Virarajendra Chola

Virarajendra Chola (1002 – 1070) was a Chola emperor. A son of Rajendra I, he spent a majority of his life as a subordinate to two of his elder brothers, Rajadhiraja I and Rajendra II. During his early reign, he founded a school to study the Vedas, Sastras and grammar, with a hostel for students. He also founded a hospital named Virasolan.

Virarajendra’s reign occurred in a period when the Chola Empire was trying to both expand its boundaries and preserve its existing territories, but was hindered by the death of Virarajendra’s eldest brother and king, Rajadhiraja I, and the short rule of Virarajendra's elder brother, Rajendra II.

In total, the three brothers ruled for 16–20 years altogether, succeeding one another. The traditional enemies and subordinates of the Cholas: the Singhalas (Ceylon), the Pandyas, and the Chera Perumals, took advantage of the instability by attempting to break free or wage war against the Chola. Virarajendra was described as a capable and brave ruler, who was kind and protective of his subjects, reimposed authority on Chola dominions, and was ruthless to the Chalukyas and the Pandyas. His own rule lasted for less than 10 years, and is depicted by various inscriptions in Karur. He succeeded not only in preserving Chola territories, but also in making overseas conquests in far-off lands such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Nicobar.

Early life

Virarajendra was posted as the Chola viceroy of Sri Lanka by his elder brother, Rajadhiraja Chola during the early part of the latter's reign. Subsequently, during the reign of his other elder brother Rajendra Chola II, he served as the Lord of Uraiyur. He also invaded Singhala Nadu (Ceylon) and ruthlessly crushed attempts by the Singhala kings to free their kingdom from Chola control. First, Someshvara I sent his son Vikkalan (Vikramaditya VI) to attack Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the capital of Chola. In 1066, during the reign of the Western Chalukya king Someshvara I, Vikramaditya VI had invaded the Chola Empire penetrating as far as the capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram and threatening the city before being repulsed. Virarajendra was returning after subduing the Pandyas, the Sinhalas and the Chera Perumal kings and making them vassal states. He immediately undertook the task of safeguarding the Chola capital, defeating Vikramaditya VI. Virarajendra then pursued the Chalukya princes Vikramaditya (Vikkalan) and Singhanan, defeating them at Gangapadi. After subsequently defeating another Chalukya army led by both princes and sons of Someshvara I, he proceeded to the Chalukyan capital, defeating Someshvara I who fled the battlefield.

Ottakoothar's Vikrama Cholan Ula mentions Virarajendra:

Alliance

At the death of Someshvara I, his son Someshvara II came to the Chalukyan throne in April 1068 CE. Soon after, a dispute broke out between him and his younger brother Vikramaditya and a civil war ensued in the Western Chalukya country. Vikramaditya VI fled to the Chola court of Virarajendra, where he was well received by the king. Virarajendra himself records that he recognised Vikramaditya VI as the king of Western Chalukya. From the inscription of one of his successors viz., Kulothunga Chola I, in the Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur dated in the 15th year of his reign, it is known that the name of Virarajendra's queen was Arumolinangai. Virarajendra Chola's daughter Rajasundari married an Eastern Ganga Dynasty prince, and her son Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva became the progenitor of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.

Death and succession

From an inscription of his from Tirunamanallur dated in the fourth year of his reign, it is known that Virarajendra held the titles Sakalabhuvanasraya, Srimedinivallabha, Maharajadhiraja Cholakula-Sundara, Pandyakulantaka, Ahavamallakula-Kala, Ahavamallanai-mummadi-ven-kanda Rajasraya, Vira-Chola, Karikala Chola, The Glory of the Solar race, Sri-Virarajendradeva, Rajakesarivarma Perumanadigal (similar to the Nolamba Pallava titles of Permanadi from Kannada country) and Konerinmaikondan. He also had an elder brother called Alavandan on whom he conferred the title 'Rajaraja' or Rajadhiraja. Early in his reign Virarajendra appointed his son Madurantaka as viceroy of Tondaimandalam with the title of Cholendra. According to historian Sethuraman, this Madurantakan was the son of Rajadhiraja Chola I Another son Gangaikondachola was made viceroy of the Pandya territories. It is not known which of these two sons was Athirajendra. Like his elder brother Rajadhiraja, Virarajendra also referred to his father as the one who took Purvadesam, Gangai and Kadaram. The most stand out aspect of his rule is the fact that he is known to be the one who issued an excessively large number of grants and edicts . The king was a devotee at the feet of lord at Thillai (Sivan) at Chidambaram, to whom he presented a necklace consisting of rubies of high quality. However, like all his predecessors, he also patronized and cared for temples of all faiths including those of Lord Vishnu.