Vellan Kumaran | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tiruvorriyur Inscription of Chaturanana Pandita | |
| Nickname(s) | Chaturanana Pandita |
| Born | Nandikkarai Puttur (Kerala) |
| Allegiance | Chola Empire |
| Rank | Perumpatai Nayaka |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Takkolam (948–49 CE) |
| Relations | Rajasekhara (father, chieftain of Valluvanatu) |
Vellan Kumaran (fl. mid-10th century AD), diksa name[1] Chaturanana Pandita, was a Kerala commander in the Chola army and a close confidant of prince Rajaditya. He was probably one of the few Chola commanders to have survived the battle of Takkolam in 948/49 AD.[2] Kumaran is best known for engraving his own tragic autobiography in an inscription at Tiruvotriyur, Madras (around 10 years after he had become an ascetic).[1][2]
Kumaran was the son of Rajasekhara, the chieftain of Valluvanatu in Kerala. He is also described as a native of "Nandikkarai Puttur" in Kerala.[2] The inscriptions say that he went to Chola country after completing education in his boyhood and became a commander to prince Rajaditya in the Chola army.[3] After the battle of Takkolam, he became an ascetic and settled at Tiruvotriyur as the disciple of certain Niranjana Guru. Eventually Kumaran, now known as Chaturanana Pandita, became the founder of a matha (the Kalamukha monastery) at Tiruvotriyur.[2][1]
The true significance of the life of Kumaran was discovered by historian V. Raghavan.[3][4]
- ^ a b c Epigraphia Indica 27 (1947–48), no. 47: 292–304.
- ^ a b c d Narayanan, M. G. S. (2013) [1972]. Perumāḷs of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks. pp. 100–101. ISBN 9788188765072.
- ^ a b Narayanan, M. G. S. (2013) [1972]. Perumāḷs of Kerala. Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks. pp. 112–13. ISBN 9788188765072.
- ^ Epigraphia Indica 27 (1947–48), no. 47: 293–96.