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of the Rashtrakuta King Krishna II with Aditta (and not with Raja Raja I as stated by Prof. Nilakanta Sastri) was the starting point of this policy. This reveals the political sagacity of Aditta I, one of the founders of the new dynasty. The Cola's marital relationship with Rashtrakutas is not so very much emphasized as their marital relationship with the Chalukyas probably because in this case there was more of estrangement than friendship between these two families. But it must be remembered even this estrangement was due to the marriage alliance. Parantaka I followed in the footsteps of his father Aditta in contracting diplomatic marriages and gave his daughter in marriage to the Rashtrakuta King Govinda IV, on whose behalf he sent a military expedition to the north thus inspiring for all times the hatred of Krishna III, the rival of his son-in-law, Govinda IV. Except in this context the Rashtrakuta war is not intelligible.
In other cases also the author throws new light on other foreign relationships of the Colas. The relationship of Kandaradittar with the Ganga country, the strained relationship between Raja Raja I and the Cera King Baskara Ravivarman, the events which led up to the battle of Udakai, the battle of Mudakkaru, and the military expeditions of Vira Rajendra are all fully described.
There are a few new identifications suggested by the author Colan Ulaka Perumanar is identified with the Cola contemporary of the Pallava King Dantivarma. “The Cola of 96 Wounds” of Ottakuttar's poem is identified with the Cola King Vijayalaya. Tiru. Pandarathar identifies Adittan mentioned by Nambi Andar Nambi in the present tense as the conqueror of Kongu and Ceylon, with Adittan I even as against the popular view that Nambi Andar Nambi and his compilation of Tevaram took place in Raja Raja I's reign. Appar's “Tanjait-talikkulam" (தஞ்சைத்தளிக்குளம்) is identified with the sacred place on which Raja Raja the Great came to build his Great Temple at Tanjore-an explanation why Raja Raja chose that place.
There are according to the author a few mistaken ideas prevalent which he has attempted to correct. Parantaka I built a temple on the remains of his father Aditta at Tondainian Arrur near
