Naralokaviran

Naralokaviran, also known by the title Kalinga Rayan, was a general in the Chola army during the reign of Kulothunga I (1070 – 1120) and his successor Vikrama Chola (1118 – 1135). He led many Chola campaigns in the deep south and distinguished himself in the Pandya Wars. He had many titles such as "Madurantaka Ponnambala-koothar", "Sabharnataka", "Kalinga Rayan", "Porkoyil-Thondaiman", "Koothan", "Thondaiyarkon", and the "Lion of Kalinga".

Naralokaviran is also known for subduing the rebelling medieval Chera king of Kerala for his Chola overlord. The port of Quilon was recovered by the Pandya-Chola forces in c. 1097 AD. However, the Cheras were able to recover Quilon-Trivandrum-Nagercoil region around 1100/02 AD (and thus "fixing the southern limit of the country at Kottar"). A son of Naralokaviran called Surainayakan alias Madhavarayan is known from inscriptions. He, too, served as an officer under Vikrama Chola.

Religious contributions Naralokaviran is known for a number of benefactions to Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram. He was responsible for the construction of two large temple gateways and for the expansion of the goddess shrine within the temple complex. He took interest in festivals and made contributions for the provision of lamps on the processional routes, watering the streets during the festivals, a bull vehicle for the deity to ride during the Bhikshatana procession and a bugle inlaid with gold to herald the arrival of god Shiva. He is the subject of a bilingual metrical composition in Sanskrit and Tamil, an excerpt as follows: