Part 2 - Balliya chola (A.D. 950)

Balliya chola is the first historical person of the Konidena branch. To say the he succeeded Dasavarman is basless. He bore the charanasaroruha prasasti. His only record is a c.p. grant bearing no date. On palacographical grounds and historical data, the donor—Balliyachola has been rightly placed about 850-860 (A.D. 928-938) by the Epigraphist who says “If Nannichoda belongs to s 1000 has been supposed already, chodaballi should be assigned to about s 975. Consequently it appears possible that Balliya choda of the present record was an earlier member of the same branch.” Balliya chola’s identification with Ballyayadeva choda alias Chodaballayachoda of A.D. 1106-7 of the Konidena line” on grounds of chronology and similarity of name” is not acceptable for the assignment of the c.p. grant—Madras Museum plates. to the 12th century A.D. is too late as seen from a study of the plate.

His Political Relations

As has been suggested Balliya choda was the last member of the cholas to rule over the Renadu country—the last of the Chola maharajas of the cuddapah district. With him, the Cholas in the region disappeared and migrated to the eastern regions—modern Nellore and Guntur districts where the records of his successor are found. Perhaps Balliya owed allegiance to the Chalukyas of Kalyani. The Vaidumbas in the Cuddapah area were contemporaries of Balliya chola. For in A.D. 971 a Vaidumba Maharaja was ruling in Cuddapah district.