226 
ON THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS 
spread legend connects the name witli the prince Adonda 
Cola. As the destruction of the Kurumhas is attributed to 
this popular hero, an account of his origin will not be out 
of place here. The following story is found in several MSS. 
of the Mackenzie Collection : 
" In Colamandalam ruled 44 descendants of the ancient 
Cola Eajas. The last was Kulottunga Cola, who had by his 
queen two children, a daughter and a son. Kulottunga Cola 
killed the son of the poet Kamban, and Kamban killed in 
revenge the son of the king. At the royal entertainments of 
the court there was dancing for some time a beautiful girl 
Ndkinagaratna vidth whom the king fell in love. But as 
Kulottunga felt that he would lose the esteem of the people if 
he allowed his passion to transgress public decency, he kept 
his affection a great secret and used a servant girl Umdpati 
to arrange meetings between Nakinagaratna and himself. 
In course of time a boy was born, whom Umapati dressed 
in a silk gown and put in a golden basket with Adonda 
flowers round him. She then placed the basket on the bank 
of the Kaveri, near the spot where the king generally bathed. 
All this was done by the order of the king. When the king 
came afterwards with his Brahmans and corn-tiers to the 
river they heard a child cry, and, on approaching nearer, 
they saw it and said to the king : ' 0 king, as you forgave 
Kamban who killed youi- son, God presents to you this 
wonderful child on the bank of the Kaveri. The child 
resembles you, and is worthy to become the ruler of the 
"3 In the Tondamandalam Colamaridaliim-Panfit/amantalam, old Xo. 241, 
CM. 66. This work is said to have been compiled by VfdaiwvaloiK a 
Christian poet of Tanjore. iSee Taylor's Catalogue Saisonne, toI. III. pp. 
41, 42. This work is copied in No. 7, CM., 761, Section III (Taylor, vol. 
Ill, p. 370). A somewhat similar account is contained in No. 14, CM. 
768, Section II ; in the new copy in the vol. II, pp. 65-67, and in Taylor, 
vol. Ill, pp. 426, 427 ; and also in No. 15, CM. 769, I., new copy, vol. I, 
p. 125. 
I need not specially point out the inaocurscie? contained in this report, for 
they are too evident, as. cp., the foundation of Kafici by KulOttufiga Cola. 
