Part 40 - Tondayaraju (A.D. 1120)

Tondayaraju was the earliest member known so far of the Eruva cholas His only inscription is from Draksharama dated CV. 46 and A.D. 1121 registering a gift by queen Mailamadevi. Tondaya was a mahamandalesvara and bore a prasasti beginning with svasti samadhigeta etc., some of the titles being Viramahdswara, Koduru puravavesvara, suryavansodhbhavakulatilaka, Karyapagotra and Karikalanvaya.

Tondaya’s capital was Kodur. Tondaya acknowledged the suzerainty of Vikramaditya VI—Tribhuvanamalladeva whose prasasti is found in Tondaya’s inscription. The political condition of Vengi about this time was as follows—The Chola power was at its lowest ebb and the Chalukya power at its highest under the aegis of Vikramaditya VI. All the local powers in Vengi including the Velanandu chodas recognised to chalukya supremacy though temporarily And Eruva Tonda was no exception. Tonda has a minister in a member of the Vempala family for one of the titles in the Vempala family prasasti is Eruvatondabhupati clakshina bhujadanda—the sceptre in the right arm of Eruva Tonda.