Regnal Years of Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal of Mahodayapuram

Aneesh S.1

1. Department of History, Christian College, Chengannur, Angadickal, Alappuzha, Kerala – 689 122, India (Email: [email protected])

Received: 05 July 2019; Revised: 08 September 2019; Accepted: 01 October 2019 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7 (2019): 608-612

Abstract: Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal was the last ruler among the Cheras of Mahodayapuram in Kerala. Scholars have expressed various views regarding the reign of Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal based on Ramesvaram inscription without considering the position of Jupiter mentioned in the inscription. In this paper the author makes an attempt to calculate the exact position of Jupiter as per his inscriptions and then fix the reign of the ruler accordingly. The new argument fixes the reign of Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal from AD 1091 to AD 1103.

Keywords: Chera, Perumal, Jupiter, Rasi, Inscription, Nakshatra, Kollam Year

Introduction From the ninth century AD to the beginning of the twelfth century AD, Kerala was ruled by the Cheras of Mahodayapuram. They were also called the Perumals or Kulasekharas of Mahodayapuram. Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal was the last ruler among Cheras of Mahodayapuram. His Ramesvaram Stone inscription (Ayyar 1999) has helped historians to reconstruct the reign of the last Kulasekhara ruler. The inscription was dated in Kollam Year1 278. It bears astronomical details as well. Other inscriptions of Rama Kulasekhara, which furnish astronomical details, are Perunna inscription (Ayyar 1999) and Nedumpuram Tali inscription (Pothuval 1938). Both these inscriptions were issued during the 10th regnal year of Rama Kulasekhara when Jupiter was in Karkataka Rasi2 (4th Rasi). The position of Jupiter in the above-mentioned inscriptions clearly states that they belong to the same ruler. There is an inscription of Kulasekhara Perumal at Tiruvalur (Aiyar 1999). It was issued during the 3rd regnal year of the ruler when Jupiter was in Makara Rasi (10th Rasi). M.G.S. Narayanan says that Tiruvalur inscription belongs to Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal (Narayanan 2013). The main objectives of this article are, to assess the exact date of Ramesvaram inscription and to fix the reign of Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal.

It is to be noted that there was a very extensive knowledge base in astronomy during the early medieval period in Kerala3. There are many examples which show the Aneesh 2019: 608-612 accuracy of their astronomical calculations. Let us take the case of Mambally inscription of Srivallabhankodai (Aiyar 1999). The inscription was issued in the month of Vrishchika of the Kollam Year 149, when Jupiter was in Tula Rasi (7th Rasi), the day was a Sunday and the Nakshatra was Ashwini (1st asterism). Professor L. F. Keilhorn finds that this date corresponds to the evening of Sunday, the 9th November 973 AD when the Nakshatra was Ashwini (Aiyar 1999). This date also agrees to all the astronomical details furnished in the Mambally Plate. That is, Ashwini Nakshatra was present on 9th November and the Jupiter was rightly in Tula Rasi (7th Rasi). This example itself reveals the progress of astronomy during the early medieval Kerala. It rejects any chance of a minute error in their astronomical calculations.

Tiruvalur Inscription Tiruvalur inscription4 belongs to the 3rd regnal year of Kulasekhara Perumal (Aiyar 1999). The astronomical details of Tiruvalur inscription indicates that the position of Jupiter was in Makara Rasi(10th Rasi). M.G.S. Narayanan says that Rama Kulasekhara came to throne in AD 1089 (Narayanan 2013). If so, his 3rd regnal year would come to an end by AD 1092. Now let us examine the position of Jupiter in AD 1092. Even on 31 December 1092, the mean longitude of Jupiter was 206 degrees and its true longitude was 213 degrees (Pillai 1922). This places Jupiter in Vrishchika Rasi (8th Rasi) only. Makara Rasi (10th Rasi) begins only when Jupiter reaches in 270 degrees. Here, Jupiter has to travel two more houses (57 degrees more) to reach the Rasi of Makara. Thus, it is clear that the position of Jupiter in Tiruvalur inscription does not agree to the 3rd year of the Rama Kulasekhara (AD 1092). Hence, it can be concluded that the Tiruvalur inscription does not belong to Rama Kulasekhara. This inscription belongs to another ruler, called Bhaskara Ravi, who became the Perumal in the 11th century5. In the initial year of the the ruler, the position of Jupiter was in Tula Rasi and in his third regnal year, the Jupiter was in Makara Rasi.

Date of Ramesvaram Inscription Another point that draws the attention of the scholars is about the actual date of Rama Kulasekhara’s Ramesvaram inscription (Figures 1 and 2)6 (Ayyar 1999). The inscription very clearly states the exact date of the inscription (Kollam Year 278) and the position of Jupiter (Kanni Rasi – 6thRasi). But some portions of the inscription, which contain the month and the regnal year of the ruler, were illegible. The date of inscription, as far as K.V. Subrahmanya Aiyar was concerned, was AD 1103 (Ayyar 1999). But, Elamkulam P. N. Kunjanpillai and M.G.S. Narayanan gave too much importance to the illegible portion of the month and placed the date of inscription in AD 1102 (in the month of Simha of the Kollam Year 278) without considering the position of Jupiter (Kunjanpillai 1970; Narayanan 2013). Now, let us try to find the exact date of the inscription.

Before considering Ramesvaram Inscription, we have to contemplate Nedumpuram Tali Inscription of Rama Kulasekhara (Pothuval 1938) which was issued during his 10th regnal year when Jupiter was in Karkataka Rasi (4th Rasi). Besides the position of Jupiter, the inscription mentions the name of month also so that it can be placed with more

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certainty. Nedumpuram Tali inscription was issued in the month of Mina when Jupiter was in Karkataka Rasi. These details correspond to the month of Mina of the Kollam Year 276 (March, AD 1101).

Figure 1: Ramesvaram Inscription, First Pillar

Figure 2: Ramesvaram Inscription, Second Pillar

Thus, we can argue that his 10th regnal year came to an end after March 1101. Hence, his 11th regnal year began in a subsequent month after March 1101. The beginning of Rama Kulasekhara’s 11th regnal year in AD 1001 helps us to fix the commencement of his 13th regnal year in AD 1103. Now, let us take the case of Ramesvaram inscription of

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Rama Kulasekhara. It was issued in the 13th year when Jupiter was in Kanni Rasi (6th Rasi). We have already calculated the 13th regnal year of the ruler which began in AD 1103. The position of Jupiter also justifies this date. In AD 1103, Jupiter was obviously in Kanni Rasi.

M.G.S. Narayanan has placed Ramesvaram inscription in the month of August of AD 1102 (Narayanan 2013). This view cannot be accepted because, in the month of August of AD 1102, the ruler was not in his 13th regnal year, but in 12th regnal year. The position of Jupiter also negates his view. The place of Jupiter in the month of Simha of the Kollam Year 278(August, AD 1102) was not in Kanni Rasi, but in Simha Rasi (5thRasi). On 9 Simha of Kollam Year 278 (4 August, AD 1102) the mean longitude of Jupiter was 137 degrees and its true longitude was 138 degrees only. Thus, the chronological and astronomical details reject the view of M.G.S. Narayanan. Hence, we have to accept K. V. Subrahmanya Aiyar’s view which states that the inscription was issued in AD 1103. The beginning of Rama Kulasekhara’s 13th regnal year after the month of Mina of the Kollam Year 278 (February-March, AD 1103) also helps us to fix the exact year of his coronation. It can be said without any doubt that Rama Kulasekhara Chakravartikal came to the throne in AD 1091 and continued his reign up to AD 1103.

Conclusion Thus, it can be summarised as follows. The position of Jupiter in Tiruvalur inscription proves that it does not belong to Rama Kulasekhara. The position of Jupiter stated in this inscription suits to another Perumal called Bhaskara Ravi Thus, the argument of M. G. S. Narayanan on Tiruvalur inscription is wrong and unacceptable. Another point of discussion was about the date of Ramesvaram inscription of Rama Kulasekhara. The astronomical details furnished in his Nedumpuram Tali inscription (10th regnal year) place this inscription in March, AD 1101. This date proves that, his Ramesvaram inscription (13th regnal year) was issued in AD 1103 when Jupiter was in Kanni Rasi. It also helps us to determine the coronation year of Rama Kulasekhara that took place in AD 1091. Thus, we can rightly say that Rama Kulasekhara came to the throne in AD 1091 and continued his reign up to AD 1103. Therefore, the view of M.G. S. Narayanan on the date of Ramesvaram inscription (August, AD 1102) is unacceptable.

Notes 1 Kollam Year or Kollam Era is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Kerala. The origin of the calendar has been dated as AD 825.

2 The zodiac circle is divided into 12 equal parts of 30 degrees each. Each part is called a Rasi. Jupiter makes a complete orbit around the Sun in about 12 years. It means Jupiter stays in a Rasi for about one year.

3 For detailed information, see P. K. Narayana Pillai, (Ed.), Laghubhaskariya, Trivandrum, 1949.

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4 The inscription is dated in the year opposite to the second of the Kulasekhara Perumal. The inscription is engraved in the Vattezhuthu alphabet on the wall at the eastern entrance of the temple. The position of Jupiter is stated in Makara Rasi.

5 Elamkulam P. N. Kunjanpillai considers this ruler as Bhaskara Ravi III.

6 The temple is located at Ramesvaram in Kollam district. These photographs were taken by the present writer in 2018.

References Aiyar, K. V. S. 1999. Travancore Archaeological Series Vol. IV. Thiruvananthapuram: Department of Cultural Publications. Ayyar, R. S. R. 1999. Travancore Archaeological Series Vol. V. Thiruvananthapuram: Department of Cultural Publications. Kunjanpillai, E. P. N. 1970. Studies in Kerala History. Thiruvananthapuram: National Book Stall. Narayanan, M. G. S. 2013. Perumals of Kerala. Thrissur: Cosmo Books. Pillai, L. D. S. 1922. An Indian Ephemeris. Madras: Government of Madras. Pothuval, R. V. 1938. Travancore Archaeological Series Vol. VIII. Trivandrum: Government of Travancore.

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