Rama Rajasekhara
| Rama Rajasekhara | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Raja Rajadhiraja Parameswara Bhattaraka Rajashekhara Deva Peruman Adigal | |||||||||
Depiction of "Cherman Perumal" Nayanar (who is generally identified with Rajasekhara) in Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur | |||||||||
| Ruler of Chera Perumal Kingdom | |||||||||
| Reign | 870/71–c. 883/84 AD | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara | ||||||||
| Successor | Vijayaraga | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Chera Perumals of Makotai | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism (Shaiva) | ||||||||
| Grantha | |||||||||
.jpg){kind=link}
Rama Rajasekhara (fl. 870/71 – c. 883/84 AD) was a Chera Perumal ruler of medieval Kerala, south India. Rajasekhara is usually identified by historians with Cheraman Perumal Nayanar, the venerated Shaiva (Nayanar) poet-musician of the Bhakti tradition.
Rajasekhara presumably succeeded Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara around 870 AD. "Tripuradahana" and "Saurikathodaya", Yamaka poems by Vasubhatta, were composed under the patronage of Rajasekhara. Two temple records, from Kurumattur, Areacode and Thiruvatruvay, Vazhappally, mention king Rajasekhara. The former contain the only available "prasasti" of a Chera Perumal ruler of Kerala.
Rama Rajasehara probably abdicated the throne toward the end of his reign and became a Shaiva nayanar known as Cheraman Perumal Nayanar. He was succeeded by Vijayaraga (fl. c. 883/84-c.895 AD).