The Chola military fought dozens of wars, and it also underwent numerous changes in structure, organization, equipment and tactics, while conserving a core of lasting Tamil traditions.

'Karikala' means 'elephant feller' or 'charred leg', which is assumed to be a reference to an accident by fire that befell the prince early in his life.

[citation needed] Pattinappaalai describes this accident and the enterprising way in which the prince escaped and established himself on the Chola throne.

Pattinappalai is a poem on the then Chola capital Kaveripattinam and describes the numerous battles Karikala fought against the Cheras and Pandyas, including the famous Battle of Venni where the Chola army defeated a confederacy of (about) a dozen rulers headed by Chera and Pandya kings.

Karikala thus broke the confederacy that was formed against him, conquered the Chera and Pandya kingdoms, and established Chola hegemony over Tamilakam.

He also invaded Sri Lanka and took away, among other things, 12,000 Sinhalese men to work as slaves in the construction of the Kallanai Dam.

[1] The poet Kovur Kilar mentions a protracted civil war between two Chola chieftains Nalankilli and Nedunkilli.

The Medieval Chola Empire traced their ancestry to the ancient Tamil King, Karikala, making him the dynasty's ancestral father.

Muthuvalpetra, meaning the “recipient of the pearl ornamented sword” in Tamil seems to indicate some special honour or rank conferred on the regiment by the king.

[citation needed] It may not be unreasonable to suppose that these royal names were prefixed to the designations of these regiments after they had distinguished themselves in some engagement or other.

[7] The military administration system of the Chola dynasty in ancient India was a meticulously planned and executed strategy to ensure the security and stability of their vast empire.

[citation needed] The Cholas' military administration system extended beyond their borders, with garrisons stationed in the territories they had conquered.

The Cholas also had a navy that patrolled the seas around their empire, protecting their trade routes and preventing piracy.

The Kalamukha was a warship equipped with a battering ram, while the Manthai was a cargo ship with a capacity of up to 500 passengers.