Ko Kizhan Adikal


Ko Kizhan Adikal Ravi Neeli was the traditional title of the queens/princesses of the Chera Perumal kingdom in medieval south India. It was initially assumed that Kizhan Adikal was a proper given name.
The title was used by Kerala princesses even after their marriages to Chola princes.''''''

Records

The title appears in the following inscriptions discovered from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Records associated with the Cholas

  1. "Ko Kizhan Adikal", mother of Chola prince Rajaditya, in a Tirunavalur/Tirumanallur inscription of Chola king Parantaka I .
  2. Lalgudi record of Cankaran Kunrappozhan, from Nandikkarai Puttur in Malainatu, mentioning "Cheramanar makalar" "Ko Kizhan Adikal".
  3. "Ravi Neeli" or "Kizhan Adikal ", daughter of "Cheramanar" or "Keralaraja" Vijayaraga, in a Tiruvotriyur inscription of king Parantaka I.
  4. "Kizhan Adikal" appears in the Tiruvalla copper plates with her husband king Parantaka I .
There is a possibility that the princesses and are the same, or are sisters. If they were sisters, king Parantaka I married two distinct Chera Perumal princesses. The marriage between a Chera princess and Parantaka, c. 910 CE, is mentioned in the Udayendiram plates of Ganga king Prthivipati II Hastimalla.
The velam of the Kizhan Adikal at Tanjavur is mentioned in three Chola inscriptions.
  1. Saranganatha Perumal Temple, Tiruchirai, Kumbakonam .
  2. Vedaranyeswara Temple, Vedaranyam, Tirutturaippundi, Tanjore .
  3. Nageswaraswamin Temple, Kumbakonam — as "Udaya Pirattiyar Kizhan Adikal".

Other Chera Perumal records

  1. "Ravi Neeli alias Kizhan Adikal", daughter of Kulasekhara and wife of Vijayaraga, in a Tirunandikkara inscription .
  2. "Chatira Sikhamani alias Kizhan Adikal" or "Perumattiyar" in a Trikkakara inscription with Chera king Indu Goda .
  3. "Kizhan Adikal" in a Tiruvanchuli/Tiruvalanjuli temple inscription mentioning Chera Perumal Rama Kulasekhara .