served as soldiers under the Chola king Parantaka I. (A. D. 906-949). Other inscriptions of a later date speak of the Rajaraja-terınja-Kaikular and the KaikolaPerumpadai. All these clearly prove that the word 'Kaikolar,' like 'Velakkarar' and 'Villiyar' (archers), which occur in the inscriptions of Rajaraja Chola I, was the name of the regiment enlisted or selected (terinja) by Parantaka, whose titles were Samara Kesari (the war-lion), Vikrama-Singa and Vira Chola and by Rajaraja I. One of the soldiers of the above regiment was a Kadikavan Kallan. They were known also as Sengundar or the 'Red Lancers.'
(4) In the inscriptions of Rajaraja Chola, (A. D. 1013) the loom (tari) of the Kaikolas does not occur though the Parai-tari, Tusa -tari (washerman) and Saliya-tari are given.
(5) In ancient Tamil literature the weavers were called Kamıniyan, a term which also included the present Kammalas.
கம்மியர் யவன ரோவியர் வித்தகர்
கம்மாளர் தபதியர் பொதுப்பெயர் கட்டுரை.-Ping., 788.
It will be interesting to learn that the early Tamils were never good weavers. They had to depend upon their Telugu neighbours for cloths of finer texture. Thus superior cloths have come to be called in Tamil kalingam. In the Tamil country coarse weaving was done by a section of the Paraiyas or Eyinas. Dissatisfied with the quality of the work turned out by the Tamils, probably Rajaraja Chola
