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POLITICAL HISTORY
district in Karnataka, who claimed descent from the Chola dynasty of the
with another of Sripurusha, a king of the Ganga family. The next series
_ i
of inscriptions were concentrated in Pavugada and Sira taluks. They
chiefs.
7
chiefs appeared under the head "The Cholas of Nidugal".4 The author of
this note expressed the view that the Nidugal Chola chiefs ruled between
8th and 12th century A.D. as subordinates of the Ganga? earlier, and of
appefed to show that the Chola chiefs were subordinate to the Gaiigas
chiefs ruling from Renadu and Tumkur regions assumed similar epithets
was inclined to believe that Erigalvadi and Erigal were place names and
Also, according to him, it was from the Nidugal region that they
Pradesh.57 *
records11 and imply intrigues taking place in the region about the middle
of the 8th century A.D. As such, the area of eastern part of Madhugiri
may at best have been western peripheral region of the Telugu Cholas of
Renadu.
neighbourhood.12
9
the western parts of Anantapur district between 5th and 8th centuries
ruling the region with Nidugal as the centre, during 5th-8th centuries
(19 7 4)22 that Erigal was Nidugal and that the Renidu Cholas began their
remains a fact that the family claimed descent from Karikala Chola,23
*
central eastern and southern parts of southern Andhra in early times and
of centuries against heavy odds from the other minor chieftaincies like
those of the Banas, the Vaidumbas, the Gangas and the Nolamba
of Cholas of Erigal.
CHART ON CHOLAS OP ERIGAL
1. Kalaraalle/Kam alapuram /Cuddapah/A.P. (Eri) Kal[ M uturaju D hananjaya EC XXVII, 42, p p . 221-225
ruling R enadu, c. 575 A.D.
2. Indukuru/K am alapuram /Cuddapah/A .P. Erigal Dugarja made grant to Ins. of A.P. cd. 3
a certain Braham ana, c. 75th
cent. A.D.
3. Tippaluru/K am alapuram /C uddapah/A .P . Punyakum ira ruling Renadu with Ins. of A.P. cd. 11
C herpalli as capital,
c. 7th c. A.D.
4. V eldurti/K am alapauram /Cuddapah/A .P. Refers to Erkal M utturaju Ins. of A.P. cd. 13
(Pn^nya Kumara, 7th cent.
Telugu characterx
00
. iSravanagudi/M addagiri/Tum kur/Karnataka Refersto dealing Cholika
M uttarasa, c. 750 A.D.
(continued)
11
(C ontinued chart)
12. Sravanagudi/M addagiri/Tum kur/K arnataka Refers to death of A ditya's son EC XII, MI 101
in the battle of Tiruvur A ditya's
son was servant of Chola
D hananjaya, c. 750 A.D.
13. Sravanagudi/M addagiri/Tum kur/K arnataka Refers to Chola Dhananjaya ruling EC XII, MI 93
Erigalv5di-600, mentions three
’
p f4 i 8~8ana P^ 4*> kottavallipadi and
vallabhapadi, who lifted their
pride against volavarm a-kandakotta-
sriman, smote through m ultidue of
men, elephants and horses entered
the Svarga o f heroes, c. 750 A.D.
4
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EC XII, MI 94
'&
m
Refers to rule of Gangul and
grant made by Chola Dhananjaya
and M uttarasa.
12
13
There are various branches of Chola chiefs who ruled over the
0
Although, the origin and fall of the Cho]a dynasties is not yet traced,
Sangam fame. The following are the various Chola chiefs who ruled
It was pointed out above that one of the branches of the Cholas
capital, for nearly two centuries they had ruled from Govitidavadi and
A.D.).
branch of the Telugu Chola family,26 in which case one has to trace the
ruled over Telugu regions they are called Telugu Chola and probably
«
were the off-shoot of the Rehadu Cholas. An attempt has also been
of these Chola chiefs, which are studied, analysed and revised in the
present work. At the same time the tracing of the origin of these Chola
from the beginning indirectly reveal the principal homeland of their early
activities. A point that has been missed by previous scholars is the fact
that the chiefs are given the epithet Roddada-gova30 which term means
this ground, it may be suggested that the early activities of these Chola
by the fact that Mangarasa, the third important ruler of the dynasty, is
earliest known member of the family,34 with the Cholas of Erigal, it will
be futile to trace their descent from the latter. It can only be stated that
the family began to assume prominence in the region of Rodda from the
mandalikara-talegonda-ganda, 47 etc.
Political History
Jata
the beginning of the 11th century and that he was probably serving as a
of Hcnjeru.
17
Jata. There is at least one inscription that can be ascribed to his reign.
_ t
It comes from Kvarya32 in Sira taluk of Tumkur district. It is dated in
It is also clear that the area ruled over by them was the Govindavadi
region.
destroying the elephants, his enemies, but who those enemies were is not
known. There are two inscriptions ascribable to the period of his reign.
VI.
Bichi
the Nidugal record of Ganesvara, which eulogises him by stating that the
world became the Mdntapa (pavilion) for the dance of his fame and that
Govindarasa
was Govindarasa. No record of this chief has been found. That his wife
his inscriptions shows that he was a more important chief than his
1000.
reveal that Irungola was at daggers drawn against the Hoysala king.
plantain stems the spear of Irungola", "a sun in piercing the dense
conflict that took place in 1128. A record adds that Rodda was in the
This place was destined to play an important role in the future history of
86
inscription of his time appear to have been applied to him. The same
This shows that the Cho(a chiefs shifted their headquarters from
there was no male heir to succeed to the Nolamba throne, thereby the
«
c
political authority became vested in Chola Chief Mallideva. The fact
regnal year. His epithet Jagadekamalla also indicates that he came to the
district) dated 1178 A.D. indicates that the authority of Hoysala Ballala * »
Ballala II at least for some time. The chiefdom of Chola Mallideva had
The earlier hostile relation of the Chola chiefs with the Hoysalas
• *
could be one of the reasons for peace between the Hoysalas and the
Chola chiefs until the advent of Ballala II. From the later inscriptions it
refers to his camping near Nidugal. Obviously, the rivalry between the
Chola chiefs and the Hoysalas was revived in the reign of Irungola and it
is possible that control over some parts of the chiefdom was lost by the
Chola chief.
genealogy given in this record he was the son of Bhogi (i.e., Mallideva)
by Bijjaladevi. The same record states that he took under his possession
27
was protecting the land guarded by the ocean. This probably indicates
Tamilnad.
the Pallava, blinded the Andhras, scared the Karnataka (Hoysala ?),
frightened the Anga and Vanga kings, made the Malava king to turn his
back and get into a hole, trembled the Yadava (Seuna) king.124 In a 13th
record is dated 1232 A.D. and comes from Nidugal.126 It appears that he
shifted his capital to the Nidugal fort, since his inscription from
Nidugal129 (Tumkur district), etc., mention him ruling from that place.
As many as ten inscriptions refer to him, out of which two are from
lasting until 1277 A.D.136 His first record137 apart from recording
which must have indeed been a formidable fortress. The same record
subordinate.
A.D., also in the reign of Hoysala Narasimha III, states that the Seuna
*
nearby. Nanjayya and Gullaya are stated to have pursued the Seuna at
These two evidences clearly show that Irungola III was not only
hostile to the Hoysalas but also gave company to the Seunas in their
efforts against the Hoysalas. The Seuna ruler about this time was
Ramachandra.
# -
the name of the chief has been placed into brackets by the editor of the
belongs to Perumaladeva.
the reign of Hoysala Vira Narasimha III dated 1286 A.D. informs about
December 21st the same year, also of Hoysala Narasimha III, from
*
that the Cholas of Nidugal were clearly on the defensive and the Hoysaja
Hoysala Narasimha III must have conquered the Nidugal fort sometime
Chola150, Irungola had another son named Vira Bamma. It is not known
• •
through the same inscription mentions that one Baicha was the
possibility of his having ruled for sometime. In that case he must have
- ' 151
In 1292 A.D. Ganesvara was on the throne at Nidugal. He
was the son of Vira Bomma and grandson of Irungola III. His
inscription132 gives the genealogy of the family right from Mangi. It also
from Hosur133 (Tumkur district), dated a few months after in the same
Rajya (1st Year of his rule). The record states that in the attack on
Mopuru record refers to his rule in 1309 A.D. The chief had the
/ .
title Basava-sankara.
33
Nidugal under his control, it seems to have slipped from the hands of
inscriptions.
latter was ruling from his capital Nidugal.136 Thus, under Hoysala
Ballala III, the Nidugal fort had been handed over to a Nayaka family.
It may be noted that another record of Vira Ballala III dated 1340 A.D.
to two persons of this family, viz., Bayirajadcva and his son Ramapa-
116. Ibid.
117. Ibid., No. 40.
118. Ibid., No. 37.
119. EC XVI, TO 157.
120. EC VIII (New) HN 145.
121. Infra., Pt. II, No. 40.
122. Ibid., No. 40.
123. Ibid.
124. Ibid.
125. Ibid., No. 41.
126. Ibid., No. 43.
127. Ibid., No. 44.
128. Ibid., No. 45.
129. Ibid., No. 46.
130. Ibid., Nos. 43, 46.
131. Ibid., No. 47.
132. Ibid., Nos. 48, 49.
133. Ibid., No. 44.
134. Ibid., No. 41.
135. Ibid., No. 45.
136. Ibid., No. 53.
137. Ibid., No. 43.
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00
GENEALOGY_AND CHRONOLOGY
OF THE CHOLAS
•
OF NIDUGAL
•
I
Brahmadeva/Bhogendra/Bhogi (c. 1040 A.D.)
J
Bichi
I
Govindarasa
IrungoJa-II Bommideva-II/Brahma
(c. 1196-12i 9 A.D. (c. 1219-1225 A.D.)
Ganesvara Imngoladeva-IV
(c. 1292 A.D.) (c. 1310-1320 A.D.)
Brahmadeva-IV Nachayanayaka
(c. 1292-1310 A.D.)