60.243.25.5 at 12:28, 15 May 2021

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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Arinjaya Chola
| title = KoParakesarivarman
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| reign = 956–957 CE
| predecessor = [[Gandaraditya]]
| successor = [[Parantaka Chola II]]
| spouse = <br />Viman Kundaviyar<br />Kodai Pirattiyar
| spouse-type = Queen
| issue = [[Parantaka Chola II]] (Sundara Chola)
| father = [[Parantaka I]]
| birth_date = Unknown
| birth_place = [[Thanjavur]]
| death_date = c. 957 CE
| death_place = Aarur (Tiruvarur)
| burial_place =
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
}}
{{Chola history}}

'''Arinjaya Chola''' (died c. 957) was a [[Tamils|Tamil]] ruler of the [[Chola]] kingdom. He was the third son of Parantaka I and the younger brother of [[Gandaraditya]] Chola, whom he is thought to have succeeded in about 956.<ref>{{cite book|title=The early Chōḷas history, art, and culture|author=S. Swaminathan|publisher=Sharada Pub. House, 1998|page=78}}</ref> Arinjaya seems to have ruled for a very short time.<ref name="jts i14-8">{{cite book|title=Journal of Tamil Studies, Issues 14-18|author=International Association of Tamil Research, International Institute of Tamil Studies|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies|year=1978|page=53}}</ref>

Recent scholarship suggests that Arinjaya was the son of a [[Chera Perumal]] princess (hence a half-brother to prince [[Rajaditya Chola|Rajaditya]]).<ref>George Spencer, ‘Ties that Bound: Royal Marriage Alliance in the Chola Period’, ''Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Asian Studies'' (Hong Kong: Asian Research Service, 1982), 723.</ref>

== Other names ==

Arinjaya is also referred to by the names Arikulakesari, Arikesari, or Arindama. His name is mentioned in some of Gandaraditya's inscriptions as ''Alvar Arikulakesarideva''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Epigraphia Indica, Volume 15|author=Archaeological Survey of India, India. Dept. of Archaeology|publisher=Manager of Publications|year=1982|page=51}}</ref>

== Paucity of information ==

There is some confusion regarding whether Arinjaya actually succeeded Gandaraditya. Some historians doubt whether Arinjaya ruled on his own right. There is little epigraphic evidence available to give us any concrete information on Arinjaya's rule. What we know now is partly speculative and partly informed extrapolations of known facts.<ref>{{cite book|title=History of Tamilnad: To A.D. 1565|author=N. Subrahmanian|publisher=Koodal Publishers|year=1978|page=165}}</ref>

Gandaraditya probably made his younger brother co-regent very early in his rule. It is also very probable that Gandaraditya did not have any heir until very late in his life. As a result, he must have made Arinjaya heir apparent and paved the way for Arinjaya's heirs to the line of succession to the Chola crown.

== Personal life ==

We can gather a good deal information from the epigraphs left behind by his peers. He was married to a Vaidumba princess called Kalyani, who bore him Sundara Chola.<ref>{{cite book|title=Journal of Tamil Studies, Issues 9-10|author=International Association of Tamil Research, International Institute of Tamil Studies|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies|year=1976|page=78}}</ref> Yet another queen was Boothi Aditya Pidari, the daughter of Tennavan [[Irukkuvel]] ''alias'' Maravan Boothi.<ref>{{cite book|title=Journal of Indian Museums, Volumes 17-20|author=Museums Association of India|publisher=Museums Association of India|year=1964|page=13}}</ref> She founded the Chandrasekara temple in [[Tiruchendurai]]. This Tennavan Irukkuvel ''alias'' Boothi has been identified with none other than [[Boothi Vikramakesari]] the builder of the [[Moovar Koil]] temple.<ref>{{cite book|title=Temples of Tamil Nadu, Works of Art|author=D. Raphael|publisher=Fast Print. Service|year=1996|page=226}}</ref>

== Death and succession ==
Arinjaya died c. 957 in a place called Arrur, which is possibly present-day [[Tiruvarur]]. From an inscription found near [[Melpadi]] in north [[Tamil Nadu]], we learn that [[Rajaraja Chola I]] erected a [[Shiva|Siva]] temple called ''Arinjisvara'' as a tomb-shrine in memory of his grandfather Arinjaya who was also known as "''Arrur tunjina devan''".<ref name="jts i14-8" />

Arinjaya was succeeded by his son [[Parantaka Chola II]] (Sundara Chola). Two of his wives ''Viman Kundaviyar'' and ''Kodai Pirattiyar'' seem to have survived him and made gifts to temples in Arinjaya's name during Parantaka II's reign.

== Inscription ==

Arinjaya figures in some of the inscriptions of his father Parantaka. Here is an excerpt,

{{Cquote|<center>''..records a gift of 40 Ilakasu(equivalent of 20 Kalanju of gold) and 10 kalanju of gold by Parantakan Arikulakesari, the son of Cholaperumaanadigal for burning a perpetual lamp in the temple of Mahadeva in Tiruneyttanam<ref>{{cite book|title=A Topographical List of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States: Thanjavur District|author=T. V. Mahalingam|publisher=Indian Council of Historical Research|year=1992|page=621}}</ref>''</center>}}

Yet another one from a temple in [[Tiruvottiyur|Tiruvorriyur]] is as follows,

{{Cquote|<center>''On the eleventh slab. Records in the 30th year of Maduraikonda Parakesarivarman(Parantaka) dated in his 30th year, gift of gold for a lamp by Arindigai-perumanar, son of Chola-Perumanadigal (i.e Parantaka), to the god Siva at Adhigrama.<ref name="South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 57">''South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 57''</ref>''</center>}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1935). ''The CōĻas'', University of Madras, Madras (Reprinted 1984).
* Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. (1955). ''A History of South India'', OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002).

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|title=[[Chola]]|before=[[Gandaraditya]]|after=[[Sundara Chola]] |years=956–957 CE}}
{{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arinjaya}}
[[Category:Chola kings]]
[[Category:10th-century Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:950s deaths]]
[[Category:Year of death uncertain]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]

Arinjaya Chola - Revision history

60.243.25.5 at 12:28, 15 May 2021