The legendary early Chola kings are recorded history of early Chola rulers of Sangam period in Tamil literature and Sangam literature. The other source of early Chola history is found in the inscriptions left by later Chola kings.

Sources of early Chola history

The genealogy of the Chola kings as found in Tamil literature and in the many inscriptions left by the later Chola kings. It contain records of kings for whom no verifiable historic evidence survives. Many versions of this lineage exist. The main source is the Sangam literature – particularly, religious literature such as Periyapuranam, semi-biographical poems of the later Chola period such as the temple and cave inscriptions and left by medieval Cholas.

Irrespective of the source, no list of the kings has a strong evidentiary basis and, while they generally are similar to each other, no two lists are identical. Some historians consider these lists as comprehensive conglomerations of various Hindu deities and Puranic characters attributed to local chieftains and invented ancestry of dynasty attempting to re-establish their legitimacy and supremacy in a land they were trying to conquer.

Origin of Cholas and Literary sources

Typical hero and demi-gods found their place in the ancestry claimed by the later Cholas in the genealogies incorporated into the copper-plate charters and stone inscription of the tenth and eleventh centuries. The earliest version of this is found in the Kilbil Plates which give fifteen names before Chola including the genuinely historical ones of Karikala, Perunarkilli and Kocengannan. The Thiruvalangadu Plates swells this list to forty-four, and the Kanya Plates lists fifty-two. The Thiruvilandur Copper Plate gives only eight mythological kings, as only eighty five of the original eighty six plates have survived.

The Cholas were looked upon as descended from the Solar dynasty. The Puranas speak of a Chola king, a supposed contemporary of the sage Agastya, whose devotion brought the river Kavery into existence.

The story of king Manu Needhi Cholan tells of how he sentenced his son to death for having accidentally killed a calf. He was called thus because he followed the rules of Manu; his real name is not mentioned and is thought to be "Ellalan" according to Maha vamsam who was attributed with a similar story. King Shibi rescued a dove from a hunter by giving his own flesh to the hungry and poor hunter and was also part of the legends. King Shivi was also called Sembiyan, a popular title assumed by a number of Chola kings.

Sangam period Chola rulers

The Chola kings of the Sangam period and the life of people contributed much to Tamil cultural wealth. The Sangam literature is full of legends about Chola kings. However, no evidentiary basis supports this list of Kings either by way of inscriptions or by way of literary evidence (even in Sangam literature). The dates of accession are approximate interpolation of the Chronological standpoints in Tamil history.

List of Sangam Chola rulers till 250s CE–

+ List of early (Sangam Period) Chola rulersRulerReignEri Oliyan Vaendhi c. 3020 BCEMaandhuvaazhic. 2980 BCEEl Mei Nannanc. 2945 BCEKeezhai Kinjuvanc. 2995 BCEVazhisai Nannanc. 2865 BCEMei Kiyagusi Aerruc. 2820 BCEAai Kuzhi Agusi Aerruc. 2810 BCEThizhagan Maandhic. 2800 BCEMaandhi Vaelanc. 2770 BCEAai Adumbanc. 2725 BCEAai Nedun Jaet Chozha Thagaiyanc. 2710 BCEEl Mei Agguvan "a.k.a" Keezh Nedu Mannanc. 2680 BCEMudiko Mei Kaalaiyam Thagaiyanc. 2650 BCEIlangok Keezh Kaalaiyan Thagaiyan "a.k.a." Ilangeezh Nannan — Kadamba lineage started by his brother Aai Keezh Nannanc. 2645 BCEKaalaiyan Gudingyanc. 2630 BCENedun Gaalayan Dhagayanc. 2615 BCEVaengai Nedu Vael Varaiyanc. 2614 BCEVaet Kaal Kudingyanc. 2600 BCEMaei Ila Vael Varaiyanc. 2590 BCESibi Vendhic. 2580 BCEParu Bonji Chaamazhingyan c. 2535 BCEVaeqratrtri Chembiya Chozhan c. 2525 BCESaamazhi Chozhiya Vaelaan c. 2515 BCEUthi Ven Gaalai Thagan c. 2495 BCENannan That Kaalai Thagan c. 2475 BCEVel Vaen Mindic. 2445 BCENedun Jembiyanc. 2415 BCENedu Nonji Vendhic. 2375 BCEMaei Vael Paqratrtric. 2330 BCEAai Perun Thoan Nonjic. 2315 BCEKudiko Pungic. 275 BCEPerun Goep Poguvanc. 2250 BCEKoeth Thatrtric. 2195 BCEVadi Sembiyanc. 2160 BCEAalam Poguvanc. 2110 BCENedun Jembiyanc. 2085 BCEPerum Paeyar Poguvanc. 2056 BCEKadun Jembiyanc. 2033 BCENedun Kathanc. 2015 BCEParu Nakkanc. 1960 BCEVani Sembiyanc. 1927 BCEUdha Chira Mondhuvanc. 1902 BCEPerun Kaththanc. 1875 BCEKadun Kandhalanc. 1860 BCENakka Monjuvanc. 1799 BCEMaarko Vael Maandhuvan Aaththikkoc. 1786 BCEMusukunthan Vaendhic. 1753 BCEPeru nakkan Thatrtric. 1723 BCEVaer Kaththanc. 1703 BCEAmbalaththu Irumundruvanc. 1682 BCEKaari Mondhuvanc. 1640 BCEVennakkan Thatrtric. 1615 BCEMaarko Chunthuvanc. 1565 BCEVaer Parunthoan Mundruvanc. 1520 BCEUdhan Kaththanc. 1455 BCEKaariko Sunthuvanc. 1440 BCEVendri Nungunanc. 1396 BCEMondhuvan Vendhic. 1376 BCEKaandhamanc. 1359 BCEMundruvan Vendhic. 1337 BCEKaandhamanc. 1297 BCEMonjuvan Vendhic. 1276 BCEAni Sembiyanc. 1259 BCENungunan Vendhic. 1245 BCEMaarkop Perum Cennic. 1229 BCEMonjuvan Nanvendhic. 1180 BCEKopperunar chennic. 1170 BCEMonthuvan Jembiyanc. 1145 BCENarchennic. 1105 BCECaet Chembiyanc. 1095 BCENakkar Chennic. 1060 BCEParun Jembiyanc. 1045 BCEVenjennic. 998 BCEMusugunthanc. 989 BCEMaarkop Perun Jembiyanc. 960 BCENedunjennic. 935 BCEThatchembiyanc. 915 BCEAmbalaththu Iruvaer Chembiyanc. 895 BCEKaariko Chennic. 865 BCEVenvaer Chennic. 830 BCEKaandhamanc. 788 BCEKaandhalanc. 721 BCECaetchennic. 698 BCEVani Nungunanc. 680 BCEMudhu Sembiyan Vendhic. 640 BCEPeelan Jembiyach Chozhiyan c. 615 BCEMaeyan Gadungoc. 590 BCEThiththanc. 570 BCEPerunar Killi Porvaikoc. 515 BCEKadu Mundruvanc. 496 BCEKopperunjozhanc. 495 BCENarkilli Mudiththalaic. 480 BCEThevvango Chozhanc. 465 BCENaran Jembiyanc. 455 BCENakkam Peela Valavanc. 440 BCEIniyan Rhevvan Jennic. 410 BCEVarcembiyanc. 395 BCENedun Jembiyanc. 386 BCENakkan Aran Jozhanc. 345 BCEAmbalathu Irungoch Chennic. 330 BCEPerunar Killic. 316 BCEKochaet Cennic. 286 BCECerupazhi Erinda Ilanjaetcennic. 275 BCENedungop Perunkillic. 220 BCEEllalanc. 205 BCEPerun Gillic. 165 BCEKopperun Jozhiyav Ilanjaetcennic. 140 BCEPerunar Killi Mudiththalaikoc. 120 BCEPerumpoot Cennic. 100 BCEIlam Perunjennic. 100 BCEPerungilli Vendhi "aka" Karikaalan Ic. 70 BCENedumudi Killic. 35 BCEIlavanthigaipalli Thunjiya Maei Nalangilli Caet Cennic. 20 BCEAai Vaenalangillic. 15 BCEUruvapakraer Ilanjaetcennic. 10 - 16 CEKingdom ruled by a series of Uraiyur chieftainsc. 16 – 30 CEKarikaalan II Peruvalaththaanc. 31 CEVaer Paqradakkai Perunar Killic. 99 CEPerun Thiru Mavalavan "aka" Turaapalli Thunjiyac. 99 CENalangillic. 111 CEPerunarkilli "aka" Kula Mutrtraththu Thunjiyac. 120 CEPerunarkilli "aka" Irasasuya Vaettac. 143 CEVael Kadunkillic. 192 CEKochenganaanc. 220 CENalluruththiranc. 245 CE

Genealogy from Chola inscriptions

The genealogy of the Chola family conveyed by the Thiruvalangadu copperplate grant consists of names that corroborate the historic authenticity of legends. Some of the mythological Chola kings mentioned in the Thiruvalangadu genealogy are also recorded in the Thiruvilandur Copper Plate.

Manu Ikshvaku Vikukshi Puranjaya Kakutstha Kakshivat Aryaman Analapratapa Vena Prithu Dhundhumara Yuvanasva Mandhata Muchukunda Valabha Prithulaksha Parthivachudamani Dirghabahu Chandrajit Sankriti Panchapa Satyavrata Rudrajit Sibi Marutta Dushyanta Bharata Cholavarman Rajakesarivarman Parakesarin Chitraratha Chitrasva Chitradhanvan Suraguru (Mrityujit) Chitraratha Vyaghraketu Narendrapati Vasu (Uparichara) Visvajit Perunatkilli Chenni - son of Perunatkilli Karikala Kochchengannan Manoratha

See also Tamilakam Chola Empire History of India List of Tamil monarchs History of Tamil Nadu History of South India Timeline of Indian history Chronology of Tamil history

References