The Pandyan Kingdom from the Earliest Times to the Sixteenth Century c18.s1.1

c18.s1.1

difference between the two brothers and was ready to plunder either as opportunity arose, and that the animosity did not abate even after Malik Kafur's invasion. It should, however, be noticed that the same historian mentions that Tira Pandi sent 'an army of horse and foot' to the assistance of the Hoysala king against Malik Kafur, and this was the only ground for Malik Kafur being more inimical to Vīra Pāṇḍya than to Sundara. On the other hand, Ziau-d-din Barni states that 'in Ma'bar there were two Rais, but all the elephants and treasure were taken from both, and the army turned homewards flushed with victory'.¹ Of the campaign in Ma'bar Amir Khusru gives a very detailed account, which, however, is not easy to follow on account of the difficulty in identifying the places mentioned by him. But like Barni, he mentions the sack and plunder of temples, resulting in the capture of great booty. He also adds that Malik Kafur and his army 'arrived at the city of Mathra (Madura), the dwelling place of the brother of the Rai Sundar Pāṇḍya. They found the city empty, for the Rai had fled with the Ranis, but had left two or three elephants in the temple of Jagnar. The elephants were captured and the temple burnt.' Both Amir Khusru who gives a detailed chronology of the campaign stage by stage and Barni seem to place the campaign a few months later than Wassaf. In fact all our authorities are agreed that the differences between Sundara Pāṇḍya and Vīra Pāṇḍya made the Pāṇḍya country an easy prey to foreign aggressors, the Hoysala Ballāla and the Muhammadan Malik Kafur; they do not suggest that Malik Kafur's invasion of Ma'bar was either caused by these differences or undertaken in the interest of one of the parties and on an appeal from him, and they say nothing as to the effects of the invasion on the relative position of the two royal brothers of the Pāndya country. There is thus no reason to suppose that Sundara Pāndya was restored to the throne of Madura and that a Muhammadan garrison was left behind in the city for his protection.¹