Mandalam
A mandalam (maṇḍalam meaning circle;[2] also known as pāḍi) was the largest territorial division in the Chola state. At its height, the state was divided into nine mandalams which included areas in Sri Lanka and other conquered areas.[3] The two core mandalams were Chola-mandalam and Jayangondachola-mandalam.[4]
Administrative divisions under the Cholas
The term mandalam had been in use as a designation of territory even during the
The mandalam was the largest of the Chola territorial divisions and was divided into smaller units named nāḍu). Each nadu functioned as an agrarian production unit and comprised around ten villages and possibly one or two towns (nagaram). Raja Raja Chola I introduced an intermediate division named vaḷanāḍu) to centralise the administration of the state. Chola-mandalam was divided into ten valanadus which, through bifurcation and rearrangement, increased to fifteen by early 12th century.[6]
At the peak of their powers, the Chola country was divided into nine mandalams which included conquered regions such as Sri Lanka.[7]
Cholamandalam
One of the core mandalams of the Cholas, Cholamandalam comprised the modern districts of
Parkavan Mandalam
The Districts of Perambalur, Ariyalur, Salem, Attur, Kallakurichi, Part of Nammakal, Dharmapuri, Chidambaram, Villupuram, Cudalore, Trichy, Tanjore, Pudukottai, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram are called Parkavan Mandalam.
Tondaimandalam / Jayankondacholamandalam
Tondaimandalam was another of the core mandalams of the Cholas and was previously a territory of the
Kongumandalam
Kongumandalam was a region bounded on all sides byhills and consisted of the present-day districts of
Pandyamandalam
Pandyamandalam or Rajarajapandimandalam[1] was the land traditionally under the control of the Pandya dynasty. The region covered much of the southeastern portion of the Tamil country with its seat at Madurai.[12]
Gangapadi
This mandalam was also known as Mudikondacholamandalam.[1]
Tadigaipadi
This mandalam was also known as Vikramacholamandalam.[1]
Nulambapadi
This mandalam was also known as Nigarilicholamandalam.[1]
Marayapadi
Marayapadi[1] was one of the northern mandalams and included parts of modern-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Mummudicholamandalam / Ilamandalam
When Raja Raja Chola I annexed the northern part of Sri Lanka, he named the area Mummudicholamandalam which was also known as Ilamandalam or Izhamandalam. Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa were the major settlements in the region.[1]
Naduvilmandalam
Not always considered a full-fledged mandalam, this region was called so as it lay between (naduvil) Cholamandalam and Tondaimandalam. The region was never associated with any particular ruling dynasty and consequently never gained in importance. Naduvilmandalam consisted of the area between the mouths of the
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g Karashima 2014, p. 132.
- ^ a b Champakalakshmi 1993, p. 187.
- ^ Karashima 2014, p. 133.
- ^ Karashima 2014, p. 131.
- ^ Stein 1977, p. 18.
- ^ Karashima 2014, pp. 133, 135.
- ^ Karashima 2014, pp. 131, 132: The names and number of the mandalams varies from source to source.
- ^ Ramaswamy 2007, p. 138.
- ^ Ramaswamy 2007, p. XLVII.
- ^ Ramaswamy 2007, pp. 140, 141.
- ^ Ramaswamy 2007, pp. 138, 139.
- ^ Ramaswamy 2007, pp. 139, 140.
- ^ Ramaswamy 2007, p. 139.
References
- ISBN 9780198099772.
- JSTOR 42620479.
- JSTOR 2053325.
- Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2007). Historical dictionary of the Tamils. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810864450.