The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c19.s5.t5.1

c19.s5.t5.1

From Dwarasamudra Kafur marched to the Pandya kingdom which lay in the extreme south of the Dakhin peninsula. The succession to the throne of this kingdom was disputed between two brothers, named, Sundara Pandya and Vira Pandya. Sundara Pandya, who was defeated by his brother, Vira Pandya, had gone to Delhi and sought Ala-ud-din's help for the recovery of his throne. That was why Kafur had ventured to advance rapidly into an unknown region. He reached Madura which was abandoned by the ruler, Vira Pandya. Kafur plundered the place and destroyed its chief temple and then proceeded eastwards to the sea-coast. He reached Rameshwaram on the island of Pamban, where he destroyed the great temple and built a mosque and named it after Ala-uddin. After these exploits he returned to Delhi in 1311 with enormous spoils "which included 312 elephants, 20,000 horses, 2,750 pounds of gold, equal in value to ten crores of *tankas* and chests of jewels. No such booty had ever before been brought to Delhi."