intervened in a succession dispute in the Cola territory and established his relative (brother-in-law) Killi on the Cola throne. The rivals of Killi were defeated in the battle of Nerivayil, Uraiyur (leading to the death of nine other contenders to the throne). The Kadambas are described as the arch enemies of the kuttuvan. The kuttuvan was able to defeat them in the battle of Idumbil, Valayur (Viyalur). The "fort" of Kotukur in which the Kadamba warriors took shelter was stormed. Later the Kadambas (helped by the Yavanas) attacked kuttuvan by sea, but the Cera ruler destroyed their fleet. Kuttuvan defeated the Kongu people and annexed Kongunadu to his kingdom. (Cilappatikaram, XXV, 152-53). Kuttuvan defeated a warrior called Pazhaiyan Mokur Mannan (one of the Cera's allies was Arukai, an enemy of the Mokurs) (Patitrupattu, 44 and49). Kongunadu remained as an important part of Chera kingdom until it was detached to form Kongu Chera kingdom in later medieval period. Later this land was taken over by Pandyas. The patikam to Patitrupattu, decad V mentions Ilango Adigal and the expedition of Cenkuttuvan to north India to bring a stone from which to carve the Pattini idol for protection of his kingdom(scholars are of the opinion that the patikam is a later interpolation to the text). Cenguttavan Chera in Chilappatikaram Authorship of Chilappatikaram is traditionally ascribed to prince Ilanko Atikal (literally the Junior Prince), who appears in the work as the younger brother of Cenkuttuvan Cera. The third part of Chilappatikaram (the Vanci Kantham) deals with Cenkuttuvan's expedition to bring the virakkallu from the Himalayas for an idol of Kannaki/Pattini. According to the patikam of Chilappatikaram, the royal astrologer at the court of Cera king predicted that (the younger prince) Ilanko would succeed the king. Ilanko at once chose to renounce his claims to the throne and live a life of an Jain ascetic to make his brother Cenkuttuvan the king. He shifted to a monastery on the outskirts of Vanci, where he composed epic Chilappatikaram. The Bhagavati Temple, in Kodungallur, Kerala, is claimed to be the Kannaki temple thus consecrated. Mangaladevi temple located in Idukki, Kerala is also said as the temple thus constructed by Kuttuvan. Dating Cenguttavan Chera A method known as Gajabahu synchronism/Triple Synchronism is used by some scholars to date Cenkuttuvan Cera to 2nd century CE. According to Cilappatikaram (text proper, canto 30:160), severals neighbouring kings were invited by Cenkuttuvan