Though the Tamil country ruled by Chera, Chola and Pandya kings had been a land of great literature, art, culture and temple architecture, it had also witnessed fierce battles among them. One such battle was fought between the Cholas and the Cheras at Udagai, now known as Udayagiri in Kalkulam taluk of Kanniyakumari district, during the reign of Raja Raja I, the greatest of Chola kings. In this bloodiest war, the Cholas plundered Udagai and returned to their headquarters in Thanjavur with tonnes of gold and the best elephants.
The battle between the Cholas and the Cheras began with the conquest of Kanthalur Salai in the Chera Kingdom. There is an unending debate on the words about the Chola period inscription, Kanthalur Salai Kalamartharuliya Sree Raja Raja Devan. While it is certain that it talks about Raja Raja’s victory over the Chera king, there are differences of opinion among the historians over the geographical existence of the place, and the interpretation of the words, Salai and Kalam, still continues. Some opine that Kanthalur Salai existed near the Vizhinjam port in the present day Kerala and Kalam means sailing vessels. Tamil poet Kavimani, who was also an epigraphist, was of the opinion that Salai was a place where people were offered food regularly.
