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Vijayalaya was the Chola king of South India who captured Thanjavur during c. 848 C.E. and re-established the Chola dynastic rule.

The Dark Age of Cholas

The ancient Chola kingdom once famous in Tamil literature and in the writings of Greek merchants and geographers faded in to darkness after c 300 C.E. The Tamil country was invaded by a non-Tamil people from the north and north-west. These people – known as Kalabhras – are a mystery to historians. Their origin is unknown. It has been speculated that they were adherers to Jainism and later to Buddhism. Kalabhras subjugated the Tamil country after defeating the ancient Chola, Chera and Pandya kings. There is scant evidence either from literature or from archaeology regarding these people.

Cholas during this period almost completely disappeared from their native land. They seem to have held on to their old capital city of Urayur. This 'dark' age of Tamil history came to an end with the ascendency of the Pandyas and the Pallavas. The Cholas had to wait for another three centuries until the accession of Vijayala in the second quarter of the ninth century to re-establish their dynasty.

Cholas under Pandyas and Pallavas

We know very little of the fate of the Cholas in this long interval. What is certain however is that when the power of Cholas fell to the lowest ebb and that of the Pandyas and Pallavas rose the north and South of them, this ancient dynasty was compelled to seek refuge and patronage under their more successful rivals. The Chola princes probably sought employment as vassals under these more powerful kingdoms.

The Rise of Vijayalaya

Making use of the opportunity during a war between Pandyas and Pallavas, Vijayalaya rose out of obscurity and captured Thanjavur in 848 C.E.

It is not stated in any of the records, who Vijayalaya defeated to capture Tanjavur. During the 8th century Tanjore was ruled by a family of chiefs known as the Muttaraiyans. Historians have suggested that they may have belongs to the Pandya clan. At this time there was a great struggle going on between the Pallavas and the Pandyas for the political supremacy of South India. In this disturbed state of affairs, Vijayalaya seems to have found a good opportunity to defeat the Muttaraiyan chiefs, and make himself the ruler of Tanjore and the surrounding Chola country.

The Pandyan Invasion

After Vijayalaya’s capture of Thanjavur, the Pandya king Varagunavarman II (c. 862 C.E. – 885 C.E.) became a subordinate ally of the Pallava Nandivarman III (c. 846 C.E. – 869 C.E.). Nandhivarman wished to curtail the growing influence of Chola power under Vijayalaya and called upon the Varagunavarman to help suppress Vijayalaya. Varaguna led an expedition into the Chola country. The Pandyan army reached the north bank of the Kaveri near Thanjavur and for a while the Chola revival looked short lived. Vijayalaya, by this time a veteran of many battles, was aging and was an invalid. The crown prince Aditya I took control of the army in the defence of the Chola kingdom. Vijayalaya was succeeded after his death c 871 C.E. by his son Aditya I.

Inscriptions of Vijayalaya

The Tiruvalangadu plates state that Vijayalaya captured the city of Tanjavur and made it his capital and that he also built in it a temple to the goddess Nisumbhasudani (Durga). The Kanyakumari inscription states that he renovated the city of Tanjore.

Vijayalaya took the title of Parakesarivarman. Chola kings succeeding him took the titles of Parakesari and Rajakesai in turns. This is probably to acknowledge their supposed ancestors Parakesari and Rjakesari.

References

• Tamil And Sanskrit Inscriptions Chiefly Collected In 1886 - 87, E. Hultzsch, Ph.D., Published by Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi
• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).

• Ruling clans of India
• Historical empires of India
• Indian monarchs
• Cholas