The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c15.s2.t3.59.3

v2.c15.s2.t3.59.3

The outstanding events of the campaign are briefly described in an undated epigraph at Nāyanipalli in the Guntur district. The Kākatīya army set out, according to this record, on an expedition charged with the conquest of the southern countries.⁴ It reduced Nellore to ashes, played a game of ball with the heads of all its opponents who had joined the Padihāris Bayyana and Tikkana, and having entered Draviḷa-maṇḍala captured Kulōttuṅga Rājēndra Chōḍa and received a gift of elephants from the king of Nellore. The Kulōttuṅga Rājēndra Chōḍa referred to in this inscription is believed by some to have been identical with the Chōḷa king, Rājēndra Chōḷa III, and if so, he must have been a different person from the prince of the same name whom Malyāla Hemādri Reḍḍi defeated in Kaliṅga in A.D. 1237.⁵ However this may be, it must have been during the course of this expedition that Manuma Siddhi II defeated at Prāyēṟu, i.e. Palaiyāṟu in the Tanjore district, the combined armies of the kings of Drāviḍa and Karṇāṭaka and of Vijaya-Gaṇḍagōpala.⁶ Although Tikkana claims entire credit for this victory for his master, the part played by the Kākatīya army cannot justly be overlooked. If it was Rājēndra Chōḷa III who was taken prisoner by Gaṇapati, as contended by some, it is more likely that he fell into the hands of the enemy after his defeat at Palaiyāṟu than at any other time or place.