CenkuttuvanCera, literally the Good Cera, identified with Katal PirakottiyaVel Kezhu Kuttuvan, was the most celebrated ruler of the Cera dynasty in early historicsouth India. The kuttuvan is eulogized by Paranar in the fifth decad of Patitrupattu of the Ettutokai anthology. The kuttuvan successfully intervened in a succession dispute in the Colacountry and established his relative on the Cola throne. The Kadambas ― helped by the Yavanas ―attacked the kuttuvan by sea, but the Cera ruler destroyed their fleet. He is said to have defeated the Kongu people and a warrior called Mokur Mannan. Under his reign, the Cera territory extended from Kollimalai near Karur Vanci in the east to Tondi and Mantai on the western coast. Military achievements of Cenkuttuvan are described, albeit in an exaggerated manner, in the medieval Tamil epic poemCilappatikaram. A method, known as Gajabahu Synchronism/Triple Synchronism, based on text proper, canto 30:160 of the epic, is used by scholars to date Cenkuttuvan Cera to c.2nd century CE.
Life and career
Early Tamil texts
The kuttuvan is eulogized by Paranar in the fifth decad of Patitrupattu of the Ettutokai anthology. Purananuru 343 refers to the hill products and sea products, mainly pearls, of Cenkuttuvan and to the Yavana gold that reached ashore by boats, in exchange. The kuttuvan's mastery over the sea might have led to the often used title Katal Pirakottiya, which translates as "One who Lagged the Sea Behind". Paranar praised the kuttuvan for his naval powers - Paranar also praised kuttuvan's military prowess -
Kuttuvan was the son of the Cera ruler Netum Ceralatan and Nalconai. The wife of Cenkuttuvan was Illanko Venmal.
Cenkuttuvan ruled the Cera country for 55 years.
Warriors of the Kuttuvan used bull-hide shields to protect themselves from the enemy darts .
Kuttuvan successfully intervened in a succession dispute in the Cola territory and established his relative Killi on the Cola throne. The rivals of Killi were defeated in the battle of Nerivayil, Uraiyur.
The Kadambas are described as the arch enemies of the kuttuvan. The kuttuvan was able to defeat them in the battle of Idumbil, Valayur. The "fort" of Kotukur in which the Kadamba warriors took shelter was stormed. Later the Kadambas attacked kuttuvan by sea, but the Cera ruler destroyed their fleet.
Kuttuvan defeated the Kongu people . Kuttuvan defeated a warrior called Pazhaiyan Mokur Mannan .
The patikam to Patitrupattu, decad V mentions Ilanko Atikal and the expedition of Cenkuttuvan to north India to bring a stone from which to carve the Pattini idol
Authorship of Cilappatikaram is traditionally ascribed to prince Ilanko Atikal, who appears in the work as the younger brother of Cenkuttuvan Cera. The third part of Cilappatikaram deals with Cenkuttuvan's expedition to bring the virakkallu from the Himalayas for an idol of Kannaki/Pattini. According to the patikam of Cilappatikaram, the royal astrologer at the court of Cera king predicted that Ilanko would succeed the king, which angered the elder prince Cenkuttuvan. Ilanko at once chose to renounce his claims to the throne and live a life of an Jain ascetic. He shifted to a monastery on the outskirts of Vanci, where he composed epic Cilappatikaram. The Bhagavati Temple, in Kotungallur, Kerala, is claimed to be the Kannaki temple thus consecrated.
Kayavaku,the king of Lanka is identified with Gajabahu I, king of Sri Lanka. In this context, Cenkuttuvan can be dated to either the first or last quarter of the 2nd century AD.
Despite its dependency on numerous conjectures, the method is considered as the sheet anchor for the purpose of dating the events in the early historic Tamil texts.
