Srimara Srivallabha

2026-10-11T13:12:49Z

2401:4900:CACD:88F9:7064:7CFF:FE1B:FA1D: Added book source and details of Some Aspects Of Pandyan History In The Light Of Recent Discoveries by K.v.raman.

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox royalty
| image = Srimara Srivallabha.JPG
| alt = Srimara Srivallabha
| caption = Painting from Chittanavachal ([[Pudukkottai]]), believed to be that of the king Srimara Srivallabha and his queen
| succession = [[Pandyan dynasty|Pandya dynasty]]
| reign = c. 815–c. 862 AD<ref name="Sastri, K. A 1958">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 165.</ref>
| predecessor = Parantaka Nedunchadaiyan (Varaguna I)<ref name="Sastri, K. A 1958">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 165.</ref><ref>Noburu Karashima (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 85-87.</ref>
| successor = [[Varagunavarman II]]<ref name="Sastri, K. A 1958">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 165.</ref>
| father = Parantaka Nedunchadaiyan (Varaguna I)
| dynasty = [[Pandyan dynasty|Pandya]]
}}
{{Pandyan}}
'''Srimara Srivallabha''' (r. c. 815–c. 862 AD<ref name="Sastri, K. A 1958">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 165.</ref>)(Tamil:சீமாறன் சீவல்லபன்) was a [[Pandya dynasty|Pandya]] king of early medieval south India.<ref name=":0">Noburu Karashima (ed.), ''A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations.'' New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 88-89.</ref><ref name=":1">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 151-52.</ref>

== Early life ==
Srimara was famously known as the Parachakra Kolahala ("the Confounder of the Circle of his Enemies").<ref name=":2">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 154-55.</ref> The Larger Sinnamanur Plates are the major source of information about this Pandya king.<ref name=":3">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1929) ''The Pandyan Kingdom.'' London, Luzac and Company. 68-69.</ref> The [[Pallava dynasty|Pallava]] version of the events related to this period can be found in the Bahur Plates of [[Nriputungavarman|Nripatunga]].<ref name=":4">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1929) ''The Pandyan Kingdom.''London, Luzac and Company. 74–76.</ref>

Srimara was born to Pandya king Parantaka Nedunchadaiyan (Varaguna I).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> According to Dalavayapuram copper plates of Parantaka Viranarayana Pandya, Srimara Srivallabha married Akkalanimmati, the daughter of king [[Srikantha Chola]] of Pottapi Chola family.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=S.p |title=Readings in South Indian History |year=1977 |pages=62–63 |language=English}}</ref>

== Military career ==
The Larger Sinnamanur Plates (Sanskrit portion) tells that Srimara defeated the "Mayapandya", the [[Kerala]] ([[Chera dynasty|Chera]]), the king of Simhala, the Pallava and the Vallabha.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=South Indian Inscriptions Volume_3 - Pandya Copper Plate Grants Inscriptions from Sinnamanur @ whatisindia.com |url=https://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_3/copper_plates_at_tirukkalar.html |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=www.whatisindia.com}}</ref> The Tamil portion claims victories at Kunnur and [[Vizhinjam]] as well as in Sri Lanka.<ref name=":3" /> It also describes his repulsion of an alliance of the Gangas, the Pallavas, the Cholas and others at Kudamukku ([[Kumbakonam]]).<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Amunugama |first=E. M. C. |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=lVpuAAAAMAAJ&q=Sri+mara+sri+Vallabha+defeated+maya+pandya&dq=Sri+mara+sri+Vallabha+defeated+maya+pandya&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiW3f3am_aSAxUHTGwGHV12J4QQ6AF6BAgKEAM#Sri%20mara%20sri%20Vallabha%20defeated%20maya%20pandya |title=The History of Ancient Aryan Tribes in Sri Lanka: Yaksas, Nagas, Devas, Sakyas |date=1994 |publisher=J.R. Jayewardene Cultural Centre |language=en}}</ref>

=== Invasion of Sri Lanka ===
The Pandya victories in Lanka are corroborated by the [[Mahāvaṃsa|''Mahavamsa'']].<ref name=":3" />

The evidence of the Mahavamsa confirms in some measure the statement in the Pandya grant regarding the conquest of [[Sri Lanka|Ceylon]]. According to that chronicle there was a Pandya invasion of Ceylon during the reign of the Singhalese king Sena I. The Pandyan victory in the battle fought at Mahatalita was complete and the army of king Pandu spread destruction all over the land. The Singhalese king fled from his capital and took refuge in the Malaya country Prince Mahinda, the ' sub-king ' committed ritual suicide and was followed by others in this act and prince Kassapa, after an exhibition of personal valour, also fled The Pandya forces took possession of the capital, carried away a large amount of booty ' and made Lanka of none value whatsoever ' and eventually the Pandya king entered into a treaty with the fugitive king of Ceylon restoring the country to him.<ref name=":3" />

Srimara invaded Sri Lanka during the reign of king [[Sena I of Anuradhapura]]
, ravaged northern countries and sacked the city of [[Anuradhapura]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The king fled from his capital and took refuge in the Malaya country.<ref name=":3" /> Sena was eventually forced to make terms with the Pandyas (and the Tamil forces were withdrawn from Sri Lanka).<ref name=":1" />

=== Struggle with the Pallavas ===
Srimara was defeated at Tellaru (Wandiwash/[[Vandavasi|Vanthavachi]], North Arcot) by an alliance led by Pallava ruler [[Nandivarman III]]. The Pallava allies were the Gangas, the Cholas and the Rashtrakutas.<ref name=":5">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 152-53.</ref> The Pandyas retreated southwards into their home country (and the Pallava army even advanced as far the [[Vaigai River|Vaigai]]).<ref name=":5" /> However, Srimara was able to defeat the Pallava alliance in the [[Battle of Kudamukku]] ([[Kumbakonam]]) in 859 AD.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nilakanta Sastri |first=K. A. |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.csl.5955 |title=The Pandyan kingdom : from the earliest to the sixteenth century |date=1929 |publisher=Luzac, London}}</ref>

Srimara was then defeated by the [[Pallava dynasty|Pallava]] king Nripatunga in the [[Battle of Arichil]].<ref name=":0" />

According to Dalavaypuram cooper plates Srimara srivallaba defeated Kadavas ( Pallavas ) in battle of Anur and The Dalavaypuram copper plates also record that a Pandya king killed Amaravallan's son at Kudandai (modern Kumbakonam).<ref name="Raman1972">{{cite book |last=Raman |first=K. V. |title=Some Aspects of Pandyan History in the Light of Recent Discoveries |publisher=University of Madras |year=1972 |page=9 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.66176/page/n13/mode/1up}}</ref>

=== Rise of the Cholas ===
Chola [[Vijayalaya Chola|Vijayalaya]] captured the city of [[Tanjore]] some time before 850 AD. The fight with the Muttarayars of Tanjore, probably owing allegiance to the Pandyas at this time, meant weakening of the Pandya influence to the north of Kaveri River.<ref name=":7">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1958, second ed.) ''A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar''. Madras, Oxford University Press. 167.</ref> This also strengthened the Pallava position in the region.<ref name=":7" />

=== Later Events ===
While the Pandya was concentrating his attention in the north against the Pallavas, the Sri Lankan king [[Sena II of Anuradhapura|Sena II]] (successor of Sena I) [[Anuradhapura invasion of Pandya|attacked]] the city of [[Madurai]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> According to the Lankan sources, the invading king had allied himself with a rebel Pandya prince.<ref name=":6">Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. (1929) ''The Pandyan Kingdom.''London, Luzac and Company. 69-71.</ref> Army commanders of Sena II installed prince [[Varagunavarman II|Varaguna II]] on the Pandya throne. Srimara Srivallabha, the king of the Pandyas, fled from the field of battle on the back of an elephant, and gave up his life in the wrong place.<ref name=":6" />

The Pandyan side of the evidence makes the ruling king Srimara Srivallabha successful in repelling a Maya Pandya and thus keeping his throne to himself at the end of the struggle.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Amunugama |first=E. M. C. |url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=lVpuAAAAMAAJ&q=Sri+mara+sri+Vallabha+defeated+maya+pandya&dq=Sri+mara+sri+Vallabha+defeated+maya+pandya&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiW3f3am_aSAxUHTGwGHV12J4QQ6AF6BAgKEAM#Sri%20mara%20sri%20Vallabha%20defeated%20maya%20pandya |title=The History of Ancient Aryan Tribes in Sri Lanka: Yaksas, Nagas, Devas, Sakyas |date=1994 |publisher=J.R. Jayewardene Cultural Centre |language=en}}</ref>

The Lankan sources and Pandyan sources vary each other. According to the K. A Nilakanta Sastry Pandyan sources are reliable. He mentions in his book named 'Pandyan Kingdom' that
"The Pandyan side of the evidence makes the ruling king successful in repelling a Maya Pandya and thus keeping his throne to himself at the end of the struggle, the Ceylon account makes out a disaster of the first magnitude to the Pandyan kingdom from the story of the counter-invasion undertaken by Sena partly in support of the Pandya prince. There is no possibility of reconciling these accounts, one of them must be rejected as untrustworthy Now, on the face of it, it seems impossible to suppose that such a serious disaster befell the Pandya power in the reign of Srimara and that the Sinnamanur plates suppressed the truth or deliberately gave a false account of the reign. On the other hand, the Mahavamsa is a highly embellished and poetic account of the history of Ceylon. And one cannot help feeling that in this chapter of the Mahavamsa some transactions belonging to a later age (twelfth century A D.) have been repeated perhaps to take off the edge from the story of the conquest of Ceylon by the Pandya king, narrated a little earlier. When we come to the Pandyan civil wars of the twelfth century in which Ceylonese kings often interfered, we shall see that the Mahavamsa persistently colours the account favourably to the Ceylonese kings and commanders Our conclusion, therefore, is that Srimara did carry out a successful raid against Ceylon and that he repulsed the attempt at retaliation.<ref name=":6" />

==Notes==
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==References==
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{{Pandya dynasty}}
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[[Category:Pandyan dynasty]]
[[Category:Pandyan kings]]
[[Category:9th-century Indian monarchs]]

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Srimara Srivallabha