Political History (3): Karikala

The history of the early Choas (Sangam Cholas) has been written mainly with the help of the ancient Tamil literature (i.e.) Sangam works. From very early times, Karikala, the greatest of the Sangam Cholas, became the centre of many myths.^[1] Conquest of Kanchi by Karikala is one of the elements in the Karikala legends that can find no support from the earliest authorities on his reign..But Pattinappalai of Kadiyalur Uruthiran Kannanar, a sangam work which sings the glory of Karikala, refers to a kind of people Aruvalar who carried out Karikala’s behest. The Aruvalar were the people who inhabited in the Aruvanadu which was later called as Tondainadu.^[2] Karikala Chola’s tmust have contributed to the prosperity of Tondainadu though the pioneer work of acculturation of this region was done by Asoka and his Buddhist Missionaries.^[3] The history of Tondainadu is lost in obscurity almost from the days of Kkarikala to its occupation by the Pallava Kings under Sivaskanda Varman. It is probable that during that period, it was in the hands of the Cholas.^[4]