignorant of the fate of the other, fled away; but Tira Pandi being unfortunate, and having been wounded, fell into the hands of the enemy, and seven elephant-loads of gold also fell to the lot of the army of Sundar Pandi.