Arinjaya Chola

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Arinjaya Chola
Parakesari
Reign956-957 CE
PredecessorGandaraditya
SuccessorParantaka Chola II
BornUnknown
Thanjavur
DiedAarur (Tiruvarur)
QueenKalyani
Viman Kundaviyar
Kothai Pirattiyar
IssueParantaka Chola II (Sundara Chola)
FatherParantaka I
ReligionHinduism
List of Chola kings and emperors
Early Cholas
Interregnum (c. 200 – c. 848)
Medieval Cholas
Vijayalaya 848–871?
Aditya I 871–907
Parantaka I 907–955
Rajaditya Chola 935–949
Gandaraditya 949–962
Arinjaya 955–966
Parantaka II (Sundara) 962–980
Aditya II (Karikala) 966–971
Uttama 971–987
Rajaraja I 985–1014
Rajendra I 1012–1044
Rajadhiraja 1018–1054
Rajendra II 1051–1063
1060–1063
Virarajendra 1063–1070
Athirajendra 1067–1070
Later Cholas
Kulothunga I 1070–1120
Vikrama 1118–1135
Kulothunga II 1133–1150
Rajaraja II 1146–1173
Rajadhiraja II 1166–1178
Kulothunga III 1178–1218
Rajaraja III 1216–1256
Rajendra III 1246–1279
Related dynasties
Telugu Chodas of Andhra
Chodagangas of Kalinga
Nidugal Cholas of Karnataka
Rajahnate of Cebu
Chola society
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Arinjaya Chola was a Tamil ruler of the Chola kingdom. He was the third son of Parantaka I and the younger brother of Gandaraditya Chola, whom he is thought to have succeeded in about 956.[1] Arinjaya seems to have ruled for a very short time.[2]

Recent scholarship suggests that Arinjaya was the son of a Chera Perumal princess (hence a half-brother to prince Rajaditya).[3]

Other names[]

Arinjaya is also referred to by the names Arikulakesari, Arikesari, or Arindama. His name is mentioned in some of Gandaraditya's inscriptions as Alvar Arikulakesarideva.[4]

Paucity of information[]

There is some confusion regarding whether Arinjaya actually succeeded Gandaraditya. Some historians doubt whether Arinjaya ruled on his own right. There is little epigraphic evidence available to give us any concrete information on Arinjaya's rule. What we know now is partly speculative and partly informed extrapolations of known facts.[5]

Gandaraditya probably made his younger brother co-regent very early in his rule. It is also very probable that Gandaraditya did not have any heir until very late in his life. As a result, he must have made Arinjaya heir apparent and paved the way for Arinjaya's heirs to the line of succession to the Chola crown.

Personal life[]

We can gather a good deal information from the epigraphs left behind by his peers. He was married to a Vaidumba princess called Kalyani, who bore him Sundara Chola.[6] Yet another queen was Boothi Aditya Pidari, the daughter of Tennavan Irukkuvel alias Maravan Boothi.[7] She founded the Chandrasekara temple in Tiruchendurai. This Tennavan Irukkuvel alias Boothi has been identified with none other than Boothi Vikramakesari the builder of the Moovar Koil temple.[8]

Death and succession[]

Arinjaya died c. 957 in a place called Arrur, which is possibly present-day Tiruvarur. From an inscription found near Melpadi in north Tamil Nadu, we learn that Rajaraja Chola I erected a Siva temple called Arinjisvara as a tomb-shrine in memory of his grandfather Arinjaya who was also known as "Arrur tunjina devan".[2]

Arinjaya was succeeded by his son Parantaka Chola II (Sundara Chola). Two of his wives Viman Kundaviyar and Kodai Pirattiyar seem to have survived him and made gifts to temples in Arinjaya's name during Parantaka II's reign.

Inscription[]

Arinjaya figures in some of the inscriptions of his father Parantaka. Here is an excerpt,

..records a gift of 40 Ilakasu(equivalent of 20 Kalanju of gold) and 10 kalanju of gold by Parantakan Arikulakesari, the son of Cholaperumaanadigal for burning a perpetual lamp in the temple of Mahadeva in Tiruneyttanam[9]

Yet another one from a temple in Tiruvorriyur is as follows,

On the eleventh slab. Records in the 30th year of Maduraikonda Parakesarivarman(Parantaka) dated in his 30th year, gift of gold for a lamp by Arindigai-perumanar, son of Chola-Perumanadigal (i.e Parantaka), to the god Siva at Adhigrama.[10]

Notes[]

  1. ^ S. Swaminathan. The early Chōḷas history, art, and culture. Sharada Pub. House, 1998. p. 78.
  2. ^ a b International Association of Tamil Research, International Institute of Tamil Studies (1978). Journal of Tamil Studies, Issues 14-18. International Institute of Tamil Studies. p. 53.
  3. ^ George Spencer, ‘Ties that Bound: Royal Marriage Alliance in the Chola Period’, Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Asian Studies (Hong Kong: Asian Research Service, 1982), 723.
  4. ^ Archaeological Survey of India, India. Dept. of Archaeology (1982). Epigraphia Indica, Volume 15. Manager of Publications. p. 51.
  5. ^ N. Subrahmanian (1978). History of Tamilnad: To A.D. 1565. Koodal Publishers. p. 165.
  6. ^ International Association of Tamil Research, International Institute of Tamil Studies (1976). Journal of Tamil Studies, Issues 9-10. International Institute of Tamil Studies. p. 78.
  7. ^ Museums Association of India (1964). Journal of Indian Museums, Volumes 17-20. Museums Association of India. p. 13.
  8. ^ D. Raphael (1996). Temples of Tamil Nadu, Works of Art. Fast Print. Service. p. 226.
  9. ^ T. V. Mahalingam (1992). A Topographical List of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States: Thanjavur District. Indian Council of Historical Research. p. 621.
  10. ^ South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 57

References[]

  • Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
  • Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
Preceded by Chola
956–957 CE 		Succeeded by
Sundara Chola
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