1838.] Account of Tondaman in Conjeveram. 399 



These excavations are stated to be of various fashions, and sizes ; 

 and some have the appearance of being tombs of great or distinguished 

 men. Tradition states, that great wealth was most certainly discovered 

 and carried away, from some of these excavations. 



Section 2. An account of Tondaman Chakraverti in the district 

 of Cdnchi (Conjeveram J, 



There were forty-four generations previously of the Chola race, who 

 were persons of self-government, but the last of them Kulottunga 

 Cholan (who had only a son and a daughter), having killed the son 

 of C a mb an the poet, the latter killed the king's son, and the king 

 afterwards formed an intercourse with one of the female attendants of his 

 court, and had privately a son by her, who was named Nagi naga rat- 

 tan am. The child was exposed in a golden vessel on the banks of 

 the Caveri river, and was discovered by the Brdhmans, and head offi- 

 cers of the king, who recommended it to the king for protection, as 

 being like him ; and from an adonda flower being near the child they 

 called it Adondai. The king gave it in charge to his queen, to rear it 

 up ; who readily undertook the task. The king's Mantiri (or minister) 

 was alone somewhat instructed in the secret. The child proved to be 

 possessed of heroic qualities, On consulting how to give him a king- 

 dom, an eye was cast on the country northward, wherein the Curum- 

 bar had constructed twenty-four forts, being an immense forest (wild 

 or open place). Kulottunga Chola fought with the wild people (Cw- 

 rumbnr) ; but could not conquer them. Adondai' his illegitimate son, 

 with a great army, fell on them, and conquered them to extermination. 

 Kulottunga then came; and, having the forest cleared, founded the dis- 

 tinguished town of Canchi puram, in which he built a fane, and dug a 

 channel for the river Pdlar to flow through, or near, it. There being a 

 deficiency of inhabitants, Kulottunga gave his minister much wealth ; 

 who, going to other countries, brought men and women, and had them 

 married together, according to their respective tribes or castes. By 

 way of affixing a stigma on the newly conquered country, the minister 

 recommended that it should be called Tonda mandalam, " the land 

 of slaves." But the king, without penetrating his minister's design, 

 called it Tondai-mandalam ; and gave it to his illegitimate son Adon- 

 dai ; who was accordingly crowned in Canchi; and, as he had con- 

 quered the ferocious people, the former inhabitants, he acquired the 

 additional epithet of Chakraverti. From that time the former name of 

 the country ( Curumbar b'humij became extinct. 



Remarks. This short paper has its value, as being a brief and 

 unvarnished account of an historical fact ; otherwise variously and 



