In medieval period, talent was honoured even from other states. This can be evidently seen from the inscriptions of that period. We can see two such persons served as generals in the Coḹa army.
Veḷḷaṉ kumaraṉ
He was hailing from Nandikkarai puttūr of Kerala. He was the right hand of Rājāditya, son of Parāntaka I (907-953). His history was described in an inscription from the village Grāmam where he erected a temple for my father at Mauligrāma. Let us see the Sanskrit portion of the inscription.
Line 1 : मौलिः पुत्तूरजन्माकली
Line 2 : बलजयिनामुत्तमः केरलानाम्
Line 3 : राजादित्यस्य साक्षादविचलितच
Line 4 : मूनायको माधुरान्तेः। मौलिग्रामे
Line 5 : धिपेण्णातटे धरणिशिलामन्दिरं
Line 6 : मन्दराभं माहादेवं महाश्रीस्थिर
Line 7 : तरमकरोदत्र वेळ्ळंकुमारः।।
Line 8 : नदीस्थलीकृतनिरतेश्शिवास्पदम्
Line 9 : शिलास्थलीमभिरतये पुरद्विषः।
Line 10 : निजामिमान्धियमिव सुप्रतिष्ठिताम्
Line 11 : कुमार इत्यकृत नवाग्रहारजः।
Line 12 : विश्वशर्म्माव्याप्रतिचारात् त्रितयात्
Line 13 : भस्मीचक्रे दैत्यपुरान् येन निमेषा
Line 14 : त्। मारारातेर्धाम कुमारेदमधन्ते बो
Line 15 : भूषितादायुषामन्तःकरणञ्च।।
The date of the inscription is ascertained from the Tamil portion which gives the Kali year(4044), day from the starting of the Kali (1477037), Revatī Nakṣtra and Saturday as 14th January, 943 CE.
The meaning of the inscription as : Veḷḷaṃ kumaraṉ the crest jewel of the Puttūr village and greatest amongst the Keralites, became the credible commander-in-chief of Rājāditya and built a temple by stones like the Mandara mountain for Mahādeva on the banks of Peṇṇā. Kumāra born in Navāgrahāra (Puttūr), made the stone temple as his mind to please the destroyer of Puras (Puradviṣaḥ).
His later times are very interesting. His later story is gleaned from the Tiruvoṙṙiyūr inscription, which states that he took Saṃnyāsa since he couldn’y help his master Rājāditya in the Takkolam battle and stayed at the temple. Thus a great hero of Kerala, served as a commander-in-chief of Coḷas.
Ambalavan Paḹuvūr Nakkaṉ
He was from Kuvaḷālapura, the modern Kolar of Karṇāṭaka state and served as a general in the court of Uttama Coḹa (971-986 CE). He was conferred with the title Vikrama Coḹa Maharāya with the name of his master Uttama Coḹa. Then he was conferred with the title Rājarāja pallavaraiya under the rule of Rājarāja I (985-1014 CE). He built a temple for my father a Vijaya Maṅgala, the modern Govinda puttūr. The inscription therein eulogies his glory. Let us see the Sanskrit portion of the inscription
Line 1 : कुवलालसमुद्भवः सुकीर्त्तिः
Line 2 : பழுவூர் நக்க इति प्रथितनामा मुरवैरि व..
Line 3 : ख्यः जातवर्ण्णप्रवरो वंशकरः समाविरासीत्।
Line 4 : यदर्थिनः त्यागमुपात्तविग्रहं द्विषज्जनाः शौ
Line 5 : गुणं शरीरिणम्। अनङ्गमङ्गान्वयिनम् मृगेक्षणाः
Line 5 : विदन्ति धर्मं सतनुं विपश्चितः। सोयं स्वविक्रमाप्त
Line 6 : खलार्ण्णवाम्बराकारग्रहाद्वीर्यं तोषिताद्विक्रमचोळ नृपाल्ल
Line 7 : ब्धविक्रमचोळमहाराजाभिधोस्य राज्ञः चतुर्द्दशवर्षे मह
Line 8 : श्रीवानवन् महादेव्यग्रहारे श्रीविजयमंगले वसतः श
Line 9 : म्भोः मन्दिरं शिलामयं विधायास्यैव ग्रामस्य स्वभृतां नॆ
Line 10 : टुवायिलनामग्रामटिकाम्महापार्षः क्रीत्वा स्वविक्ततदानादक
Line 11 : रञ्च कृत्वा तस्यैव शम्भोराशशाङ्कस्थिते अर्चनोत्सवाद्यर्त्थ
Line 12 : म् प्रादात्।
The Sanskrit portion clearly says that he was from Kuvaḷālapura and born in a high caste. He was the embodiment of munificence and his foes knew him as a personification of bravery. The damsels knew him as an incarnation of cupid and scholars knew him as dharma incarnate. He had gained the appreciation of Vikramacoḹa by the show of his valour. In the 14th regnal year of the king, he converted the temple of śambhu at Vijayamaṅgalam in the agrahāra of Vāṉavan mahādevi Agrahāra into stone and gifted the village Neḍuvāyil attached to the same agrahāra and made it as tax-free for the worship of the god and celebration of festivals in the temple.
Thus we can see two Coḹa generals from other states served in Coḹa province and built temples. Both worked under kings who bore the title “Parakesari”.
