Town · The Chola empire of Kulottunga III · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Tirukkoyilur

A temple and ford town on the Pennai on the northern edge of the delta heartland.

It is the seat of the Malayamans (chiefs of Malaiyaman nadu) who serve the Chola kings; the Trivikrama temple (Ulagalanda Perumal) and the Veeratteswarar temple are here. It lies on the road from the delta to Tondaimandalam and is held by a trusted feudatory family; the campaign board lists it as a place of the Chola empire.

Who holds it

Name
The Malayaman chief, a Chola feudatory, with the temple managers (his name is not known for 1200)
Title
see the lord or tenant line below
Born
not known
Confidence
medium

Lord in 1200

The Malayaman chief, a Chola feudatory, with the temple managers (his name is not known for 1200)

How things stand that morning

A Chola feudatory's seat on the road to the north; no sign of revolt. The Malayamans are not named for 1200.

Wealth

Pennai crossing, paddy, temple endowments.

Military

The chief's retinue; no figure.

Threats

  • A rising of the Kadavas to the east (not shown)

Charter

No charter known

Council

The Malayaman chief and his household, the temple managers; none named for 1200

Communities

Brahmins, temple servants, farmers, a Jain and a Saiva past

Fairs and markets

Temple festivals

Militia

The chief's retinue; no figure

Walls and castle

Not described in the pages we read

Trade and crafts

Grain, cloth and the Pennai crossing; temple trade

Places of note

  • Tiruvennainallur: Temple town on the Pennai; birthplace of Meykandar in the tradition.
  • Tiruvakkarai: Chandramouliswarar temple town and fossil wood park.

Where the sources disagree

  • The campaign board entry tirukoilur (11.966,79.204) agrees with the gazetteer's Tirukkoyilur. The Malayaman lord record (Malayamans of Tirukkoyilur) gives what is known of the family.

Evidence: Temples and the ford are known; the chief of 1200 is not named.

"The campaign board" is OMNIA's working map. These notes record where its earlier claims were checked against the sources.

Primary sources for Chola empire

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

4 more in the sources library for Southern India and Sri Lanka.

Sources and studies

  1. Tirukkoyilur, English Wikipedia

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.