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Kulothunga Chola () was one of the greatest kings of the Chola Empire who ruled in the late 11th century and early 12th century. He was one of the sovereigns who bore the title Kulottunga, literally meaning ''the exalter of his race''. During his early reign he carried out a land survey and settlement as the basis of taxation.〔The Cambridge Shorter History of India p.191〕〔Encyclopaedia of Untouchables Ancient, Medieval and Modern by Raj Kumar p.116〕 His records also testify to the highly organized system of fiscal and local administration.〔〔 He had diplomatic relations with the north Indian city Kanauj as also with far off countries like Cambodia, Sri Vijaya and China.〔 His court poet was Jayamkondar who wrote the poem Kalingattu parani to celebrate the military victories of Kulothunga Chola.〔A History of Indian Literature, 500-1399: From Courtly to the Popular by Sisir Kumar Das p.209〕 He was a liberal ruler as several land grants were given to the members of the Shudra community who were generals and royal officials during his reign.〔Literature, Caste and Society: The Masks and Veils by S. Jeyaseela Stephen p.21〕 He established Chola overlordship over the Sri Vijaya province Kedah in Malaysia.〔Singapore in Global History by Derek Thiam Soon Heng,Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied p.40〕 ==Early life== Kulothunga Chola I was the grandson of Emperor Rajendra Chola I .〔Gazetteer of the Nellore District: Brought Upto 1938 by the Government Of Madras p.38〕〔History of Tamilakam. Darkness at horizon by T. V. Kuppuswamy (Prof.), Shripad Dattatraya Kulkarni, Shri Bhagavan Vedavyasa Itihasa Samshodhana Mandira p.325〕 As a Chola prince he conquered the Sri Vijaya province Kedah on behalf of his maternal uncle Emperor Virarajendra Chola in the 11th century.〔Ancient India: Collected Essays on the Literary and Political History of southern India by Sakkottai Krishnaswami Aiyangar p.131〕 As a Chola Prince he also conquered Bastar in modern Chhattisgarh.〔Dimensions of Human Cultures in Central India: by Professor S.K. Tiwari p.163〕〔Tribal Roots of Hinduism by Shiv Kumar Tiwari p.209〕 Several ancient documents and fragmented inscriptions available from places like tirugokarnam, pudukkottai, pennagadam in cuddalore, tirumaanikkuzhi in cuddalore etc. give some information on events that took place during the crowning of the Emperor. For example, the following passage from a Tamil work of the period written at tiruppadiripuliyur(cuddalore) has it as: ''Paridhi kulam thannil uthitthu para samaya irulakattriya, tiru pparaman aadum perambalamum gopuramum aalayamum ponveyndhu, unmai sruthi yudan saiva neri thazhaitthu ongi, tiruneerru chozhan enru, kurumani maamudi punaintha kulothunga chola valavarul kuritthu vaazhvom'' ''"We are pleased to collaborate with Sri Kulothunga Chola who stemmed from the race of sun(paridhi kulam) in the line of illustrious emperor valava of yore. Sri kulothunga deva chola destroyed the darkness caused by surge of false faiths(para samayam) and upheld the reality and truth of vedic saivism. May that tiruneerru chozhan(Kulothunga Chola I ),who anointed with gold the temple and tower at thillai(Chidambaram) live long!"'' A Tamil work written in praise of Karunakara Tondaiman, the commander of the forces in the successful expedition to Kalingam(Orissa) and the north has once again referred to the king Kulothungan as belonging to paridhi kulam(solar race). In the epic Periyapuranam once again a reference is made by the author to identity of Anapayan or Kulothungan I by referring to him as “illustrious one of race of sibis.”. The emperor was crowned as per traditional rules at thillai going by three epigraphs available . The fact that those that undertook the same since times immemorial, the temple priests at Chidambaram conducted the same only to the cholas is further evidenced from the following para in periyapuranam 'Mallal nyaalam parakkinraar mani maa mavuli punaivatharkku Thillai vaazh anthanar thammai venda avarum sembiyar tham thollai Needum kula sirandhor kkanri mudi soottom enru nalkaaraki cheralathan than malai naatanaya nannuvaar' ''“Inorder that he who conquered the world(kootruvar) may not be bereft of a royal crown he requested the crowning services of the ancient three thousand servitor priests at Chidambaram(thillai). Thereupon the priests refused the same saying that they are entitled to perform the ceremony only to the most deserving of the ancient clan of sembiyars(cholas). Having said this , they quit their dwelling to reach the hill country(kerala) of the ancient tamil chera king.”.'' In addition to these we see that most of the available documents of kulothunga chola I start with the introduction in Sanskrit as ''Ethad kulothunga cholasya Rajakesarivarmanah''. The name Rajakesari denotes a very ancient king of solar race to which the cholas belong to. It is under these circumstances, he moved into the 'Political vacuum created by the death of Adhirajendra' and established himself on the Chola throne as Kulothunga Chola I. Once again it would be good enough to note that during the cameo of crisis in a powerful empire, it would be impossible for anyone with contestable credentials to don the mantle of the head especially when several of the virtuous and worthy (like for example pallava chiefs) are in the fray. It is also possible that kulothungan stemmed from King Raja mahendra chola who was in charge of northern chola borders and who is praised for displaying unparalled devotion by presenting a gemset golden image of sriranganatha to the temple at srirangam. Incidentally, the same ruler is eulogized in many inscriptions as the one who upheld law and dispensed justice " Three to four times as good as ancient manu". Kulothunga I participated in a few wars by the side of kings like Rajendra Chola, his successors like Rajadhiraja, Rajendra II and Virarajendra Chola. For his deeds he had been entrusted with the task of governing those parts of the Chola kingdom like north-west Telugu country and the Bastar districts of erstwhile Madhya Pradesh (modern Chhattisgarh). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kulothunga I」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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