There is an interesting episode from the life of the Pandya king Srimara Srivallabha, who ruled during the 9th century CE. A staunch Vaishnavite and an accomplished warrior, Srimara spent much of his reign on the battlefield, frequently confronting the Pallavas and their allies. One of his most celebrated victories came at Kudamookku (Kumbakonam), where he defeated a powerful confederacy comprising the Pallavas, Cholas, Gangas and other rulers.
Around the same period, a claimant from the Pandya lineage, aided by the Sinhala king Sena II, seized Madurai and proclaimed himself the legitimate ruler of the Pandya kingdom. Pandya records remember this rival as Maya Pandya (Pretender Pandya)
Srimara was not deterred. Having secured his position through military successes, he turned his attention to the usurper and eventually defeated him, recovering his kingdom. Chinnamanur Copper Plates, while enumerating Srimara’s triumphs, place the defeat of Maya Pandya at the very head of the list, even before victories over Pallavas and others.
The prominence given to Maya Pandya in the Chinnamanur plates reflects the intensity of that dynastic struggle and the significance Srimara attached to preserving the Pandya throne from a pretender.