Rajendra Cola I and Mahipala of Bengal
By K. A. Nilakanta Sastri
Summary
This article investigates whether the South Indian emperor Rājendra Cola I fought Mahīpāla of the Pāla dynasty during his northern expedition. It reviews the sources describing Rājendra’s Gangaikonda campaign, including the Tamil epic Kalingattu‑Parani and various inscriptions. The author shows that while these texts celebrate Rājendra’s conquests in the Ganges valley, they do not specifically mention a battle with Mahīpāla. The article examines a Pāla copper plate often cited as evidence; careful reading suggests it refers to a different Mahīpāla or to the loss of Pāla territory to another adversary. By cross‑checking dates, the author argues that Mahīpāla I had already died when Rājendra’s campaign reached Bengal, and his successor Nayapāla was on the throne. Thus the encounter may have been with local chiefs rather than the Pāla emperor. The article concludes that later historians conflated separate events, and that there is no firm evidence of a duel between Rājendra Cola and Mahīpāla.
Conclusion
The author concludes that the supposed clash between Rājendra Cola and Mahīpāla of Bengal is a historical misconception. Evidence from inscriptions and epics shows that Rājendra’s northern campaign did not involve the reigning Pāla king. Clarifying this helps correct the narrative of South–north interactions and prevents the projection of later conflicts into earlier periods.