Manu Needhi Cholan

Statue of Manu Needhi Cholan in the premises of Madras High Court in Chennai

Manu Needhi Cholan or Manuneedhi Cholan was a legendary Chola king believed to have killed his own son to provide justice to a Cow, following Manu Needhi or Manu's law. Legend has it that the king hung a giant bell in front of his courtroom for anyone needing justice to ring. One day, he came out on hearing the ringing of the bell by a Cow. On enquiry he found that the Calf of that Cow was killed under the wheels of his chariot. In order to provide justice to the cow, he killed his own son under the chariot as a punishment to himself i.e. make himself suffer as much as the cow. His name has since then been used as a metaphor for fairness and justice in Tamil literature.

Manu Needhi was also called as DharmaRajan. In the 'MahaVamsa', a historical poem of the Kings of Sri Lanka, tells of a Chola King who had identities similar to ManuNeedhi. MahaVamsa states that a King called Elara, a Chola King invaded the island in around 235 BC. It also adds that, he ruled 'with even justice toward friend and foe, on occasions of disputes at law,[1] and elaborates how he even ordered the execution of his son the basis of a heinous religious crime. The same chronicle relates that the king had a bell with a rope attached at the head of his bed, so that all who sought redress might ring it.In particular he is presented as a tireless defender of the native faith and of pointedly treating native Sinhala nobles with the same dignity as his Tamil associates. As such Elara is often held as the archetype of the Dharmaraja, or 'just king' of Buddhist tradition, all the more remarkable for not being a native son of the kingdom he governed.

From this Chronicle, The King's ordering of execution of his own son, and having a bell of justice can be related to Manu needhi's actions of killing his son for showing justice to the Cow and the bell which cow rang, as found in the first paragraph.