Aditya karikalan Chola prince

Aditya Chola II

Aditha Karikalan (Tamil: ஆதித்த கரிகாலன்) was a Chola prince who lived in the 10th century in India.[1] He was born in Madurai and was the eldest son of Parantaka Chola II. He was the elder brother of Rajaraja Chola I and Kundavai. He was called as Virapandiyan Thalai Konda Koparakesari Varman Karikalan.[2]

Aditha I

Aditya Chola II.png

Mural of Prince Aditha Karikalan at  Brihadisvara Temple

Co-Regent of the Chola Empire

Reign  : 966 - 971 CE

Emperor : Parantaka II

Predecessor : Parantaka II

Successor : Uttama Chola

Born : Aditha Karikalan 942 CE

Tanjore, Chola Empire (modern day Tamil Nadu, India)

Died : 971 CE (aged 29)Kadambur, Chola Empire

Spouse : Ilaada Madeviyar

Issue : Karikala Kannan

Dynasty : Chola

Father : Parantaka II

Mother : Vanavan Madevi

Religion : Saivam

He led the Chola expedition against the Pandyas and defeated the Pandya king Veerapandyan at the Battle of Chevur. He killed Veerapandiyan after chasing him on the banks of Vaigai river. Aditya was made the co-regent and heir apparent to the Chola throne even though Uttama Chola, the son of Gandaradita Chola, had more right to throne. He was planned and murdered by the associates of Veerapandiyan in revenge for the defeat. Aditya was succeeded by Uttama Chola.[3] As per epigraphs, the inquiry into the death was completed in the second year of Rajaraja Chola I's reign and the lands of certain officials were confiscated for their complicity in the murder of "Karikala Chola who took the head of the Pandya".[4][5]

According to archaeologist Kudavayil Balasubramanian, "Dr K T Tirunavukkarasu in his collection of historical essays titled "Arunmozhi Aiyvu Thogudi", comprehensively ruled out Madurantaka Uttama's role in Aaditha Karikala's murder. In the said article, basing his view on a number of historical data points, Dr Tirunavukkarasu has gone on to explain that there was a delay in apprehending the perpetrators immediately thereafter and it was only during Rajaraja I's second regnal year that the culprits were brought to book .[6] Suspicions were pointed to Uttama Chola but confiscations of land belonging to culprits started before Raja Raja's period suggesting that Uttama Chola did not spare the plotters. Among the punished were Ravidasan, Soman and Parameshwaran who were all government officials.[7][8][9] They avenged for the decapitation of Veerapandyan by Aaditha Karikalan.