Ilamchetchenni

Ilamchetchenni
Chola King
Reign	301 BCE  – 270 BCE
Predecessor	Unknown
Successor	Karikala
Born	Uraiyur, Chola Kingdom (Modern day Tamil Nadu, India)
Died	270 BCE Puhar, Chola Kingdom (Modern day Tamil Nadu, India)
Consort	Alundur
Issue	Karikala
Dynasty	Chola
Religion	Hinduism

Ilamchetchenni (Iḷamcēṭceṉṉi; IPA: [iɭəmt͡ɕeːt͡ɕːsen̪ːi]) was an early Tamil king of the Chola dynasty during the Sangam period. He was a great warrior and ruled the Chola kingdom with Uraiyur as the capital. He married a Velir princess from Alundur and their child was Karikala Chola. Ilamchetchenni Chola was succeeded by his son, Karikala Chola, who is considered one of the greatest among the Early Cholas.

Mauryan Invasion

The Mauryan invasion was mentioned in Sangam poems Purananuru verse 175 and Akananuru verses 69 , 251 and 281 where the Mauryan army advance as Northern Borders of Tamilakam with assistant of Vadukars and Kosars:

"The Mauryas have carved into the sky-touching mountains and created paths for their chariots with iron wheels to roll smoothly. He has left, forgetting sleep on your breasts

as fragrant as the fresh flowers in the forest belonging to King Ay who wears sparkling gems and heavy jewels, whose warriors with strong, loud bows decorated with delicate peacock feathers and darting arrows destroy a few forts

and bring their loots of precious jewels.

— Akananuru - 69

"You are like the huge, round sun when it settled behind the mountain cleft cut as a path to the world by the Mauryas with sky-high umbrellas, chariots with tall flags and wheels with sturdy spokes."

— Purananuru - 175

"He has gone on the path where a noble elephant with white tusks, that resides in a grove dense with teak trees near endless, wide, empty spaces, with no protection from its herd, arrogant, gored a bright colored tiger

that escaped from it and caused a large depression in the land, where the Mauryan newcomers came with their army with horses and fine chariots, cut into the mountains with splendid, white waterfalls and created paths for their chariot wheels to roll smoothly, to attack the king of Mokur who refused to submit to them, when the Kosars with victory

flags on their well-made chariots that ride as fast as the wind, celebrated with sweet drums under their ancient, old banyan tree in the precious, huge common ground."

— Akananuru - 251

"he went on the path, where the Vadukars who have great enmity tie the shed feathers of delicate peacocks with swaying walks, to their strong bows using long straps on the edges, shoot rapidly fitting the beauty of the tied fibers, creating sounds, and lead the Mauryas who desire to conquer the South, cutting into the rocks to let their chariot wheels with bright spokes roll."

— Akananuru - 281

Kuruntokai - 73 Reffers Kosars captured the King Nannan's Country (Tulu nad) :

"We need to devise a cruel plan

for a little while, like the Kosars who vowed and entered Nannan’s country,

and chopped his fragrant mango tree."

— Kurunthokai - 73

illamchetchenni Success

Purananuru 378 and Akananuru 336 , 375 Poems mentioned , Chola king Illamchetchenni Success against his Enemies :

"If I don’t do that, may the large bangles on my perfect forearms break like the Aryan forces that were destroyed by the brave Chozha warriors with victorious spears and shields as dark as the rain clouds, who darted arrows from their fort in Vallam town, situated behind a protective forest."

— Akananuru - 336

"He ruined the strength of the southern fishermen, and drove away the Vadukars with swords, Cholan who wears a lovely garland, carries a perfect spear, dons an elegantly braided strand, rich in liqour and spurs his swift horse."

— Purananuru - 378

"My eyes will not cry, my friend, if I

know that he’ll be back without any harm from the fierce wasteland, where uneducated wasteland warriors shoot at travelers on forked paths, just to practice arrow skills, even if they don’t have any jewels, feed their bodies to birds, and packs of foxes gather to eat flesh, male vultures with their flocks get blood on their huge, joined claws and rest on the thick, white branches of ya trees with trunks that appear like the tusks of elephants that crushed the heads and killed Vadukars in their Pazhi

fort with walls like copper that was ruined as a duty to his citizens and to finish his war work by king Ilamperunchenni, efficient, victorious Chozha heir with strong shoulders,who established great fame."

— Akananuru- 375

Nattrinai and Akananuru poems also mentioned Tamil Velir kings Malaiyaman kari and Thithiyan victory against the Aryan forces and Kosars :

"If she succeeds, what is the use of many of us being together? We’ll be like the Aryan invaders who ran away in fear from the very famous Mullur town, when attacked by Malaiyaman Kari with a bright sword and an army with spears of no match "

— Natrinai - 170

"her anger gone when victorious

Thithiyan owning fine horses and forts ruined the town’s

ancient Kosars at her request"

— Akananuru - 262

"Do not come near me! I will not touch your chest that has been embraced by your pretty

woman, who is like Anni Mignili with curved earrings, who caused terror and killed the Kosars who swore oaths, with the help of king Thithiyan owning fast

chariots in Azhunthai, since they ruined her father’s eyes."

— Akananuru - 196

According to Nilakanda Sastri, Mamulanar mentioned The Mauryan Invasion of South india that he speaks Mauryas cut a new path for their Chariot across rocky Mountain. He also Mentioned Vadugars who are vanguard of Invading Mauryan Army and Kosars also assisted in their Invasion against Tamil states. The Kosars who occupied Tulu country agrees to Serve under Mauryan army in that south Invasion. Because they can't Subjucating the chieftain of Mokur so they assisted with task by advent of Mauryan troops with a Vaduga Vanquard. The Mauryan invasion of Deccan and south india under Bindusara was recorded by Tibetan historian Taranath.

Nilakanda sastri agrees that moriyars mentioned in Sangam Litterature was that the Mauryas of Magatha and this Reference confirm that Mauryan Invasion happened in Bindusara period. The First and last attempt of Mauryan invasion of Tamilakam was Failed . The Mauryas Invaded Northern Borders of Tamilakam with the help of Vadugars . The Mokur king didn't submit to the kosars , so that tulu country Kosars assisted Mauryas and Vadugars to conquer the Mokur king . The Mauryan army with assistant of Vadugars and kosars laid Camp at Pali fort in Tulu nad. They were referred by Purananuru - 378 as Vada Vadugar ( The Northern Northerns) and Akananuru - 375 as Vamba Vadugars ( New Northerns) . The Chola king Illamchetchenni gathered all forces and successfully Dislodged the enemies from the Pazhi fort in Tulu Nadu.”Illamchetchenni captured the pazhi fort and gained the title "Cerup - paali-Yerinta - ilancedcenni" ( Destroyer of Serupali) Same Northerns mentioned in Nattrinai - 170 where Malaiyaman king of mullur defeated the Aryans single handedly and siege the fort. That series Aryan invasion under Mauryans and their allies was repelled by Tamil kings and chiefs and Emperor Ashoka mentioned terms and equality as they refer in his edicts. Tamil States in 300 BC fight amoung themselves but they are organized if anyother threat from outside and Ashoka edicts mentioned Tamil States as Cooperation for peaceful coexistence .

The Tamil Confederacy existed since 113 year that politically powerful league in Tamil country which was endangered to kalinga so Kharavela break the Confederacy with full weight .Hathikumba inscriptions of Emperor Kharavela praises his achievements in 13th year kharavela break the Tamil Confederacy which formed 113 years before. Kharavela reign was 2nd BC which Hathikumba Inscriptions mentioned that information in 175 BC that mentioned About Tamil confederacy was endangered to Kalinga which formed 113 year that should be 288 BC in formed during the Bindusara reign. In that period Bindusara under Mauryan invasion beginning that Followed Satavahana - Tamil conflict last quarter 3rd or 2nd Century BC again followed Kalinga - Tamil Conflict ended destruction of that Tamil Confederacy.

Claims

N.K. Sastri claims that this is the period where Maurya dynasty had established its empire from Persia to southern India. Bindusara, son of Chandragupta Maurya, conquered almost the whole of India except Kalinga and Cholas. But fragmentary poems of Sangam in the Purananuru states that, Ilamchetcenni Cholan successfully resisted the exploration of Mauryas down the southern region of the Indian subcontinent. Also Sastri claims that his period of reign is 301 BCE  – 270 BCE and Cholas overpowered Cheras and Pandyas at time of his regin.

See also

• Early Cholas
• Chola dynasty
• History of India
• History of South India

References

• Mudaliar, A.S, Abithana Chintamani (1931), Reprinted 1984 Asian Educational Services, New Delhi.
• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1935). The CōĻas, University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
• Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).