• Briefly know about Kandalur Salai, once a great centre of learning in Kerala.

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This article was first published in the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Journal.

There were a dozen prominent universities in ancient India.

Side by side with the formation of state and the establishment of monarchical absolutism, there emerged educational institutions in places like Kasi (Benares), Videha and Panchalam. Similarly, at Rajagriha, Mithila, Ujjain, Kosala and Kuru, there sprang up centers of higher learning. After Takshashila, Varanasi was important according to the late scholar epigraphist V. R. Parameswaran Pillai, who after his excavations at Mohenjo-daro along with Sir Mortimer Wheeler and B. B. Lal, made ‘Takshashila’ the name of his residence. Only 500 students were admitted to Takshashila where law, ayurveda, astrology, astronomy, sciences etc. were taught. 

Vikramshila became a centre of learning only after the decline of Nalanda which was revitalised as an international university by Nobel laureate Dr. Amartya Sen (Economics) under the UNESCO scheme. In Nalanda there was only one gopuram whereas Vikramshila had six. Under each gopuram there existed a centre of learning, each had one dvarapala who interviewed and admitted students.

To the south of the Narmada there existed universities in Madurai, Kanchi, Thanjavoor and Kandalur. Three wings were there in Madurai, the first managed by Sage Agastya. Tolkappiyar was in charge of the second and Nakkirar was the head in the third. In Malabar, places like Thirunavaya (on the banks of the river Bharatapuzha) Trissur Thrikkannamathilakam and Kadavalloor happened to be centers of mahabrahmanayogam where education was imparted.

Kadavalloor survives even today as a major centre of Vedic studies. Kavimani S. Desikavinayakam Pillai published in 1929 (Kerala Society Papers, Series II, PP 100–106) an article about Kandalur Salai as an ancient university in the far south. 

There is a popular story about Rajaraja the Great (985–1014 CE) who, after his

South Indian campaigns, went on a naval expedition to Java, Sumatra and other South East Asian islands. In Java, he was received with pomp and splendour. The

King of Java presented all customary honours and gifts to the great Indian monarch. After accepting these honours, Rajaraja was about to present his own gifts when the King of Java requested Rajaraja that he needed no valuable jewellery or spice, but a seat in the University of Kandalur for his son. The King of Java was under the impression that Kandalur was under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Cholas, but actually it was under the control of the Cheras of Venad.

When this request was heard, Rajaraja became so envious and furious that he ordered the destruction of the University of Kandalur. Because of this work of destruction of the ancient university, Rajaraja became famously known as Kandalur-Salai Kalamarutharuli (the king who destroyed the Kandalur institution).

It seems that the university and dining hall at Kandalur were originally founded by a local ruler Sri Vallabha Karunandadakkan in and around 850 CE, and that later he instituted another college at Parthivasekharapuram near Kanyakumari. The rules and regulations of Kandalur Salai were made applicable to Parthivasekharapuram Salai.

Nineteen disciplines were taught and each department had only five students i.e. only 95 students were given education. Since it was a residential university or Vedic college, students were given plates as well at the time of admission. These plates and seats were destroyed as per the order of Rajaraja who could not tolerate any other South Indian ruler in those days. His ego, intolerance and imperious nature made him commit a historical blunder. In works like Kuvalayamala (779 CE) there are accounts in detail about the 19 subjects taught at Kandalur.

During 800–1124 CE, four salais were prominent under the Kulasekharas of Mahodayapuram (Kodungallur). They were Kandalur, Thiruvalla, Parthivasekharapuram and Muzhikkulam (Angamaly). Kandalur survived the Kulasekhara period but there is no evidence for its continuance during the Portuguese period (1498–1663 CE) in Kerala. Today we see a thrimoorthy temple at Kandalur in Valiyasalai where Vishnu and Mahadeva are worshipped besides other gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. Mahadeva idols are in two temples as Siva and Jwalamukhisiva.

Kandalur Salai was a Vedic college where Brahmins secured higher education in the A to Z of life. Some scholars believe that the original location of the school was in Vizhinjam which notably has a temple named Kandalur Salai. Others believe that due to Chola aggression, it was shifted to an interior region-Valiyasala—for its academic continuance. It survived only for another four or five centuries. There is no trace of it now except the epigraph in stone, Kandalur-Salai Kalamarutharuli available in the Kandalur Salai Siva temple. 

Truly Kandalur Salai can be called the Takshashila of the South in terms of its significance as a great academic centre of ancient Kerala.

Author Dr. T. P. Sankarankutty Nair is the Former Professor of History and Ex-Director General, Centre for Heritage Studies, Govt. of Kerala.

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This article was first published in the Bhavan’s Journal, August 16-31, 2026 issue. This article is courtesy and copyright Bhavan’s Journal, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai-400007. eSamskriti has obtained permission from Bhavan’s Journal to share. Do subscribe to the Bhavan’s Journal – it is very good.

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