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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Vellan Kumaran
| image = Tiruvorriyur Inscription of Chaturanana Pandita (Valluvanad).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Tiruvorriyur Inscription of Chaturanana Pandita
| birth_date =
| death_date =
| birth_place = Nandikkarai Puttur (Kerala)
| nickname = Chaturanana Pandita
| allegiance = [[Chola Empire]]
| branch =
| serviceyears =
| rank = Perumpatai Nayaka
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = [[Battle of Takkolam]] (948–49 CE)
| awards =
| relations = Rajasekhara (father, chieftain of Valluvanatu)
| signature =
}}

'''Vellan Kumaran''' (''fl.'' mid-10th century AD), diksa name<ref name=":1">''Epigraphia Indica'' 27 (1947–48), no. 47: 292–304.</ref> '''Chaturanana Pandita''', was a [[Kerala]] commander in the [[Chola dynasty|Chola]] army and a close confidant of prince [[Rajaditya Chola|Rajaditya]]. He was probably one of the few Chola commanders to have survived the [[battle of Takkolam]] in 948/49 AD.<ref name=":32">{{Cite book|last=Narayanan|first=M. G. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YDCngEACAAJ&q=perumals+of+kerala|title=Perumāḷs of Kerala|publisher=CosmoBooks|year=2013|isbn=9788188765072|location=Thrissur (Kerala)|pages=100–101|orig-date=1972}}</ref> Kumaran is best known for engraving his own tragic autobiography in an inscription at Tiruvotriyur, [[Chennai|Madras]] (around 10 years after he had become an ascetic).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":32" />

Kumaran was the son of Rajasekhara, the chieftain of Valluvanatu in [[Kerala]]. He is also described as a native of "Nandikkarai Puttur" in Kerala.<ref name=":32" /> 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.<ref name=":33">{{Cite book|last=Narayanan|first=M. G. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YDCngEACAAJ&q=perumals+of+kerala|title=Perumāḷs of Kerala|publisher=CosmoBooks|year=2013|isbn=9788188765072|location=Thrissur (Kerala)|pages=112–13|orig-date=1972}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":32" /><ref name=":1" />

The true significance of the life of Kumaran was discovered by historian V. Raghavan.<ref name=":33" /><ref>''Epigraphia Indica'' 27 (1947–48), no. 47: 293–96.</ref>

== 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 Chola|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. <ref>S. Swaminathan, ''The Early Chōḷas: History Art and Culture'' (Delhi: Sharada Publishing, 1998), 53–62.</ref><ref>K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, ''The Cōḷas'' (Madras: University of Madras, 1955), 129–33.</ref><ref name=":32" />

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 [[Pandyan dynasty|Pandya]] kings" during his campaign. The Sravana Belgola record of Ganga king Marasimha (963 - 975 AD) also claims victory over the Chera king for his predecessor Butuga II. <ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Narayanan|first=M. G. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YDCngEACAAJ&q=perumals+of+kerala|title=Perumāḷs of Kerala|publisher=CosmoBooks|year=2013|isbn=9788188765072|location=Thrissur (Kerala)|pages=100-101 and 113-114|orig-date=1972}}</ref>

The death of prince Rajaditya is unusually commemorated by the Cholas. The Chola version of the events can be found in Larger Leiden Grant<ref>''Epigraphia Indica'' 22 (1933–34), no. 34: vv. 19–21.</ref> (1006 CE) of [[Raja Raja Chola I|Rajaraja I]] and Tiruvalangadu Plates (1018 CE) of [[Rajendra Chola I|Rajendra I]].<ref>''South Indian Inscriptions'' 3 (1920), no. 205: v. 54.</ref>

=== Kerala military personnel at Takkolam ===
Prince Rajaditya was the son of the [[Ko Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli|Ko Kizhan Atikal]], the [[Chera/Perumal]] princess, and the Chola king [[Parantaka I]] (907–955 AD).<ref name=":34">{{Cite book|last=Narayanan|first=M. G. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YDCngEACAAJ&q=perumals+of+kerala|title=Perumāḷs of Kerala|publisher=CosmoBooks|year=2013|isbn=9788188765072|location=Thrissur (Kerala)|pages=99–100|orig-date=1972}}</ref> It is known that the [[Ko Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli|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.<ref name=":35">{{Cite book|last=Narayanan|first=M. G. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YDCngEACAAJ&q=perumals+of+kerala|title=Perumāḷs of Kerala|publisher=CosmoBooks|year=2013|isbn=9788188765072|location=Thrissur (Kerala)|pages=100–101|orig-date=1972}}</ref>

Prince Rajaditya commanded a whole contingent of Kerala military personnel in Tirumunaippati Natu as early as the 930s.<ref name=":34" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Country
!Chiefdom or clan name
!Location inside chiefdom
!Name
|-
|Malaiyala
|Maluvacchar (Kizhamalai Natu?)
|
|Attankan Chattan
|-
|Malaiyala
|Netunkalai Natu
(Netunganatu?)
|Isanamangalam (Iswaramangalam?)
|Manavallan Kannan
|-
|Malaiyala
|
|
|Iravi Kotai
|-
|Malaiyala
|Netumpuraiyur Natu (Netumpuram Tali)
|Vakkanatu, Mankarai
|Kantan Kaman
|-
|Malaiyala
|Kantiyur Vel Kula ([[Venad|Venatu]]?)
|
|Sundaran
|-
|Malaiyala
|
|[[Thrikkunnapuzha|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".<ref name=":36">{{Cite book|last=Narayanan|first=M. G. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YDCngEACAAJ&q=perumals+of+kerala|title=Perumāḷs of Kerala|publisher=CosmoBooks|year=2013|isbn=9788188765072|location=Thrissur (Kerala)|pages=100–101|orig-date=1972}}</ref><ref name=":6">M.G.S. Narayanan, ‘Anatomy of a Political Alliance from Temple Records of Tirunavalur and Tiruvorriyur’, ''Journal of the Epigraphical Society of India'' 5 (1978): 26–31.</ref> A warrior known as Malaiyana Otrai Chevakan shows up in the army of prince Arikulaseri from a record from Kizhur, South Arcot. Several merchants, mostly from [[Kodungallur]] in Malai Nadu, are present in inscriptions from Kudumiya Malai (Pudukkottah), Tirucchanur (South Arcot), Udaiyargudi (South Arcot), Tirumalpurarm (North Arcot) and Tiruvenkatu.<ref name=":32" /><ref name=":6" />

== Inscriptions of Vellan Kumaran or Chaturanana Pandita ==

=== As Vellan Kumaran ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!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).<ref name=":37">{{Cite book|last=Narayanan|first=M. G. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YDCngEACAAJ&q=perumals+of+kerala|title=Perumāḷs of Kerala|publisher=CosmoBooks|year=2013|isbn=9788188765072|location=Thrissur (Kerala)|pages=112–13|orig-date=1972}}</ref><ref>''South Indian Inscriptions'' 32 (2012), no. 33.</ref>
|-
|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.<ref name=":37" /><ref name=":5">''South Indian Inscriptions'' 32 (2012), no. 44.</ref>
* Adjectives of Vellan Kumaran - "Chamu Nayaka", "Cholarkal Mulabhrtya", "Perumpatai Nayaka" and "Uttamah Keralanam".<ref name=":37" /><ref name=":5" />
* Birthplace is mentioned as "Puttur".<ref name=":37" /><ref name=":5" />
|}

=== As Chaturanana Pandita (Valabha Guha) ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Inscription
!Date
!Notes
|-
|Tiruvotriyur, Madras
|
* 18th regnal year [[Krishna III]] Rashtrakuta
|
* Chaturanana Pandita as the recipient of a donation to the temple.<ref name=":37" />
|-
|Tiruvotriyur, Madras
|
* 20th regnal year [[Krishna III]] Rashtrakuta (959 AD)
|
* Found on a slab in the floor of Shiva temple at Tiruvotriyur.<ref name=":1" />
*Described as "Valabha Rashtra Natha".<ref name=":37" />
* Says that Valabha, resembling god [[Kartikeya|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.<ref name=":37" />
*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.<ref name=":37" />
* Chaturanana donated 100 nishkas (pieces) of gold to the sabha of Narasimha Mangalam (an agrahara) on his birthday on dhanishta naksatra.<ref name=":37" />
*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.<ref name=":37" /><ref name=":1" />
*Chaturanana Pandita is described as chief abbot of the Kalamukha Saiva monastery in Tiruvotriyur<ref name=":1" />
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:10th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:People from the Kodungallur Chera kingdom]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Chola military personnel]]

Vellan Kumaran - Revision history

TeresaBrousseau: creating new bio needs work