The main historic sources of the battle are an inscription dated to 1054 and Rajendra Chola's Manimangalam record of 1055.
In 1054, Rajadhiraja led a huge army northward and plundered the province of Rattamandalam.
The Chalukya king Someshvara I prepared to meet his enemy and a pitched battle was fought at Koppam.
The Chola troops were holding the upper hand when Chalukyan archers shot Rajadhiraja mortally wounding him.
Rajendra II, reportedly, crowned himself on the battlefield and erected a victory pillar at Kolhapur before returning to his country.