Srikantha Chola (Telugu: శ్రీకంత చోళుడు) (Tamil: ஸ்ரீகந்த சோழன்) was a Telugu Chola ruler belonging to Pottapi Chola family which claims descent from ancient Tamil king Karikala Chola. He was ruling Renadu region as a feudatory of Pallavas. Srikantha was succeeded by Vijayalaya Chola.
Madras Museum Copper Plates of Srikantha Chola
Five copper-plates which have been preserved in the Madras Museum for a long time. They are strung on a ring, which carries a signet ring, to which a seal is soldered. It bears, in relief, a standing boar facing the proper right. An elephant goad surmounted by the sun and moon is above the boar and a dagger is to its proper right.
Three inscriptions are recorded in these plates. The first inscription is in Sanskrit. It occupies three plates and a portion of the fourth plate.
It records that Srikantha, a Chola Adhiraja, gave the village of Mandara to Balashakti, for the regular conduct of worship and offerings to Siva.
The second and third inscriptions are in Telugu, the script employed being old Telugu. These occupy the remaining portion of the fourth and one side of the fifth plate.
The former records that Balliya Chola Maharaju gave Sasi Satesvara Bhatara the enjoyment of the income of the villages named Mandara, Inumbrolu, and Umbaka, on the auspicious occasion of nttarayana. The latter records that Vaidumba Maharaja gave the village of Katicheruvu, situated in Kadapa, to Nrittilokesvara for the sake of dakshinayana sankranti.
The grant was made on the saptami tithi in the bright fortnight in the month of Ashadha.
This Srikantha traces his descent from Karikala Chola, the ancient Chola king, who built steps on the banks of the river Kaveri and conquered Trilochana-Pallava. This inscription is younger than Pedda Cheppali plates of Srikantha Srimanohara Chola by 2 decades which is dated around first half of 9th century AD.
Ancestor of Imperial Cholas
For a very long time, historians could not trace the ancestry of Vijayalaya Chola, who is considered to be the founder of Medieval Chola dynasty, historians and epigraphists in the wake of Eastern Chalukya king's Copper plate grants, Anbil plates of Parantaka Chola II and Velanjeri plates of Parantaka Chola I believe that Vijayalaya chola might well belong to the Telugu Cholas lineage, who themselves trace their ancestry to the ancient Tamil King, Karikala Chola. Vijayalaya Chola's predecessor is Srikantha Choladhiraja according to Anbil plates of Parantaka Chola II. After mentioning Kochchenganan and his son Nalladikon, Anbil plates has the following verse,
"Srikantha-graha [na]rudha kumkumamka-bhujantarah
Srikantha iti-rajendras tat-kuli sam-ajayata"
The above line translates to: In his family was born the chief of kings called Sri Kantha on whose chest were impressed marks of saffron from Lakshmi (Sri)'s embracing his neck. It will be evident from this that Srikantha was not the immediate successor of Nalladikon, but was a descendant of his, born in the family long after. The next verse introduces Vijayalaya Chola, the founder of Imperial Cholas.
Relation with Pandyas
Srikantha Chola is from Telugu Pottapi Chola family ruling Tondaimandalam and her daughter's name is Akkalanimmati, the mother of Pandyan king Parantaka Viranarayana. The following lines are taken from Dalavayapuram copper plate of Pandyan king Parantaka Viranarayana,
"Aravaraiian paltuli ayirama yiruttalaiyal
peritaritin porukkinra penim porai man magalai tta
todittolil inrutangiya tondaiyarkon tulakkijli
vadippadai manabharanan tirumagan mayilayar kon
Pottappi kulacholan pugaltarusiri Kandarajan
mattama malai valal manimagalakklanimmidi
tiruvayiru karuvuyirtta Sri Parantakamagarajan"
The above lines translates to: Tondainadu king, Srikantha Chola, the leader of great elephants belonging to Pottapi Chola family had a daughter named Akkalanimmati who was married to Pandyan emperor Srimara Srivallabha and their son is Pandyan king Parantaka Viranarayana.