Rajakesari Varman,
Aditya Chola I the son of Vijayalaya Chola, was the Chola king who laid the foundation of the Chola Empire with the conquest of the Pallava Kingdom and the occupation of the Western Ganga Kingdom and Kongu Nadu.[1] Aditya Chola I was succeeded by his eldest son Parantaka Chola I.
Battle of Sripurambiyam
In 880 CE, Pandyan king Varagunavarman II invaded the Chola country to check the Pallava influence. But Varagunavarman was opposed by Aparajita, the son of Nriputungavarman Pallava, who had become yuvaraja. Aditya Chola I and Western Ganga king Prithvipati I supported Aparajita in the battle happened at Sripurambiyam. The Pandyan monarch suffered a crushing defeat, although Prithvipati I lost his life in the battle. Aditya Chola gained some new territory from his Pallava overlord after this victory.[2]
Conquest of Tondaimandalam and Kongu Nadu
Aditya Chola I did not rest content with his subordinate position. So he planned to overthrow the Pallavas. He invaded Tondai nadu in 897 CE and in a battle that ensued, he pounced upon Aparajita when he was mounted on an elephant and slew him. The whole of the Pallava kingdom now became Chola territory. The Western Ganga king Prithvipati II acknowledged the suzerainty of Aditya Chola. Aditya next conquered the Kongu Nadu from Pandyan king Parantaka Viranarayanan.[3]
Relations with the Cheras
Friendly relations appear to have existed between the Cheras (the Perumals) and the Cholas during the reign of Aditya I.[4] The Chera contemporary Sthanu Ravi was a partner in Chola king Rajakesari Varman's campaign in Kongu country (present-day central Tamil Nadu).[5] King Rajakesari Varman can be identified either with Aditya or Srikantha Chola.[6][4]
It is known that Aditya I's son, Parantaka I, married a Chera princess (the Kizhan Adikal).[7]
Death and Succession
In an inscription, Aditya I is distinguished by the epithet in Tamil:
தொண்டைமானரூர் துஞ்சின உடையார்
Thondaimaanaruur thunjina udaiyaar
"The King who died at Tondaimanarrur"
Aditya I died in 907 CE at Tondaimanarrur in Srikalahasti. His son Parantaka I built a Shiva temple over his ashes. Aditya I was survived by his queens Ilangon Pichchi and Vayiri Akkan alias Tribhuvana Madeviyar. Besides these two queens, Aditya I also had a mistress named Nangai Sattaperumanar as evidenced from an inscription.
