Source: ravilochana on twitter
For almost half a millenium, an independent Paṇḍyan kingdom existed in the Southern TN - which was outside Choḷa supremacy. This is neither covered in our history textbooks nor even spoken about otherwise. Let’s have a look at this era.
Sri Lanka became free of Choḷa supremacy around 1070 CE under Vijayabahu - using the confusion which arose after the end of the main Choḷa dynasty. By the time Kulottunga I captured the throne, Lanka had become fully independent. Some Paṇḍyas had taken refuge at Lankan court. Vijayabahu’s sister was married to a Paṇḍyan prince. She gave birth to 3 princes - Mānabharaṇa, Kittideva and śrī-vallabha. Mānabharaṇa was given the daughter of Vijayabahu in marriage. Parākramabāhu I the Great was born to Mānabharaṇa and this Lankan princess. The greatest of Lankan monarchs was a Paṇḍya prince by birth. As per Lankan chronicles Culavaṁśa, Mānabharaṇa died within a year of Parākramabāhu’s birth. Parākrama was born in early 1120s.
Culavaṁśa doesn’t mention about the political conditions of TN. It doesn’t even mention about the other queens of these Paṇḍyan princes or their progeny. It is only interested in those who were deeply involved in Lankan politics and related to Lankan royalty. The text is not perfect, but it can be used as credible evidence for Parākrama’s family. Mānabharaṇa died in early 1120s can be taken as a matter of fact - since the Culavaṁśa’s hero is Parākrama and it mentions clearly that the young boy lost his father very soon. He was brought up by his paternal uncles.
This Mānabharaṇa, father of Parākrama, was also called Virapperumal/Virabahu. 2 inscriptions of 1118/9 CE from Lanka mention that a Choḷa princess named Chuttamalli alvar, daughter of Kulottunga I was one of his wives. Choḷa princess married to a Paṇḍyan in exile!!! This marriage doesn’t make sense unless we look at a Srirangam inscription of Mānabharaṇa and Vira Kavi Alupendra. The inscription from 12th century doesn’t mention the reigning Choḷa monarch but instead refers only to Alupendra and Mānabharaṇa. Alupendra ruled Mangalore and he seems to have been son in law of Mānabharaṇa. Mānabharaṇa is called Maduradhīshvara and Choḷakulāntaka (Lord of Madurai and Yama to Choḷa kula) in the inscription. That he had conquered Madurai & defeated Choḷas is clear. The inscription records gift by Kittideva (Mānabharaṇa’s brother) & the Paṇḍyan princess who married Alupendra. That the reigning Choḷa monarch is not mentioned and that Mānabharaṇa is called Choḷakulāntaka - makes it clear that the inscription was made during invasion of Choḷa land. Chuttamalli, Choḷa princess, must have been offered to Mānabharaṇa as part of peace treaty.
This invasion must have occurred during last yrs of Kulottunga I’s rule. Vishnuvardhana had conquered Gangavadi & Nolambavadi by 1117 CE. He claims to have dashed up to Rameshvaram. Alupendra must have joined this expedition. Mānabharaṇa seems to have taken advantage of Choḷa weakness and conquered Madurai. Vikrama Choḷa, Kulottunga’s son was brought from Vengi in 1118 CE and made yuvaraja - perhaps to save the situation.
Mānabharaṇa was succeeded by his brother śrī-vallabha for the Paṇḍyan throne at Madurai. Whereas Kittideva seems to have got the province of Lanka ruled by Mānabharaṇa. śrī-vallabha was crowned as Jātavarman śrī-vallabha ca 1121 CE. Another Paṇḍyan prince, Māravarman śrī-vallabha, became co-ruler around 1131 CE.
Around this time, an inscription refers to one Mānabharaṇa as son of Jātavarman śrī-vallabha. Culavaṁśa confirms that śrī-vallabhas son from a Lankan princess was named Mānabharaṇa. This Mānabharaṇa II never ruled Paṇḍya territory in southern India and could not have been the Mānabharaṇa of Srirangam epigraph. Also, if we identify this Mānabharaṇa II with Srirangam epigraph, the marriage of Choḷa princess to Mānabharaṇa I remains unexplained. So, Mānabharaṇa I reclaimed Paṇḍya kingdom from Choḷas. He was succeeded by Jātavarman śrī-vallabha and Māravarman śrī-vallabha who were independent rulers - who used the title tribhuvana-cakravartin and did not offer any homage to Choḷas. Choḷa supremacy over Paṇḍyas was reasserted only in 1170s, when Parākramabāhu supported one faction of Paṇḍyas over another for the Madurai throne. The other faction was supported by Choḷas. Choḷas won the prolonged war and the resultant Paṇḍyan ruler had to become their vassal.
The independent Paṇḍyan kingdom ended because of an internecine struggle. We see a repeat of this again in the 14th century - during the invasion of Delhi Sultanate. Internecine struggles led to the fall of second Paṇḍyan empire. It seems they never learned from history.