Legendary early Chola kings

The lists of legendary early Chola kings are recorded in Tamil literature and in the inscriptions left by the later Chola kings.

Chola dynasty

The genealogy of the Chola dynasty as found in the Tamil literature and in the many inscriptions left by the later Chola kings contains a number of kings recorded for whom there is no verifiable historic evidence. There are as many versions of this lineage as there are sources for them. The main sources are (a) the Sangam literature – particularly "Purananuru", religious literature such as "Periapuranam", semi-biographical poems of the later Chola period such as the "Kalingathuparani" written during the Kulothunga Chola I and in the temple and cave inscription and copper-plate grants left by medieval Cholas.

Irrespective of the source, no list of the kings has a high level of historic fact and, while they generally are similar to each other, no two lists are exactly the same. Modern historians consider these lists not as historically reliable sources but as comprehensive conglomerations of various Hindu deities and Puranic characters attributed to local chieftains and invented ancestry of the Cholas of the Vijayalaya dynasty attempting to re-establish their legitimacy and supremacy in a land they were trying to conquer.

Prehistorical Cholas

A number of mythical hero and demi-gods found their place in the ancestry claimed by the later Cholas in the long mythical genealogies incorporated into the copper-plate charters and stone inscription of the tenth and eleventh centuries. The earliest version of this is found in the Anbil Plates which gives fifteen names before Vijayalaya Chola including the genuinely historical ones of Karikala, Perunarkilli and Kocengannan. The Thiruvalangadu Plate swells this list to forty-four, and the Kanyakumari Plate runs up to fifty-two.

The Cholas were looked upon as descended from the sun. These myths speak of a Chola king, supposed contemporary of the sage Agastya, whose devotion brought the river Kavery into existence. There is also the story of the king Manu who sentenced his son to death for having accidentally killed a calf. King Shibi who rescued a dove from a hawk by giving his own flesh to the hungry hawk was also part of the early Chola legends. King Shibi was also called Sembiyan, a popular title assumed by a number of Chola kings.

Cholas of the Sangam period

Though legendary and apocryphal, the early Chola kings of the Sangam period and the life of people contributed much to the cultural wealth of the Tamil country. The Sangam literature is full of legends about the mythical Chola kings.Their Pantheon of Gods were led by Siva the supreme, Aiyai or Uma the Kotravai(Kullabai), Sevvel or Muruga the Kurinci-Marudakkadavul, ThiruMaal or Maayoan the Mullaikkadavul, Vanci-Irai(Indira), Neitharman(Varuna), El the Uthi(the Sun) and Nanna the Mathi(the Moon) . The following list of early Sangam Cholas has been built from the various poems of "Purananuru". The dates of accession are approximate interpolation of the Hindu Puranic Timeline.
* Eri Oliyan Vaendhi C. 3020 B.C.E.
* Maandhuvaazhi C. 2980 B.C.E.
* El Mei Nannan C. 2945 B.C.E.
* Keezhai Kinjuvan C. 2995 B.C.E.
* Vazhisai Nannan C. 2865 B.C.E.
* Mei Kiyagusi Aerru C. 2820 B.C.E.
* Aai Kuzhi Agusi Aerru C. 2810 B.C.E.
* Thizhagan Maandhi C. 2800 B.C.E.
* Maandhi Vaelan C. 2770 B.C.E.
* Aai Adumban C. 2725 B.C.E.
* Aai Nedun jaet chozha thagaiyan C. 2710 B.C.E.
* El Mei Agguvan "a.k.a" Keezh nedu mannan C. 2680 B.C.E.
* Mudiko Mei Kaalaiyam Thagaiyan C. 2650 B.C.E.
* Ilangok keezh kaalaiyan thagaiyan "a.k.a." Ilangeezh nannan C. 2645 B.C.E. -start of Kadamba lineage by his brother Aai Keezh Nannan
* Kaalaiyan gudingyan C. 2630 B.C.E.
* Nedun gaalayan dhagayan C. 2615 B.C.E.
* Vaengai nedu vael varaiyan C.2614 B.C.E.
* Vaet kaal kudingyan C. 2600 B.C.E.
* Maei Ila vael varaiyan C. 2590 B.C.E.
* Sibi Vendhi C. 2580 B.C.E.
* Paru nonji chaamazhingyan C. 2535 B.C.E.
* Vaeqratrtri chembiya chozhan C. 2525 B.C.E.
* Saamazhi chozhiya vaelaan C. 2515 B.C.E.
* Uthi ven gaalai thagan C. 2495 B.C.E.
* Nannan that kaalai thagan C. 2475 B.C.E.
* Vel vaen mindi C. 2445 B.C.E.
* Nedun jembiyan C. 2415 B.C.E.
* Nedu nonji Vendhi C. 2375 B.C.E.
* Maei Vael paqratrtri C. 2330 B.C.E.
* Aai Perun thoan nonji C. 2315 B.C.E.
* Kudiko pungi C. 2275 B.C.E.
* Perun goep poguvan C. 2250 B.C.E.
* Koeth thatrtri C. 2195 B.C.E.
* Vadi sembiyan C. 2160 B.C.E.
* Aalam poguvan C. 2110 B.C.E.
* Nedun jembiyan C. 2085 B.C.E.
* Perum paeyar poguvan C. 2056 B.C.E.
* Kadun jembiyan C. 2033 B.C.E.
* Nedun kathan C. 2015 B.C.E.
* Paru nakkan C. 1960 B.C.E.
* Vani sembiyan C. 1927 B.C.E.
* Udha chira mondhuvan C. 1902 B.C.E.
* Perun kaththan C. 1875 B.C.E.
* Kadun kandhalan C. 1860 B.C.E.
* Nakka monjuvan C. 1799 B.C.E.
* Maarko vael Maandhuvan Aaththikko C. 1786 B.C.E.
* Musukunthan Vaendhi C. 1753 B.C.E.
* Peru nakkan Thatrtri C. 1723 B.C.E.
* Vaer kaththan C. 1703 B.C.E.
* Ambalaththu Irumundruvan C. 1682 B.C.E.
* Kaari mondhuvan C. 1640 B.C.E.
* Vennakkan Thatrtri C. 1615 B.C.E.
* Maarko chunthuvan C. 1565 B.C.E.
* Vaer parunthoan mundruvan C. 1520 B.C.E.
* Udhan kaththan C. 1455 B.C.E.
* Kaariko sunthuvan C. 1440 B.C.E.
* Vendri nungunan C. 1396 B.C.E.
* Mondhuvan Vendhi C. 1376 B.C.E.
* Kaandhaman C. 1359 B.C.E.
* Mundruvan Vendhi C. 1337 B.C.E.
* Kaandhaman C. 1297 B.C.E.
* Monjuvan Vendhi C. 1276 B.C.E.
* Ani sembiyan C. 1259 B.C.E.
* Nungunan Vendhi C. 1245 B.C.E.
* Maarkop perum Cenni C. 1229 B.C.E.
* Monjuvan Nanvendhi C. 1180 B.C.E.
* Kop perunar chenni C. 1170 B.C.E.
* Monthuvan jembiyan C. 1145 B.C.E.
* Narchenni C. 1105 B.C.E.
* Caet chembiyan C. 1095 B.C.E.
* Nakkar chenni C. 1060 B.C.E.
* Parun jembiyan C.1045 B.C.E.
* Venjenni C. 998 B.C.E.
* Musugunthan C. 989 B.C.E.
* Maarkop perun jembiyan C. 960 B.C.E.
* Nedunjenni C.935 B.C.E.
* Thatchembiyan C. 915 B.C.E.
* Ambalaththu iruvaer chembiyan C. 895 B.C.E.
* Kaariko chenni C. 865 B.C.E.
* Venvaer chenni C. 830 B.C.E.
* Kaandhaman, C. 788 B.C.E.
* Kaandhalan C. 721 B.C.E.
* Caetchenni C. 698 B.C.E.
* Vani nungunan C. 680 B.C.E.
* Mudhu sembiyan Vendhi C. 640 B.C.E.
* Peelan jembiyach chozhiyan C. 615 B.C.E.
* Maeyan gadungo C. 590 B.C.E.
* Thiththan C. 570 B.C.E.
* Perunar killi Porvaiko C. 515 B.C.E.
* Kadu mundruvan C. 496 B.C.E.
* Kopperunjozhan C. 495 B.C.E.
* Narkilli Mudiththalai C. 480 B.C.E.
* Thevvan go chozhan C. 465 B.C.E.
* Naran jembiyan C. 455 B.C.E.
* Nakkam peela valavan C. 440 B.C.E.
* Iniyan thevvan jenni C. 410 B.C.E.
* Varcembiyan C. 395B.C.E.
* Nedun jembiyan C. 386 B.C.E.
* Nakkan aran jozhan C. 345 B.C.E.
* Ambalathu irungoch chenni C. 330 B.C.E.
* Perunar killi C. 316 B.C.E.
* Kochaet Cenni C. 286 B.C.E.
* Cerupazhi Erinda Ilanjaetcenni, C. 275 B.C.E.
* Nedungop perunkilli C. 220 B.C.E.
* Cenni Ellagan C. 205 B.C.E.
* Perun gilli C. 165 B.C.E.
* Kopperun jozhiyav ilanjaetcenni C. 140 B.C.E.
* Perunar killi Mudiththalai ko C. 120 B.C.E.
* PerumpootCenni C. 100 B.C.E.
* Ilam perunjenni C. 100 B.C.E.
* Perungilli Vendhi aka Karikaalan I C. 70 B.C.E.
* Nedumudi Killi C. 35 B.C.E.
* Ilavanthigaipalli Thunjiya Maei Nalangilli Caet Cenni, C. 20 B.C.E.
* Aai Vaenalangilli C. 15 B.C.E.
* Uruvapakraer Ilanjaetcenni, C. 10 - 16 C.E.
* 16 C.E. - 30 C.E. Kingdom ruled by a series of Uraiyur chieftains
* Karikaalan II Peruvalaththaan, C. 31 C.E.
* Vaer paqradakkai Perunar killi, C. 99 C.E.
* Perun thiru mavalavan ,Kuraapalli Thunjiya C. 99 C.E.
* Nalangilli C. 111 C.E.
* Perunarkilli , Kula mutrtraththu Thunjiya C. 120 C.E.
* Perunarkilli , Irasasuya vaetta C. 143 C.E.
* Vael kadunkilli C. 192 C.E.
* Kochenganaan C. 220 C.E.
* Nalluruththiran C. 245 C.E.

Genealogy from Chola inscriptions

There is no concordance between various Chola inscriptions as far as their ancestry is concerned.

The genalogy of the Chola family conveyed by the Thiruvalangadu copperplate grant consists of names that are mostly mythological.

* Manu
* Ikshvaku
* Vikukshi
* Puranjaya
* Kakutstha
* Kakshivat
* Aryaman
* Analapratapa
* Vena
* Prithu
* Dhundhumara
* Yuvanasva
* Mandhatri
* Muchukunda
* Valabha
* Prithulaksha
* Parthivachudamani
* Dirghabahu
* Chandrajit
* Sankriti
* Panchapa
* Satyavrata
* Rudrajit
* Sibi
* Marutta
* Dushyanta
* Bharata
* Cholavarman
* Rajakesarivarman
* Parakesarin
* Chitraratha
* Chitrasva
* Chitradhanvan
* Suraguru (Mrityujit)
* Chitraratha
* Vyaghraketu
* Narendrapati
* Vasu (Uparichara)
* Visvajit
* Perunatkilli
* Karikala
* Kochchengannan