1847.] 



Kongu-desa-rajakal. 



IT 



Bhima-raya, Amma-raya^ and other kings ; and, taking many jewels 

 and much riches, and as captives, many females of the royal apart- 

 ments, as also the golden image made to resemble Bhima-raya, and 

 coming together with his army he had an interview with the king* 

 The king being greatly rejoiced with the various acquired wealth, he 

 enlarged the temples at Chidambaram. His grandfather had built the 

 Kanaca sabha only ; but he now with the aforesaid riches erected all 

 kinds of towers, walls, mantapas, flights of steps, &c. and other mat- 

 ters : he also had all kinds of valuable ornaments made for Sabhapatl 

 (the idol) and thus performed munificent charity. Subsequently he 

 several times made the Tolaharam — (his own weight in gold) as a 

 gift to the Brahmans. He built and gave many agraharas on the 

 Cauvery, in free grant void of taxes to the Brahmans. He also 

 made some grants of land. Then the Congu-desa and Carnataca-desa 

 being subject to him he, the Maha-rqja Chola-raya, gave the name of 

 Raja-Raja-Puram to the town of Keriur, in the Talicad district, in 

 the northern part of the Congu-desa ; and he gave it to the mer- 

 chants ( Vaisyar) of Dalavan-puram ; and by their hands made agra- 

 haras for the Brahmans, and gave these to them : these Vaisyas 

 having always been accustomed to worship the divine brahmans, 

 (Deva-brahmanar.) At the same time he performed 



S S 926 A. D 



1003— 4. many other charities S. Saca 926 in the Visvavasa 



year, in the fifth day after the new moon, in the 

 Svati-nacshetra ; in this time, performing charity ; being in Tanjore 

 of the Chola kingdom, and taking tribute from many countries, he 

 protected the kingdom. 



val of 65 years. Nothing of conquest is mentioned ; and the reign of Raja-raja was parti- 

 cularly glorious. The author has left something out. He fills up the interval of 65 years 

 by transition to another race ; who, for some time at least, had nothing to do with the 

 Chola kings, and when we meet again with the Congu country it is under Palliya- 

 carar, or local chiefs ; as is always the case in unsettled periods of Peninsular history. 



I have put Raja-raja-chola in connexion with the date S. S. 926, A. D, 1003—4, but it is 

 by no means certain that the doing so is right, for there is the chasm intervening. Thus 

 it stands, " After that ****** Bhima-raya having heard this news he overcame him 

 that had come hostilely to battle and killed his son. Thereupon he went to fight again^^ 

 the Calinga-desam," The he and Mm, especially the last/te cannot be determined, by the 

 M. S. itself. A littlfe further on it is stated that the king's grandfather had built the 

 Kanaca-sabha at Uhitambaram. According to the M. S. Vira Chola did so, and there 

 are the intervening names of Desotya, Parantaca, Divi, and Hari-vari ; and then comes 

 Raja-raja. From other sources it is known, that the Chola king who fought against, 

 and conquered part of Calinga, was Kulottunga Chola, and that name, I imagine, would 

 appear had the M. S. been perfect. 



Up to this period the word Chera'desam has not even once occurred, in the original 

 Manuscript. 



G 



