Karunakara Thondaiman
Encyclopedia
Karunakara Thondaiman alias Karunakara Pallavaraiyan alias Karunakaran was the Pallavan king, the prime minister and the undaunted general of Ko Rajakesarivarman Abaya Kulottunga Chola. He had sacked Lanka and Kalinga to show his loyalty to his king. He is the much celebrated, larger than life hero of Jayamkondar's
poem and war-song Kalinkkattuparani. After the period of Kulottunga Chola I, he continued to serve as the prime minister of the former's son Vikrama Chola
as well.
very briefly touches on his birth.
n vassal of the Chola kingdom during the reign of Kulottunga Chola I had betrayed the Chola sovereign and had pledged allegiance to the Sinhala king in order to become the sole ruler of the Chola province in Ceylon. When this was brought to the attention of Kulottunga Chola I, the furious king had termed the traitor - Siva Drohin figuratively meaning traitor of the (Saivite) Cholas. Karunakara Thondaiman took this opportunity to show his loyalty and went on to plunder Lanka. The Karunakara Pillaiyar temple in the Jaffna peninsula was built after him. The Thondaiman aaru (river) in Ceylon was also named after him.
, a young prince then, had tagged along to learn the ropes of war as Karunakara Thondaiman went on to create history in the process.
An excerpt from the parani:
According to tradition and the Vaishnava point of view, the god on the hill (Tirupati) had parted with his conch and the Sudarshana chakra
to Karunākara Perumāl, the conqueror of Kalinga
and the true hero of the Kalingathuparani. Karunakara Thondaiman defeated the Kalinga armies of Anantavarman and planted a pillar of victory in Kalinga (modern day Orissa
). Anantavarman fled, never to be found again. The war is described by Jayamkondar
, the poet-laureate of Kulottunga Chola I in graphic detail in the poem Kalinkkattuparani. Here is an excerpt:
Having thus laid waste the whole of the sea-coast kingdom of Kalinga, and planting there a pillar of victory,
Karunakara Thondaiman, the lord of Vandaiyar, returns and lays at the feet of his master all the spoils of war
Vandaiyar, now identified with Vandalur is an area in Chennai
, Tamil Nadu
.
Jayamkondar
Jayamkondar is the poet laureate of Kulottunga Chola I. He is renowned for the poem Kalingattu parani, in which he describes the Chola-Kalinga war and celebrates the victory of the Chola king.-See also:*Chola*Karunakara Thondaiman...
poem and war-song Kalinkkattuparani. After the period of Kulottunga Chola I, he continued to serve as the prime minister of the former's son Vikrama Chola
Vikrama Chola
Kōpparakēsarivarman Vikrama Chola was a 12th century king of the Chola empire. He succeeded his father Kulothunga Chola I to the throne in 1120 C.E. A insscription of his from Sidlaghatta in Karnataka mentions the Saka date 1042...
as well.
Personal life
Thondaiman was born as a Pallavan prince and became the prime minister and a vassal of Kulottunga Chola I. He is married to one Alagiyamanavalini Mangai Ālvār. Another notable member of his family is his brother, Pallavaraiyan who also accompanies him to Kalinga. His brother is the flag bearer and it is he who hoists the flag at the pillar of victory in Kalinga. The KalingathuparaniKalingattuparani
Kalingattuparani is a 12th century Tamil poem and a war song by Jayamkondar, celebrating the victory of Kulottunga Chola I over the Kalinga king, Anantavarman Chodaganga in the Chola-Kalinga war. It gives a vivid and a graphic description of battle scenes. It is hailed as one of the master-pieces...
very briefly touches on his birth.
Lankan War
The Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n vassal of the Chola kingdom during the reign of Kulottunga Chola I had betrayed the Chola sovereign and had pledged allegiance to the Sinhala king in order to become the sole ruler of the Chola province in Ceylon. When this was brought to the attention of Kulottunga Chola I, the furious king had termed the traitor - Siva Drohin figuratively meaning traitor of the (Saivite) Cholas. Karunakara Thondaiman took this opportunity to show his loyalty and went on to plunder Lanka. The Karunakara Pillaiyar temple in the Jaffna peninsula was built after him. The Thondaiman aaru (river) in Ceylon was also named after him.
Kalinga War
The Kalinga kingdom was then ruled by the Chalukya emperor Anantavarman Chodaganga. When Kulottunga Chola I held his court at Kanchi, it was brought to his attention that Anantavarman had failed to pay tribute on two occasions to the Chola sovereign. This was taken as a sign of slight for not recognizing the Chola superiority and the King dispatched Karunakara Thondaiman to bring the Chalukya to his knees. Kulottunga Chola I stayed back at Kanchi, directing the war while ordering Karunakara Thondaiman to capture Anantavarman alive. Vikrama CholaVikrama Chola
Kōpparakēsarivarman Vikrama Chola was a 12th century king of the Chola empire. He succeeded his father Kulothunga Chola I to the throne in 1120 C.E. A insscription of his from Sidlaghatta in Karnataka mentions the Saka date 1042...
, a young prince then, had tagged along to learn the ropes of war as Karunakara Thondaiman went on to create history in the process.
An excerpt from the parani:
According to tradition and the Vaishnava point of view, the god on the hill (Tirupati) had parted with his conch and the Sudarshana chakra
Sudarshana Chakra
The Sudarshana Chakra is a spinning, disk-like super weapon with 108 serrated edges used by Lord Vishnu. The Sudarshana Chakra is portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds a Shankha in his left rear hand, a Gada in his right fore hand, and a Padma in his left...
to Karunākara Perumāl, the conqueror of Kalinga
Kalinga
Kalinga is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north...
and the true hero of the Kalingathuparani. Karunakara Thondaiman defeated the Kalinga armies of Anantavarman and planted a pillar of victory in Kalinga (modern day Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
). Anantavarman fled, never to be found again. The war is described by Jayamkondar
Jayamkondar
Jayamkondar is the poet laureate of Kulottunga Chola I. He is renowned for the poem Kalingattu parani, in which he describes the Chola-Kalinga war and celebrates the victory of the Chola king.-See also:*Chola*Karunakara Thondaiman...
, the poet-laureate of Kulottunga Chola I in graphic detail in the poem Kalinkkattuparani. Here is an excerpt:
Having thus laid waste the whole of the sea-coast kingdom of Kalinga, and planting there a pillar of victory,
Karunakara Thondaiman, the lord of Vandaiyar, returns and lays at the feet of his master all the spoils of war
Vandaiyar, now identified with Vandalur is an area in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
.