Cholas were one of the three major ruling dynasties of the Tamil Country during the Sangam period. They ruled over an area known as Tondaimandalam or Cholamandalam. The most celebrated ruler of this line was Karikalan who made a grand anicut at Kaveri and laid the foundation of the capital of Kaveripattinam, also known as Puhar. Kaveripattinam, now a non-descript fishing village silted up by the river mud, had an artificial harbour which was built by prisoners of war who were obtained by him following his successful raid on Sri Lanka. Uraiyur was the earlier capital of the Chola kingdom.
Karikalan was the son of Ilanjetcenni who was a valiant and brave ruler.
Karikalan, which means man with a charred leg, was so named because his leg was caught in flames when the prison, in which he was incarcerated after being kidnapped by his enemies, was set on fire. He, however, managed to escape alive.
A contemporary of Chera king Perunjeral Adan whom he defeated in the Battle of Venni (modern Kovilvenni, 15 miles (24 km) to the east of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu), Karikalan was an able ruler and great general. Equipped with a powerful army, he made Chola a naval power very early in the historical period as gauged from his victory on the Sri Lankan kingdom. He is said to have founded Kaveripattinam or Puhar, the chief port of the ancient Chola kingdom.
After Karikalan’s death, the Chola kingdom plunged into utter chaos as a result of the internal strife among the royal family. His two sons were ruling from two different capitals Uraiyur and Kaveripumpattinam.
Karikalan’s great grandson Ilagovadigal is credited with the authorship of the greatest Tamil epic Silappadigaram.
The last great Chola ruler of the Sangam period was Nedunjelian who defeated the rulers of Chera and Pandya dynasties. He was, however, mortally wounded in the war.
After the third century AD decline for Chola kingdom set in due to the frequent attacks by the Cheras and the Pandyas. Pallavas who were now emerging as another power also invaded the Chola territory.
According to Tamil epic Manimekalai written by Sattan of Madurai, the port town of Kaveripumpattinam was destroyed by the vicious tidal waves of the sea during the reign of later Chola ruler Killivalavan.
Reference:
Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. A History of South India: From Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar.
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