THE SUPREMACY OF KADAVARAYAS IN VILLUPURAM REGION GLEANED FROM INSCRIPTIONS

Abstract

Kadavarayar were the Pallava rulers of South India. After the decline of the Pallava kingdom in the 9th century CE, their descendants became petty chieftains under the Cholas. They began to challenge the Chola power in the 13th century CE. Their inscriptions are found in places like Vriddhachalam, Thiruvennainallur, Kanchi and many other parts of Thondaimandalam. Koperuncingam, called Maharaja Simha in Sanskrit, the best known among them (13th century CE), was a very religious ruler and a great devotee of Shiva, especially Nataraja of Chidambaram. He constructed the eastern gopuram of the Chidambaram temple and decorated the four sides of this structure with the booty received from his conquests. This paper focuses on reign on Kadavarayas in Villupuram region in detailed manner.