Sugandhi Alias Andal Devanayaki

by T. D. Ramakrishnan

  ‘What do you think?’ he asked her.

  ‘The sultan echoes my thoughts. This is the best time to attack Anuradhapura. The enemy is extremely weak. But we must not underestimate the strength of the Sinhalese.’

  ‘Do any soldiers who were trained at Kanthalur occupy high positions in Mahinda’s army?’

  ‘My father’s dear disciple, Iravipillai Nayanar, is second-in-command in Mahinda’s army. He knows me personally. There are others too, like Kulachal Velukutty and Nesamani.’

  ‘That is exactly what we need. We will send a small team on three ships to Sinhala. Let two or three expert spies accompany them. You must send a message to Iravipillai Nayanar through them. You must write that the former queen of Kanthalur and the empress of the Chola empire, Devanayaki alias Kantha Madevi, gives assurance that the Sinhala soldiers will be paid and that they will be made part of the Chola army. We will use bhai’s people to take care of the spies’ needs.’

  ‘That is a good move. But the spies must be trustworthy.’

  ‘Absolutely. They will return to Thanjavur in three weeks with a reply.’

  ‘We will prepare the message tomorrow. How can I thank you for permitting me to use the title “Empress of the Chola empire”?’

  ‘Thank me through your actions, not words.’

  ‘You are very clever.’

  ‘This is my privilege, as emperor. But if what you say is right, we might not be able to go on such journeys.’

  ‘I’m not sure. I merely voiced a doubt.’

  He stroked her belly gently. Then he put his ear to her stomach, as if to listen to the throbbing of a new life. He raised his head and smiled.

  ‘Can you hear anything?’

  ‘Yes, I can. A young baby calling me “Appa”.’

  In the morning, everything proceeded according to plan. Three ships started for Sinhala with a letter from Devanayaki. Rajaraja and his entourage went to Nagapattinam. After three days of travel, they dropped anchor some distance from the harbour of Dhanushkodi and discussed how the military could proceed from there to Mannar. As Rameswaram was not under Chola rule, they did not stop there but proceeded to Kodiakkarai through the sea of Pamban. They reached Kodiakkarai after a three-day journey. The Chola army had an armoury and another shipbuilding unit there. But they did not make ships as big as the ones in Kayalpattinam. They made smaller but swifter ones that could launch fierce attacks.

  Kodiakkarai was a beautiful place. Devanayaki, who was getting tired of the sea journey, was happy to stay there. It was a place like Kanthalur, full of greenery, small brooks and many-hued birds. A gentle, cool breeze wafted towards her. They ate delectable food prepared by the workers in the armoury, and drank a mild wine brewed from the jasmine flower. Added to it was Rajaraja’s loving attention. She never wanted to leave. That night, she told him of a strange desire.

  ‘Your Highness, you said that each of your queens has a separate palace. So won’t you have to build one for me?’

  ‘Don’t worry about that. There are two vacant palaces in Thanjavur, another one is nearing completion on the banks of the Kaveri in Thiruvarur. You can choose the palace you want to live in.’

  ‘I wish the palace was here.’

  ‘If you are bewitched by Kodiakkarai, what will you say when you reach Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur or Thanjavur? If you don’t like any of the palaces there, I’ll build one for you here.’

  They started the next morning, and a favourable wind hastened their arrival in Nagapattinam. The Chola empire welcomed the victorious king with pomp and splendour. Nagapattinam was grandly decorated, music played, and the people spilled out into the streets to celebrate the victory over Kanthalur. The ministers and other royals garlanded the emperor. They looked at the beautiful new queen in wonder. After the bustle of the welcoming ceremonies, Rajaraja astride his white horse and Devanayaki on a brown Arab steed rode through the streets. When they saw her sitting on the horse, the people realized that Kantha Madevi was unlike the other queens and well-versed in martial arts.

  As the emperor and his retinue were about to leave for Thanjavur, a Buddhist monk arrived crying for help. It was Sree Vallabha Buddhanar who later wrote the Susaana Supina. The emperor alighted from his horse and bowed. Buddhanar said that he wanted to speak to the emperor in private. They moved away, towards the shade of a banyan tree.

  ‘I am a Buddhist monk. I was born in Nagapattinam. I have been a resident of the Abhayagiri Vihara in Anuradhapura for the past eighteen years, but now the situation there is bad due to infighting between the monks of the Maha Vihara and the Abhayagiri Vihara. Mahinda’s activities have further aggravated the situation. King Mahinda is an insult to his namesake, the great Buddhist monk. I came back with some merchants from Kambuja. Nagapattinam has a rich Buddhist tradition. You must recognize that and help us build a monastery here.’

  The emperor listened carefully as the monk continued.

  ‘King Maravijayattungavarman of Srivijaya was my disciple in the Abhayagiri Vihara. He has promised every aid required to build a monastery here if you give your consent.’

  The monk bowed respectfully and bid farewell to the emperor. They reached the palace before twilight, accepting the hospitality of villages along the way. Six queens, including the emperor’s senior queen, Loka Madevi, Vanathi Madevi who was Rajendra Chola’s mother, Panchan Madevi, and the emperor’s elder sister, Kundavai Pirattiyar, welcomed them. Kundavai liked the beautiful Devanayaki. She took off her diamond-studded bangle and put it around Devanayaki’s wrist. Kundavai had arranged a special palace for Devanayaki. Rajendra Chola, who had matured into a handsome youth, addressed her as ‘elder sister’.

  The first thing Rajaraja did after his return was to promise aid to Sree Vallabha Buddhanar for building a Buddhist vihara. He spoke to Buddhanar privately and gauged the situation. The emperor rejoiced when he was told that the monks were unhappy with Mahinda’s rule.

  The next order authorized Kantha Madevi to supervise the education system in the state. It was decided to establish an educational centre like the one in Kanthalur and to invite scholars from various places. Devanayaki was entrusted with the education of all the royal children, including Rajendra Chola. But she was not ready to assume all the responsibilities at once. She requested the king to give her time until the war against Mahinda was over. She also wanted to wait until the birth of her baby.

  Devanayaki constituted a team of spies and personally trained them. She also wanted to train the royal prince herself. But Kundavai Pirattiyar dissuaded her, saying that horse-riding and martial training should not be done during pregnancy. Two months later, she was troubled by nausea. Loka Madevi, Vanathi and Kundavai took care of her as if she were their own daughter.

  The three ships sent to Anuradhapura from Kayalpattinam returned exactly three weeks after their departure. They came back with the message that Iravipillai Nayanar and his followers had decided to shift loyalties. They brought with them elaborately drawn plans of the city of Anuradhapura and its underground pathways. But they had been unable to get any information about Mahinda’s personal life. The commander said that it would be best to attack after the severe summer had passed. By the next month, the western winds would start blowing.

  But certain unforeseen circumstances led to a sudden declaration of war. Mahinda killed Sultan Sayyed Muhammad’s brother without any provocation. The message he wanted to convey was that the sultan would suffer the same fate if he dared to demand the money he was owed. The sultan immediately approached the emperor for help. At the same time, enraged by the information that Devanayaki was the emperor’s new queen, Mahinda set fire to the shipbuilding centre in Kodiakkarai. The emperor was forced to declare war even though the preparations were not complete.

  So, when Devanayaki was four months pregnant, the war began.

  15

  Devanayaki wished to take part in the war. She had never experienced the thrill of rushing against the enemy on horseback, clad in armour. While in Kan
thalur, she had requested the emperor to allow her to fight, but he didn’t like the idea of women on the battlefield. Kundavai Pirattiyar also told her that ever since a Chola princess was killed in battle, none of the Chola women had fought in wars. As she was pregnant, it was futile to think about it now. But the night before the battle, she asked the emperor, ‘Your Highness, can I come with you tomorrow?’

  He was unable to contain his laughter.

  ‘It will be a sight to see you get on a horse with your swollen stomach.’

  ‘I’m not joking. We have not been able to proceed as planned and there is no time to fine-tune everything.’

  ‘Yes, it would have been better if you could come along. But in your condition…’

  ‘Well, I need not ride a horse.’

  ‘No. It will be a problem for you as well as for me.’

  ‘I agree. I will try to help you from here with my spies. But how will you conduct the war?’

  ‘The Chola army always bathes in the holy waters of the Keerimalai and prays to Lord Naguleswaram before going into battle. As the temple at Keerimalai is controlled by the Chola empire, no one will impede our progress. Moreover, Kuthiramukhi Madeviyar’s blessings are with us.’

  ‘Who is Kuthiramukhi Madeviyar?’

  ‘A Chola princess who lived four hundred years ago. Her real name was Maruthapura Veeravalli. Legend has it that she had a face like that of a horse, but when she battled in Keerimalai she regained her human form. There is another story that says she was a courageous soldier in the Chola army and that a Sinhala commander trapped her in Keerimalai and killed her after violating her. It is said that when the Sinhalese soldiers cast her dead body into the sea, it walked over water, bathed and purified itself in the Keerimalai springs and then flew heavenwards. It is believed that if you pray to Kuthiramukhi Madeviyar before going into battle, victory is certain.’

  ‘Your Highness, I am not questioning your beliefs. But this time, victory can be ensured only if the army bathes in the Keerimalai springs after the battle.’

  ‘How can I break with tradition?’

  ‘There is no other way to capture Anuradhapura. The Sinhalese set fire to the shipbuilding centre in Kodiakkarai knowing about your belief. They have surrounded Keerimalai in preparation to fight. We can defeat them, but the war will be fought at our doorstep. Anuradhapura is a long way away, and many obstacles lie ahead of us. It will not be easy.’

  ‘Then?’

  ‘The war should begin on their home ground. Only a small segment of the Chola army should proceed to Keerimalai. They should not be overly aggressive. What they should do is provoke the Sinhala army by attacking and then retreating. At the same time, fleets of ships should move from Kayalpattinam to Manthai and from Kanthalur to Puttalam. From Manthai, our smaller ships can sail without difficulty along the river Aruvi to Anuradhapura. You have to be careful until you reach Lake Puttalam. Never take the ships to the left bank of the river. Those are marshlands. You have to alight on the sandy banks to the right, circumnavigate around the lake and then dock. When Mahinda’s men move north to attack the Cholas, the ships coming over the Aruvi river with the men from Puttalam must attack his fortress. At that point, Iravipillai Nayanar and his men will shift loyalties and join us.’

  ‘Devanayaki! Getting you as my queen is the greatest blessing I have received.’

  ‘It is all due to your grace. The newly appointed team of spies is very efficient. I formulated this plan based on the information they gave me.’

  But neither the emperor nor his commanders were willing to accept her plan in its entirety. The Chola army embarked only after bathing in Keerimalai and offering prayers to Kuthiramukhi Madeviyar. They had to pay a heavy price for that. Just as Devanayaki had predicted, the Sinhala army had already surrounded Keerimalai. It was only after a terrible battle that lasted for seventeen days that Rajaraja was able to defeat them and enter Yalpanam. By then, one-fourth of the army was lost. It was when the emperor was considering retreat that Devanayaki’s messengers came to meet him. They respectfully handed over the palm leaf Kantha Madeviyar had entrusted them with.

  Don’t be perturbed, Your Highness. After coming to know that your entire army has moved to Keerimalai, I ordered Sultan Sayyed Muhammad’s men to go to Manthai. His ships, masquerading as trading ships, must now be proceeding there. They will reach Anuradhapura along the river and hand over the message to Iravipillai Nayanar. Your Highness should not go there by land. Take the sea route from Yalpanam to Manthai instead. I have ordered the commander at Kanthalur to move to Anuradhapura via Lake Puttalam. Pardon me for issuing these orders without your permission.

  Kantha Madeviyar

  The emperor’s eyes filled with tears. A young girl who probably had never even seen a warship was handling military operations brilliantly. Everything proceeded according to Devanayaki’s directions. The only mistake was that the sultan’s men reached earlier than planned. But this mistake proved costly as it helped Mahinda escape. Having received Kantha Madeviyar’s message from the sultan, Iravipillai Nayanar and his group had begun rioting in the town. Realizing that all was lost, Mahinda escaped to his secret hideout, taking with him his queens, his children and as much gold and money as he could lay his hands on. When Rajaraja and his men reached Anuradhapura, the king and his family were not there.

  Following the usual practice of the Chola army, Anuradhapura was completely destroyed. The prisoners were released. The streets were completely under the control of the Chola army. They searched for voluptuous Sinhalese women and raped them. They stole gold and precious gems. Those who resisted were killed. Following the emperor’s directions, the Buddhist monasteries and places of worship were left unharmed. Within one month, the entire Sinhala army was completely routed. But lacking enough manpower, they could not move to the southern provinces, and so were unable to locate Mahinda’s hideout. After capturing Anuradhapura, Rajaraja Chola assumed the title of ‘Mummudi Chola’. It meant that he was the emperor of the Chola, the Chera and the Pandya empires. The only shortcoming in that dazzling victory was their inability to recover the royal crown and golden robes of the Pandya king which the Sinhalese had taken. Rajaraja renamed the territory of Sri Lanka that he had captured Mummudi Chola Mandalam, and shifted the capital to Polonnaruwa as it was more convenient. He made arrangements to construct temples and palaces there. He returned to Thanjavur only after establishing a strong administrative system in the country.

  As always, the emperor got a new queen from Anuradhapura. Her name was Mangala, and she was the daughter of commander Dattasena who had surrendered before the Chola army. Like Devanayaki, she too was extremely beautiful. But she did not have the delicate looks of a celestial nymph. She was like a voluptuous lotus bud in bloom. She was a couple of years older than Devanayaki. Unlike Devanayaki, she did not welcome the emperor. The Chola army caught her as she was attempting to escape through the underground tunnels. Some effort was needed to tame her. When she realized that escape was impossible, she stopped resisting. On the third day, she gave in and became Rajaraja Chola’s eighth queen.

  She obeyed every order silently. The emperor began to suspect that she couldn’t speak. Finally, when she lay in his long, strong arms, she spoke for the first time. Very respectfully, in subdued tones, she asked, ‘Do you love me?’ Hearing the tinkle of her Sinhalese voice, the emperor was pleased: Oh, this beauty can talk!

  ‘I love you very much,’ he said, and hugged her.

  Mangala was relieved. The emperor wasn’t as tough as he appeared to be.

  ‘O king, have you heard the story of Sinhabahu?’

  ‘So you are a storyteller too? Good. Tell me.’

  ‘I don’t know how to tell stories. We Sinhalese descended from Sinhabahu nearly fifteen hundred years ago. When I saw your strong arms, I was reminded of him.’

  ‘Well, tell me the story.’

  ‘Sinhabahu’s mother was a beautiful Vanga princess, Suppadevi. As a voice from heaven had predicted
that she would marry a lion, the king and queen guarded their precious daughter fiercely. But once, as they were travelling to Magadha through a dense forest, a lion attacked them and carried Suppadevi into the forest. The lion took her to a cave. The king was never able to find her. The lion and the princess lived as husband and wife in the cave.’

  ‘As husband and wife?’

  ‘Yes. Somewhat like me and you. Though the princess tried to resist him, she stopped when she realized that escape was impossible. The lion liked her a lot, and slowly she started responding to his love.’

  ‘But they were still human and beast, were they not?’

  ‘Our tradition holds that children can be born from the union of man and beast.’

  ‘That is a terrible tradition.’

  ‘If you love unconditionally then it does not matter, My Lord. I too came to you nervous and scared. Suppadevi gave birth to a son and a daughter – Sinhabahu and Sinhasivali. Sinhabahu’s arms were like that of a lion’s. When the lion went to hunt for prey, he would push a stone in front of the cave. When Sinhabahu was sixteen years of age, his mother told him everything. So one day, when the lion was out hunting, Sinhabahu pushed aside the stone covering the cave and escaped to the palace with his mother and sister. Her father, the Vanga king – I don’t remember his name – was overjoyed.

  ‘When the lion came back to the cave, he was very unhappy. Anger and sorrow drove him mad and he started attacking people in the town. The people complained to the king. The king spoke to Sinhabahu. He went to the forest with his bow and arrows. Seeing his son, the lion ran joyfully towards him. The lion thought that he had come back. But Sinhabahu shot the lion with a poisoned arrow. The lion roared in pain and died. That is the story.’

  ‘What Sinhabahu did was wrong.’

  ‘I felt the same way when I heard this story. Though the Vanga king promised to make him his heir, Sinhabahu established a new kingdom called Sinhapura. He married his own sister, Sinhasivali. They had sixteen pairs of twins. The eldest son, Vijaya, and his friends troubled the king with their misdeeds. Fed up with them, he half-tonsured the heads of his son and seven hundred of his friends and sent them all to Lanka on a ship. Vijaya married a Yaksha princess called Kuveni. We are all their descendants.’