Rajadhiraja Inscription from Manimangalam

 Inscription starts with "Thingalar Thiruthan drongal venkudai Keezh" and is inscribed in the reign of Rajadhiraja I. He was a seasoned warrior king who came after the mighty Raja Raja 1 and Rajendra Chozha 1. He had also been a regent ruler along with his father Rajendra Chozha 1.

Inscription says that it was inscribed on "Dhanur Nayatru Purva Pakshathu Dvitigayum Budan Kizhamayum petra thiruvona thirunal" which means 2nd tithi of the first fortnight of the thanur masam which was having the thiruvonam nakshathiram. Dhanur maasam falls normally between November and December. Inscription was inscribed on the 29th regnal year of Rajadhiraja I which puts the year as Saka - Samvat 968 - 1046 AD. Hence, the inscription can be deduced to be inscribed on any date from 25th November 1046 to 23rd December 1046. Prof Keilhorn calculates the exact date as 03-Dec-1046 on which date the moonsign is Tulam and Sunsign is Dhanush and Surya Nakshathiram is moolam.

Inscription is inscribed for the donation of two thousand and two hundred kuzhi of land by the villagers to the temple treasury of  "Srimad Dwarapati alias Sri Kamakoti vinnagar alias manimangalam Rajagopalaswami Temple" and in exchange received one hundred kaasu from the temple treasury. On the interest earned from the money so obtained, the villagers have promised to provide offerings to God and to maintain the expenses of the temple. More than the inscription it is interesting to note the military achievements of the king which is written in his Meikeerthi.

Temple is almost empty all the time and this rajadhiraja inscription from manimangalam is one which clearly legible out of all the Rajagopalaswami Inscriptions and infact of all the manimangalam inscriptions as well. It goes on to record the following:

   a. Appointment of his 7 relatives as governors to Chera, Chalukya, Pandya, Ganga, Ceylon, Pallava and Kanyakubja (Kannauj in UP).

b. Victorious war against ahavamalla, vikki, Vijayaditya who are Someshwarar I, Vikramaditya VI and Vijayaditya respectively of western chalukya and the burning of Kollipakai.

Words "Vikkiyum Vijayadityanum" in the Inscription at Rajagopalaswami Temple Manimangalam

c. His exploits at Ceylon where he attacked its four kings (Vikramabahu, Veera Salameghan, Vikrama Pandya and Srivallabha Madanaraja). Out of four, vira salamegan had initially ruled over kannauj. Rajadhiraja while sacking ceylon had seized his elder sister and his wife and also went on to cut the nose of his mother.

Word "Virasalamegan" in the Inscription at Rajagopalaswami temple at Manimangalam

Words "Thayai Mookariya" from the inscription at Rajagopalaswami Temple Manimangalam

On his second raid to chalukyan kingdom, he went on to burn kampili and he died on the battlefield at Koppam. There is one inscription by Western Chalukya which was inscriped at Annigere which talks of a wicked Chozha who had abandoned his religious practices and burned jaina temples and ultimately yielded his head to Someswara.

History always cannot be put to the meaning of the society in which we currently live in and be understood. Time changes and what is accepted as appropriate also changes with the time and set of society which we live in. Drawing parallel to the contemporary society which we live in to the history is not always right. History needs to be seen as history and we shall keep our judgements to ourselves.