A millennium-old mystery over the murder of a Chola prince

It is a millennium-old murder mystery that remains unresolved. The assassination of Aditya Karikala, the son of Sundara Chola and the elder brother of Raja Raja I, in mysterious circumstances in 969 BCE, baffles historians and history buffs alike, since it took place when his father was in power.

It is a millennium-old murder mystery that remains unresolved. The assassination of Aditya Karikala, the son of Sundara Chola and the elder brother of Raja Raja I, in mysterious circumstances in 969 BCE, baffles historians and history buffs alike, since it took place when his father was in power.

Except for a stone inscription at Udayarkudi in the present day Cuddalore district that talks about the punishment handed to four persons who were part of the conspiracy to kill Aditya Karikala, there is hardly anything that points the finger at the assassins.

Historians, including K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, Sadasiva Pandarathar and K.K. Pillai, have differences of opinion and have come out with their own interpretations. The assassination also left behind the question how the Chola empire might have taken shape had Aditya Karikala become the king instead of Raja Raja I, as the brothers were said to have been miles apart in their approach towards all issues.

Aditya Karikala, alias Aditya II, has been described as a great warrior, known for his valour, bravery and fierce temper, the qualities exemplified on screen by actor Vikram in the film Ponniyin Selvan I. In history, he was known as ‘Pandiyan Thalaikonda Parakesari’, a reference to the fame he had gained by beheading Pandya King Veerapandian. As the elder son of Sundara Chola, he was the rightful heir to the throne, but Uttama Chola, who was too young to become the king at the time of the death of his father Gandaraditya (Sundara Chola’s uncle), replaced Sundara Chola. As per a compromise reached earlier, Sundara Chola’s sons were to become heirs of the throne after Uttama Chola.

Nilakanta Sastri, author of The Cholas, after ascertaining that the inscriptions at Udayarkudi in Kattumannarkudi taluk were issued by Raja Raja I himself, raises a pertinent question: why the murder of Aditya II “remained unavenged throughout the sixteen years in which Uttama Chola ruled, Sundara Chola himself having either died of a broken heart soon after the murder, or after having found the natural course of justice obstructed by a powerful conspiracy”.

Sundara Chola died in his golden palace at Kancheepuram and was known as “ Ponmaligaitunjiya Devar”.

Nilakanta Sastri argues that “it seems impossible under the circumstances to acquit Uttama Chola of the part of the conspiracy that resulted in the foul murder of the heir-apparent”. But his views are rejected by Sadasiva Pandarathar and K.K. Pillai, a student of Nilakanta Sastri.