Part 5 - Caste Status (of the Kaveri Delta and the Cholas)

The origin myths, dynastic traditions and genealogies all are equally engaged to elevate the status of a king individually as well as to situate his good office as unique in society. Acquiring the status of Ksatriya, was among the major components of image building endeavours of royalty. It is not clear that there was any physical migration of Ksatriya category (like the Brahmanas) from north India might occur or not, but the ideology of ruling status associated with Ksatriya social position was become popular little late with the spread of Brahmanical ideology.^[1] Interestingly the early Sangam poetry, related with the Cholas, Pandyas, Cheras, did not explicitly invokes this Ksatriya status. It was from the Pallavas, the Brahma-Ksatra lineage they claimed to be originated. Though the general association in Pallava prasastis was chiefly with the known Brahmana figures like Drona, Asvatthama, but the practice of claiming Ksatriyahood may be started in South India from this time onwards. In later inscriptions, like Pallankovil plates of Singhavarman, claimed to be cultivated the qualities of Ksatra-Guna.^[2] Nandivarman II described as Ksatriya-malla^[3] , Rajaraja Chola called himself as Ksatriyasikhamani.^[4]

Scholars like R.S. Sharma, suggested that the association of Varman with their family name also describing the Ksatriya affiliation, as sraman, varman, gupta and dasa are found identified with Brahmanas, Ksatriya, Vaisya and Sudra.^[5] This practice greatly affected all the ruling lineages of the south. Aditya-varman Chola or Parantaka-varman Chola are denotes the same. The preparation of names, rulers adopted at the time of coronation is also found with varman suffix. The Cholas frequently took the title after consecration as Parakesarivarman or Rajakesarivarman.^[6] The Karandai Plates, specifically mentioned that Parakesari or Rajakesari become alternatively the order of kings born in their family.^[7] Other copper Plates like Larger Leiden Plates and Tiruvalangadu Plates also mention of this custom.^[8] Arumolivarman, or Raraja Chola is an exception in this matter, where varman is curiously associated with Tamil name.^[9] The Tiruvalangadu Plates, carries detailed description of the coronation ceremony of Rajaraja I.^[10] The abhiseka or coronation ceremony was performed by giving donations or daksinas to the Brahmanas. The priests who take part in these rituals are known in inscriptions as abihiseka-kkani.^[11] N. Karashima read this reference differently as abihisekakkanikkai, the tax imposed on the time of occasion of the ceremony to meet the expenses.^[12] According to P.V. Kane, the abhiseka ceremony not only enthroned a king by conferring him a new title but also it gives him the Ksatriya status.^[13]

The rituals conferring Ksatriya status were equally popular among the rulers of early medieval south India. Like the Pallavas, the Chola records of Parantaka and Rajaraja I, are found with performing rituals of hiranyagarbha, tulabhara or tulapurusadana.^[14] All these rituals, commonly found in Puranas and Dharmasastrs, are parts of sixteen mahadanas.^[15]