Sorry Venkat I do not know if there is any factual evidence but the fiction claims Rajendra made his second son the Regent of Pandya nadu with the manimudi as the ruler (Like Bhrathan and ramars patharatchai ) in Vengaiyin Mainthan Si
isnt it rather surprising that a treasure the cholas hunted for almost a century doesnt have any more historical mentions, after its finding. it was something the publicity department of the cholas could have harped about for another couple of centuries.
Rajasimma Pandiyan the second lost miserably to Paranthaka Chozhan. He took the traditional manimudi of the pandiyas and the raththina haram, which is believed to have been given by Lord Indiran to the pandiyas, and left them in Sri Lanka in the custody of the Lankan Emperor(Mahinda III?).
Chozhas waged war after war with the Lankans, to bring this back into the Tamil land. They finally succeeded in Rajendra's period. This is what has been described in the lines you have quoted.
Doctor, so good to see your posting. I read the chapter you have mentioned today morning. Wasn't it a lil bit of dramatization by Akilan? Either RJC would have crowned his son using the manimudi, or he would have simply added it to his collection of bounties!
The best thing I like in Vengaiyin Mainthan is the characterization of Vandiyath Devan. I wasn't able to digest Kalki's words in the mudivurai that Vandiyath Devan has softened due to Mainmekalai's death. I was so happy to see our man full of verve once again!