Vellan Kumaran

Vellan Kumaran (fl. mid-10th century AD), diksa name^[1] Chaturanana Pandita, was a Kerala commander in the Chola army and a close confidant of prince Rajaditya. He was probably one of the few Chola commanders to have survived the battle of Takkolam in 948/49 AD.^[2] Kumaran is best known for engraving his own tragic autobiography in an inscription at Tiruvotriyur, Madras (around 10 years after he had become an ascetic).^[1][2]

Vellan Kumaran
Tiruvorriyur Inscription of Chaturanana Pandita
Nickname(s)	Chaturanana Pandita
Born	Nandikkarai Puttur (Kerala)
Allegiance	Chola Empire
Rank	Perumpatai Nayaka
Battles / wars	Battle of Takkolam (948–49 CE)
Relations	Rajasekhara (father, chieftain of Valluvanatu)

Kumaran was the son of Rajasekhara, the chieftain of Valluvanatu in Kerala. He is also described as a native of "Nandikkarai Puttur" in Kerala.^[2] The inscriptions say that he went to Chola country after completing education in his boyhood and became a commander to prince Rajaditya in the Chola army.^[3] After the battle of Takkolam, he became an ascetic and settled at Tiruvotriyur as the disciple of certain Niranjana Guru. Eventually Kumaran, now known as Chaturanana Pandita, became the founder of a matha (the Kalamukha monastery) at Tiruvotriyur.^[2][1]

The true significance of the life of Kumaran was discovered by historian V. Raghavan.^[3][4]

Background

Chola defeat at Takkolam

The battle of Takkolam (948/49 AD) was a military engagement between a contingent of troops led by Chola prince Rajaditya and another led by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III (939–967 AD). The battle resulted in the death of Rajaditya on the battlefield and the defeat of the Chola garrison at Takkolam. ^[5][6][2]

The Rashtrakutas conquered eastern and northern parts of the Chola empire and advanced up to Rameswaram. As per the Karhad copper plates of Krishna III (959 AD) the king "uprooted the Cholas, distributed their territory among his followers, and extracted tribute from the Chera and Pandya kings" during his campaign. The Sravana Belgola record of Ganga king Marasimha (963 - 975 AD) also claims victory of the Chera king for his predecessor Bhutuga II.^[7]

The death of prince Rajaditya is unusually commemorated by the Cholas. The Chola version of the events can be found in Larger Leiden Grant^[8] (1006 CE) of Rajaraja I and Tiruvalangadu Plates (1018 CE) of Rajendra I.^[9]

Kerala military personnel at Takkolam

Prince Rajaditya was the son of the Ko Kizhan Atikal, the Chera/Perumal princess, and the Chola king Parantaka I (907–955 AD).^[10] It is known that the Ko Kizhan Atikal, mother of prince Rajaditya, was present at Rajadityapura (Tirunavalur/Tirumanallur) (in the 28th year of Parantaka, c. 935 AD) with her entire entourage for some time.^[11]

Prince Rajaditya commanded a whole contingent of Kerala military personnel in Tirumunaippati Natu as early as the 930s.^[10]

Country	Chiefdom or clan name	Location inside chiefdom	Name
Malaiyala	Maluvacchar (Kizhamalai Natu?)		Attankan Chattan
Malaiyala	Netunkalai Natu	Isanamangalam (Iswaramangalam?)	Manavallan Kannan
Malaiyala			Iravi Kotai
Malaiyala	Netumpuraiyur Natu (Netumpuram Tali)	Vakkanatu, Mankarai	Kantan Kaman
Malaiyala	Kantiyur Vel Kula (Venatu?)		Sundaran
Malaiyala		Tirukunrappozha (Thrikkunnappuzha)	Parivarattu Chevakan, Chenta Kumaran
Malai Natu	Matai Vazhkai		Iyakkan Iraman

According to historians, the mid-10th century witnessed a large migration of Kerala people into the Chola country in search of "commercial profit and military adventure".^[12][13] A warrior known as Malaiyana Otrai Chevakan shows up in the army of prince Arikulaseri from a record from Kizhur, South Arcot. Several merchants from Kodungallur in Malai Natu are present in inscriptions from Kudumiya Malai (Pudukkottah), Tirucchanur (South Arcot), Udaiyargudi (South Arcot), Tirumalpurarm (North Arcot) and Tiruvenkatu.^[2][13]

Inscriptions of Vellan Kumaran or Chaturanana Pandita

As Vellan Kumaran

Inscription	Date	Notes
Gramam, South Arcot	29th regnal year of Parantaka I (936 AD)	Records a gift of sheep for perpetual lamp in the shrine of Srimulasthanattu Mahadeva at Atrutali in Tirumutiyur by Vellan Kumaran of Nandikkarai Puttur in Malai Natu (who was a commander - perumpatai nayakan - of prince Rajaditya).[14][15]
Gramam, South Arcot	36th regnal year of Parantaka I (943 AD) Kali Year - 4044 Kali Day - 1477037	Vellan Kumaran, the Kerala commander of prince Rajaditya, built a stone temple of Atruttali Mahadeva at Mauligrama (Mutiyur) on the Pennai river.[14][16] Adjectives of Vellan Kumaran - "Chamu Nayaka", "Cholarkal Mulabhrtya", "Perumpatai Nayaka" and "Uttamah Keralanam".[14][16] Birthplace is mentioned as "Puttur".[14][16]

As Chaturanana Pandita (Valabha Guha)

Inscription	Date	Notes
Tiruvotriyur, Madras	18th regnal year Krishna III Rashtrakuta	Chaturanana Pandita as the recipient of a donation to the temple.[14]
Tiruvotriyur, Madras	20th regnal year Krishna III Rashtrakuta (959 AD)	Found on a slab in the floor of Shiva temple at Tiruvotriyur.[1] Described as "Valabha Rashtra Natha".[14] Says that Valabha, resembling god Guha (Kumaran), son of Rajasekhara, chieftain of Vallabha Rashtra in Kerala, went to Chola country after completing education (in his boyhood) and became a loyal subordinate of Rajaditya.[14] Since Valabha was not fortunate enough to die along with his master (in the battle of Takkolam), he felt that he had disgraced his caste, (Vallabha) family, father (Rajasekhara) and master (Rajaditya) by his action and turned away from life. After the bath at Triveni (on the Ganges) he accepted vratas from Niranjana Guru and assumed the name of Chaturanana.[14] Chaturanana donated 100 nishkas (pieces) of gold to the sabha of Narasimha Mangalam (an agrahara) on his birthday on dhanishta naksatra.[14] The interest (three mashas per nishka per year) on the 100 nishkas gold was to fund the performance of a special puja to Siva at Tiruvotriyur on the occasion of his natal constellation, the dhanishta naksatra.[14][1] Chaturanana Pandita is described as chief abbot of the Kalamukha Saiva monastery in Tiruvotriyur[1]