The Colas c17.35

c17.35

If names are the music of history, this noble king greatly indulged his taste for this music; and what is more, he sought to make these names current coin by attaching them to new foundations or substituting them for old ones. Besides Rājarāja, Mummuḍicōḷa, Jayangoṇḍa and Arumoḷi, which became part of the names of cities (Puram), vaḷanāḍus and maṇḍalams, the king also called himself Cōḷēndrasimha, Śivapādaśēkhara, Kṣatriyaśikhāmaṇi, Jananātha, Nigarili-śōḷa, Rājēndrasimha, Cōḷamārtāṇḍa, Rājāśraya, Rāja-mārtāṇḍa, Nityavinōda, Pāṇḍyakulāśani, Kēraḷāntaka, Śingaḷāntaka, Ravikulamāṇikya, Telingakulakāla⁸⁰ and so on. Many of these names, together with those of other members of the royal family, like Kundavai, Śembiyan-mahādēvi and others often distinguished the wards (sēris) in the larger villages and towns of the Cōḷa empire.⁸¹ The regiments in the army also bore names formed out of the surnames of kings and princes.