A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c17.78

c17.78

At this juncture Rāma Rāya ordered his cousin China Timma to lead a large army south and evolve order out of this chaos. Chandragiri was first wrested from the rebels; then the Chola country was entered and the fort of Bhuvanagiri stormed. Marching thence along the coast and crossing the Kaveri, the expedition reached the port of Nagore where a temple of Ranganātha which had suffered ruin at the hands of the Catholics was restored; and the local chiefs of Tanjore and the Pudukkōṭṭai territory were reduced to subjection and arrears of tribute taken from them. Farther south still, the displaced Pāndya was restored to his kingdom and the pride of Bettumperumal, the chief of Kayattār and Tuticorin, crushed. The forces of the ‘Five Tiruvadis’ of Travancore were met at Tovala Pass, beaten and dispersed; the rest of Travancore was invaded and its defeated ruler (‘Iniquitibirim’) was received into favour and set to rule over much of the territory that had earlier been his. China Timma worshipped at the shrine of Padmanābha at Trivandrum, set up a pillar of victory at Cape Comorin and then returned to the capital leaving his brother Vitthala, who had rendered yeoman service throughout the campaign, in charge of the conquered territory.