Vikrama Chola, known as Kō Parakēsari Varman, was a 12th-century ruler ( r. c. 1118–1135 CE[ The Cōḷas. 62-63.]) of the Chola in southern India. He succeeded his father Kulothunga I ( r. c. 1070–1120 CE) to the throne.[ The History and Culture of the Indian People: The struggle for empire, page 245] Vikrama Chola was crowned as the heir-apparent by his father early in his life. He was appointed as viceroy of the Vengi province in 1089 CE, succeeding his brother Rajaraja Chodaganga. Vikrama during his tenure successfully managed to check the ambitions of the Western Chalukya Vikramaditya VI on the Vengi.Vikrama Chola inherited the territories which included Tamil Nadu and some parts of Andhra Pradesh.
In 1118 CE, the aging Kulothunga recalled Vikrama Chola from Vengi to the south to appoint him as his co-regent. He assumed many of the titles of his father including Rajakesari when he was a co-regent. He subsequently switched to Parakesari when he ascended the throne.[ History of Indian administration: Volume 2]
Early life
Vikrama Chola was the fourth son of Kulothunga I. He was a younger brother of Vira Chola who was the third son of Kulothunga I. The
Tamil language inscriptions of Vikrama Chola confirm that he left the north for the south (of the Chola kingdom) before he was crowned king.
[ Epigraphy by Archaeological Survey of India. Southern Circle, page 4.]
Accession
.Vikrama Chola was crowned as the heir-apparent by his father early in his life. He was appointed as viceroy of the Vengi province in 1089 CE, succeeding his brother Rajaraja Chodaganga. Vikrama during his tenure successfully managed to check the ambitions of the Western Chalukya Vikramaditya VI on the Vengi kingdom.
In 1118 CE, the aging Kulothunga recalled Vikrama Chola from Vengi to the south to appoint him as his co-regent. He assumed many of the titles of his father including Rajakesari when he was a co-regent. He subsequently switched to Parakesari when he ascended the throne.
Military campaigns
Kalinga expedition
While he was still a crown prince, Vikrama led an expedition to the
Odisha country on behalf of his father (1110 CE). The Kalinga war is also referred to in the inscriptions and in the epic
Vikkiramacholan Ula. Here is an excerpt of his inscription (
Grantha script and
Tamil language) from Chintamani,
Karnataka mentioning the decimation of Kalinga while he was still a co-regent of his father. The same inscription also mentions the conquest of Kadal Malai, the seaport at the very edge of Mahabalipuram. Generally his inscription begin with-
svasti sri Pū-mādu Punara Puvi-mādu valara Nā-mādu vilanga..:
He seems to have ascended the throne sometime prior to his 10th year for we have a similar Tamil language inscription of his from Srinivaspur, Karnataka that gives him the title Parakesari. The title of his chief queen Mukkōkilānadigal ( Queen of the Three Worlds) is also mentioned. We also have the Saka Era date 1049:
Recovery of Vengi
Vikrama Chola was crowned as the heir-apparent by his father early in his life. He was appointed as viceroy of the Vengi province in 1089 CE, succeeding his brother Rajaraja Chodaganga. Vikrama during his tenure successfully managed to check the ambitions of the Western Chalukya Vikramaditya VI on the Vengi kingdom.
In 1118 CE, the aging Kulothunga recalled Vikrama Chola from Vengi to the south to appoint him as his co-regent. He assumed many of the titles of his father including Rajakesari when he was a co-regent. He subsequently switched to Parakesari when he ascended the throne.[ Ancient India: Collected Essays on the Literary and Political History of Southern India by Sakkottai Krishnaswami Aiyangar p.233]After Vikramaditya's death in 1126, the Cholas began a slow process of encroachment over Vengi. By 1133 Vikrama Chola was able to re-capture Vengi from Vikramaditya VI's mild son Someshvara III.[Sastri (1955), pp.175-176][Kamath (1980), p.105][Sen (1999), pp.386-387]
Recovery of Kerala
Corrections by M. G. S. Narayanan (1972) on K. A. Nilakanta Sastri (1955, revised ed.) are employed.
Vikrama Chola also oversaw the Chola recovery of the medieval Chera kingdom (in present-day Kerala) between c. 1102 and c. 1118 AD.[Narayanan, M. G. S. Perumals of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013 1972. 125-28.] The last Chera ruler of Kerala, Rama Kulashekhara, is fondly remembered by a Chera princess in a record dated in the regnal years of Vikrama Chola from the Thiruvalanjuli temple (1122 AD).
Personal life
Vikrama Chola was a great devotee of
Shiva and greatly patronised the temple at
Chidambaram. In 1128 CE he signalled his devotion by allocating the entire revenue of the year to the upgrade and extension of the temple. He had the main
Vimana of the temple and the roofs of the passages around the main deity covered with gold. He had a palace built near the temple and spent much of his time there. We have many important people making donations to various temples during his reign. The most characteristic title of Vikrama Chola was
Tyagasamudra – the ocean of sacrifice, which is found in his inscriptions and in
Vikramacholan Ula. We know the titles of three of his queens: Mukkōkilānadigal, Tyagapataka and Neriyan Madeviyar. Of his sons we only know of Kulothunga Chola II who succeeded him on the throne.
Religious contribution
Vikrama Chola built a Siva temple at Ulagalanda Chola Mangalam (now renamed as Kalavai in Vellore district). This temple sivan is suyambu. A nataraja statue was made by pancha-loha, similar to Chithambaram Nataraja statue. Kovil's outer wall was constructed using green stones (patchai kal).
Officials
General
Naralokaviran alias Ponnambalakuttan continued to serve Vikrama Chola after Kulottunga I.
One of the vassals in the Andhra country was Madhurantaka Pottapi Chola, the son of Siddharasa. The officer claimed descent from the legendary
Karikala Chola who raised the banks of Kaveri in epigraphs (Carana saroruha etc.).
Epigraphs
A Tamil inscription of the king from
Sidlaghatta district, dated in the second year of his reign and beginning with
Pumagal Punara, states that Udayamartanda Brahmamarayan, an officer of the king with his residence in Arulmolideva Chaturvedimangalam, and who was well versed in Tamil, built the temple of Somesvarar in the village of Sugattur in Kaivara nadu. Vikrama Chola is called Pulivendan
Koliyar kula Pati alias Rajayyar Vikrama Choladeva.
Notes
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Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1935). The Cōḷas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
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Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).
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The History and Culture of the Indian People: The Struggle for Empire By Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Bhāratīya Itihāsa Samiti
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Epigraphia Carnatica, Volume 10, Part 1 by Benjamin Lewis Rice, Mysore (India: State). Archaeological Dept, Mysore Archaeological Survey
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Epigraphy By Archaeological Survey of India. Southern Circle
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History of Indian Administration: Volume 2 by Baij Nath Puri
