The Chola King Who Married a Naga From Patala Loka

As per Hinduism, the Nagas are beings who live in Patala - a loka that exists below the plane of Bhu Loka.

Today, the Nagas refer to a tribe. They have a link to the beings who reside in Patala. They may genetically possess a serpentine identity. They may be primary Naga worshipers.

Even today, the Naga tribe can be found in North-East India. Parikshit of Mahabharata, the grandson of Arjuna was killed by the Nagas of Takshashila of North-West India.

Contemporary Naga-related names like Nagapattinam ( a district of Tamizh Nadu ) and Nagur set the lawn to preserve their digressing history.

Pattuppāṭṭu ( பத்துப்பாட்டு) is one of the oldest surviving form of ancient Tamizh poetry.

According to this literature, a Chola Chief of Nagapattinam went to Patala and fell in love with a Naga being. They even had a child. The Naga even sent their son through the seas, having him float on water.

( Pattuppaattu p.153 )

Manimegalai ( மணிமேகலை ), a more recent literature quotes a tale of another Chola. His name was Nedumudi killi who ruled Kaveri Pattinam. His father and a Chera king ( Chenguttuvan)'s mother, Narchonai were siblings. Nedumudi Killi Cholan fell in love with a Naga lady whom he met in a grove near his capital.

However, she disappeared after a month. Did she inter-stellar travel back to her loka? Or, was she simply someone from the Naga tribe on Earth? The mystery remains..

( Manigegalai xxiv,II. 29-43 ) 

She also sent their newborn son through a ship belonging to a Kambala Chetty. The Kambalas and the Assataras were ancient tribes as per the Bhuridatta Jataka. Unfortunately, the ship wrecked near the coast.

( Ib. xxv II. 178-192 ) 

When the Chola king heard of this shipwreck, he went to search for his son. As a result, He forgot to perform the annual puja for Lord Indra ( Indicating ancient Tamizh's relation with Indra worship ). His city was later destroyed by the waves.

Tamizh was not spoken by Nagas

The Nagas conversed in a language unique to them. They might have known Tamizh but it was not their mother tongue.

The Chetty who mastered the language of Nagas.

Shaduvan was a chetty who mastered the language of the Nagas. He wanted to trade with Vanga. His ship was caught in a storm and he got carried to a land of naked nomads.

They were the Nagas. He managed to escape from the Nagas as he knew their language. He was even gifted with sandalwood, thin cloths and jewels.

It is interesting that they gifted Shaduvan clothes despite them remaining uncovered.

The influence of Naga still persists today. Many of us may carry a segment of genetic trait of the Nagas.

You might be a Naga. Do you have a Naga devata as your kula devata ?

Also Read :

(1) Lord Muruga as the Lord of Nagas 

(2) The Father of Yoga - Patanjali had a head of a thousand serpents