11 PANDYAS

The kingdoms that rose subsequently were the Pandya and the Hoysala in the south, and the Kakatiya and the Yadava in the north. Minor powers like the Telugu-Cholas of Nellore played their part as auxiliaries to the chief powers. The accession to the Pandya throne of Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I in A.D. 1251 was an important event. He was a famous warrior and a conqueror under whom the Pandyan power attained its greatest splendour. In the early years of his reign Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I fought many wars and rapidly extended his sway to Nellore and beyond. He also came into conflict with Kakatiya Ganapati whose inscription is noticed on a stone in front of the Manikantesvara temple at Srikalahasti. Five inscriptions of Jatavaraman Sundara Pandya I are found in this district. The other Pandya ruler mentioned in the epigraphs of the district was Maravarman Kulasekhara I (A.D. 1268-1308/1309). He fought against Hoysala Ramanatha who had allied himself with the Chola ruler Rajendra III, defeated both and occupied their territory. After this loss, Ramanatha started a war against his brother Narasimha III and succeeded in capturing some territory. An inscription dated in his 38th regnal year, corresponding to A.D. 1293, 1s found at Punganur. It records the grant of four dandaka of land for offerings in the temple of Karumanikkattalvar at the place by a certain Vamanavanan Kuttapperumal.

The Pandyan interlude-The power of the Cholas declined about the middle of the thirteenth century and the Pandyas, under Maravarman Sundara I, became aggressive. This king invaded Tondamandalam, subjugated all the Chola subordinates in this region and reached as far north as Nellore and performed Virabhiseka there. There are several records of this Pandyan king in the Tirumala temple (127, 164, 172, 175,231,239,241, and 140-TT).