Battle of Kudalasangama

The Battle of Kudal-Sangamam(Kudalasangama) was fought between the Medieval Cholas and Chalukyas of kalyani in 1062. The forces of the Cholas were led by King Rajendra Chola II and The Chalukyas were led by Chalukya king Someshvara I at Kudalasangama Bagalkot district of Karnataka,  place where the Krishna and Malaprabha River meet.

Background:

The reign of Someshwara-I was known for continuous conflicts with the Cholas. So He replaced his capital from Manyakheta to Kalyani.

Rajadhiraja Chola I had a desire to suppress the Chalukyan rule in Northern Karnataka and southern part of Modern Maharashtra and annex them to Cholas emipire. This led to the fierce battle which was fought at Koppam (Battle of Koppam) in 1054. Though the Cholas were successful in the battle, the king and supreme commander of Chola's, Rajadhiraja I lost his life in the battlefield and was succeeded to the throne by his younger brother, Rajendra Chola II. Rajendra mounted a victory pillar at Kollapura (modern Kohlapur) and returned to his capital Gangaikondacholapuram with much booty which including the Chalukya queens Sattiyavvai and Sangappai. 

To avenge the Battle of Koppam, Chalukya king Someshvara I set out with a large force led by his army commander and his sons. Rajendra Chola II was supported by his son Rajamahendra and the king's brother, Virarajendra.

Battle:

Someshvara I had sent two armies, one under his general Chamundaraya, the forces met with the Chola army commanded by Rajendra Chola II at Kudalasangama at the junction of the rivers Krishna and Malaprabha River. And another army  into Gangavadi (southern Mysore territory) under his sons prince Vikramaditya VI and Jayasimha. However, Rajendra Chola II and his son Rajamahendra defeated both armies. Chalukyan commander was killed and  Someshvara's sons Vikramaditya VI and Jayasimha were forced to flee. The battle ended with the defeat of chalukya’s and a total victory for the Chola’s. Once again Chalukyas faced the defeat and thus Someshvara I's effort to erase the defeat at Battle of  Koppam failed.

After  the Battle:

In 1063, Rajendra Chola II and his son Rajamahendra died. Their death led to the coronation of Virarajendra as the new Chola king.

Someshvara I was busy reinforcing himself, militarily and diplomatically. In the east he counted on the Nagavamsi ruler Dharavarsha and the Eastern Ganga dynasty King Vajrahasta II of Kalinga as his allies. In Bezwada (Vijayawada), he relied on the support of the Paramara dynasty prince Janannatha. In the west he stationed a large army under Vijayaditya VI. After a few brief encounters with the Cholas including a successful Chalukya raid of the Chola capital by prince Vikarmaditya VI, Someshvara I invited Virarajendra Chola to a battle at Kudalasangama. However, because of an incurable illness that afflicted him, Someshvara I's and his army did not show up at the venue. After waiting for a month, Virarajendra invaded and was victorious at all fronts: Vengi, Bezwada, Kalinga and Chitrakuta (in the Nagavamsi domains), and a victory pillar was erected on the banks of the Tungabhadra. Someshvara I, Unable to recover from his illness,  committed ritual suicide (paramayoga) by drowning himself in the Tungabhadra river at Kuruvatti (modern Bellary district) in 1068.

A detailed description of the battle of koppam is given in the early inscriptions of Virarajendra's reign

(He) drove from the battlefield in Gangapāḍi into the Tungabhadrā the Mahāsāmantas, whose strong hands (wielded) cruel bows, along with Vikkalan who fought under (his) banner at the head of the battle. (He) attacked and destroyed the irresistible, great and powerful army which he (viz. Vikkalan) had again despatched into Vēngai-nāḍu; fought the Mādaṇḍanāyakan Cāmuṇḍarājan and cut off his head; and severed the nose from the face of his (viz. Cāmuṇḍarāja's) only daughter, called Nāgalai, (who was) the queen of Irungaiyan and who resembled the peacock in beauty

The enemy, full of hatred, met and fought against (him) yet a third time, hoping that (his former) defeats would be revenged. (The king) defeated countless sāmantas, together with these (two) sons of Āhavamalla, who were called Vikkalan and Śiṇganan, at Kudal-Śangamam on the turbid river. Having sent the brave van-guard in advance, and having himself remained close behind with the kings allied to him, he agitated by means of a single mast elephant that army (of the enemy), which was arrayed (for battle), (and which) resembled the norther ocean. In front of the banner troop, (he) cut to pieces Śingan, (the king) of warlike Kōsalai; along with the furious elephants of his van-guard. While Kēśava-daṇḍanāyaka, Kēttaraśan, Mārayan of great strength, the strong Pōttarayan and (Irēccayan) were fighting, he shouted "(Follow) Mūvēndi, (who wears) a garland of gold!" and cut to pieces many sāmantas, who were deprived of weapons of war. Then Maduvaṇan, who was in command, fled; Vikkalan fled with dishevelled hair; Śiṇgaṇan fled, (his) pride (and) courage forsaking (him); Aṇṇalan and all others descended from the male elephant on which they were fighting in battle, and fled; Āhavamalla, too, to whom (they were) allied, fled before them. (The king) stopped his fast furious elephant, put on the garland of victory, (seized) his (viz. Āhavamalla's) wives, his family treasures, conches, parasols, trumpets, drums, canopies, white cāmaras, the boar-banner, the ornamental arch (makara-tōraṇa), the female elephant (called) Puspaka, and a herd of war-elephants, along with a troop of prancing horses, and, amidst (general) applause, put on the crown of victory, (set with) jewels of red splendour.