Chidambaram inscription praises Kakatiya Rani Rudrama's prowess

New Indian Express

5 days ago

HYDERABAD: A 13th century Tamil inscription recently discovered at the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram has sparked interest due to its reference to the Kakatiya queen, Rudramadevi. Found on the west gopuram near the entrance, the inscription is written in verse and celebrates the military exploits of King Vikrama Pandya.
According to K Munirathnam Reddy, Director (Epigraphy) at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the verses praise Vikrama Pandya's victories over Venadan (Travancore) at Podiyil, awarding him titles like Bhuvanekavira and Korkai-kavalan.
However, it is the second and third verses that stand out. They mention that Vikrama Pandya halted his northern campaign out of respect — or perhaps caution — because the region was ruled by a powerful woman, Rudramadevi, the daughter of Kakatiya king Ganapati. One line reportedly advises the king not to proceed northward as it is governed by 'a woman with a man's name'.
Rudramadevi ruled the Kakatiya dynasty from 1263 to 1289, one of the rare women monarchs in Indian history. She famously adopted a masculine identity to reinforce her legitimacy as a ruler.
Reddy said the inscription offers a rare glimpse into 13th-century regional politics and highlights the influence Rudramadevi held across kingdoms — even beyond present-day Telangana.