Ko Kizhan Adikal

Ko Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli was the traditional title of the queens/princesses of the Chera Perumal kingdom in medieval south India.^[1][2] It was initially assumed that Kizhan Adikal was a proper given name (and not a royal title).^[1]

Chola-Chera Perumal relations (c. 9th-10th centuries AD)

The title was used by Kerala princesses (in the Tamil country) even after their marriages to Chola princes.^[3]

Records

The title appears in the following inscriptions discovered from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Records associated with the Cholas

1. "Ko Kizhan Adikal", mother of Chola prince Rajaditya, in a Tirunavalur/Tirumanallur inscription (c. 935 AD, 28th regnal year) of Chola king Parantaka I (907 — 955 AD) (EI VII, 19a).^[4][5]
2. Lalgudi record of Cankaran Kunrappozhan, from Nandikkarai Puttur in Malainatu (Kerala), mentioning "Cheramanar makalar" "Ko Kizhan Adikal" (queen of Parantaka).^[6]
3. "Ravi Neeli" or "Kizhan Adikal ", daughter of "Cheramanar" or "Keralaraja" Vijayaraga, in a Tiruvotriyur inscription (936 AD, 29th regnal year) of king Parantaka I (Index 17 & SII III, 103).^[7][8]
4. "Kizhan Adikal" appears in the Tiruvalla copper plates with her husband king Parantaka I (lines 109-111) (Index A80 & TAS II, III).^[9]

There is a possibility that the princesses (1) and (3) are the same, or are sisters. If they were sisters, king Parantaka I married two distinct Chera Perumal princesses (the mothers of his two sons, Rajaditya and Arinjaya Chola).^[10] The marriage between a Chera princess and Parantaka, c. 910 CE, is mentioned in the Udayendiram plates of Ganga king Prthivipati II Hastimalla.^[11][1]

The velam of the Kizhan Adikal ("Kizhan Adikal Velam" or "Kizhai Velam") at Tanjavur is mentioned in three Chola inscriptions.^[3]

1. Saranganatha Perumal Temple, Tiruchirai, Kumbakonam (5th regnal year) (SII 19, 150).^[3]
2. Vedaranyeswara Temple, Vedaranyam, Tirutturaippundi, Tanjore (Parantaka I, 43rd regnal year) (SII 17, 530).^[3]
3. Nageswaraswamin Temple, Kumbakonam (Aditya II Karikala, 4th regnal year, the mother of Rajaditya) — as "Udaya Pirattiyar Kizhan Adikal" (SII 3, 201).^[2][3]

Other Chera Perumal records

1. "Ravi Neeli alias Kizhan Adikal", daughter of Kulasekhara and wife of Vijayaraga, in a Tirunandikkara inscription (9th century AD) (Index A7 & TAS IV, 36).^[12]
2. "Chatira Sikhamani alias Kizhan Adikal" or "Perumattiyar" in a Trikkakara inscription (953 AD) with Chera king Indu Goda (10th century AD) (Index A24 & TAS III, 36).^[13]
3. "Kizhan Adikal" in a Tiruvanchuli/Tiruvalanjuli temple (Tanjore) inscription mentioning Chera Perumal Rama Kulasekhara (fl. late 11th century AD) (SII III, 221).^[14]