Part 1 - Bhima (11th Century)

King Bhima was the best known among the Kolanu mandalikas. He was a warrior of rare capacities. None of his records are available. He lived in the latter half of the 11th Century A.D. as he was an important person in the first Kalingan war of A.D. 1090. The little information known about Bhima is from the references in the contemporary Chola, Pandya and Velanandu choda inscriptions.

Between Gandanarayana and Bhima, at least fifty years must have elapsed. No intermediary Kolana rulers are known and neither the relationship between Gandanarayana and Bhima.

Bhima was known as Telinga or Teluaga Viman or Bhima of Kulam ie. Kolanu in Tamil record of the period. He owed allegiance to the Ganga Emperors of Kalinga-Vajrahasta V (1038-1070 A.D.), Rajaraja I (1070-1078) and Anantavarmaa (1078-1146 A.D.) This transference of the Kolanu loyalty from the Chalukya to the Gangas must have been the result of the spread of the Ganga power into Vengi after Gandanarayana and prior to Bhima. Bhima was probably an ally of Vikramaditya VI of the Chalukyas of Kalyani.

His Political Relations

The only important political event of the reign is this—with the support of the Gangas and the Western Chalukyas, Bhima and other subordinate rulers in the northern Vengi-southern Kalinga, conspired together, rose in rebellion soon after the acceptance of the vice^oyalty of Vengi by Vikramachoda and by their aggressive policy threatened, the Chola suzerainty in Vengi. Bhima was the leader of the rebellion. It was to put an end to this kalingan trouble, that the first Kalingan war of the Choi as, was undertaken under the leadership of Vikrama-chola. King Parantaka of the Pandyas, Choda I of the Velanandus, Bhima of the Kotas, besides many other feudatory rulers in Vengi joined the viceroy in this war, took active part and contributed to the complete success of the expedition.

The chief object and victim of the expedition was Bhima. All records say that Bhima was captured and killed. A record of the Velanandu chodas describes the event as follows. Vikra-paachola dried up the whole of that lake Csaras) like ocean and killed Bhima (ie. he built dam or bridge across the water in order to reach him who had evidently taken refuge in an island fortress.) Professor sastri says “In (Vikrama chola’s) inscriptions dated after his accession, these occurs a brief description of his viceroyalty of Vengi. It is this “while yet a child (he) bore the cruel weapons (of war) so that at Kulam the Telunga Viman aseendcd the mountains as refuge and so that hot fire consumed the land of Kalinga.” Thus the victory over Bhima was recorded with pride in Vikramachola’s records. Parantaka Pandya claims to have taken Kulam from Bhima and subdue4 Kalinga. Velanandu choda I claims to have defeated Telugu Bhima, a vassal of the king of Kalinga drove him to take refuge in the colair, pursued him thither and killed him. According to the Velanandu c.p. grant, Choda I killed also the children and friends of Bhima. Many of the later Velanandu records refer to the victory over Bhima.

Thus the rebellion of Bhima brought on him the wrath of the Imperial cholas and their subordinates and proved disastrous to the Kolanu kingdom. Bhima and his children were killed and so his line became extinct. Incidentally we may note that Kolanu Bhima was distinct from Kota Bhima and not identified as has been suppossed by some.