The
Chola dynasty was one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of
southern India. The earliest references to this
Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE left by
Ashoka, of the
Maurya Empire. As one of the
Three Crowned Kings(Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas) of
Tamilakam, the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until the 13th century CE.
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The Airavateswarar Temple, build by Rajaraja Chola II in 12th century |
Under Rajaraja Chola I and his successors Rajendra Chola I, Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra Chola and Kulothunga Chola I the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in South Asia and South-East Asia in 12th and 13th century.
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Brihadeeswarar Temple, built by Rajaraja Chola I in 11th century |
The power of the empire was proclaimed to the eastern world by the expedition to the Ganges which
Rajendra Chola I undertook and by the naval raids on cities of the maritime empire of
Srivijaya, as well as by the repeated embassies to China. The Chola fleet represented the zenith of ancient Indian sea power.
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Model of a Chola's ship's hull (200—848 CE) |
During the period 1010–1200, the Chola territories stretched from the islands of the
Maldives in the south to as far north as the banks of the
Godavari River in
Andhra Pradesh. Rajaraja Chola conquered peninsular South India, annexed parts of which is now Sri Lanka and occupied the islands of the Maldives.
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Rajaraja Chola I |
Rajendra Chola sent a victorious expedition to
North India that touched the river
Ganga and defeated the
Pala ruler of
Pataliputra, Mahipala. He also successfully invaded cities of Srivijaya of
Malaysia and
Indonesia. The Chola dynasty went into decline at the beginning of the 13th century with the rise of the
Pandyan Dynasty, which ultimately caused their downfall.
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Gangaikonda Cholapuram built by Rajendra Chola |
The Cholas left a lasting legacy. Their patronage of
Tamil literature and their zeal in the building of temples has resulted in some great works of Tamil literature and architecture. The Chola kings were avid builders and envisioned the temples in their kingdoms not only as places of worship but also as centres of economic activity. They pioneered a centralised form of government and established a disciplined bureaucracy. The Chola school of art spread to Southeast Asia and influenced the architecture and art of Southeast Asia.
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Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple, Bangalore |
The Cholas' system of government was monarchical, as in the Sangam age. However, there was little in common between the local chiefdoms of the earlier period and the imperial-like states of Rajaraja Chola and his successors. Aside from the early capital at Thanjavur and the later on at Gangaikonda Cholapuram,
Kanchipuram and
Madurai were considered to be regional capitals in which occasional courts were held.
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Portrait of Rajaraja Chola and his guru Karuvurar |
The king was the supreme leader and a benevolent authoritarian. His administrative role consisted of issuing oral commands to responsible officers when representations were made to him. Due to the lack of a legislature or a legislative system in the modern sense, the fairness of king's orders dependent on his morality and belief in Dharma. The Chola kings built temples and endowed them with great wealth. The temples acted not only as places of worship but also as centres of economic activity, benefiting the community as a whole.
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Stone sculpture at Gangaikonda Cholapuram |
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Temple building received great impetus from the conquests and the genius of Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola I.The maturity and grandeur to which the Chola architecture had evolved found expression in the two temples of
Thanjavur and
Gangaikondacholapuram. The magnificent
Shiva temple of Thanjavur, completed around 1009, is a fitting memorial to the material achievements of the time of Rajaraja.
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Detail of the main Vimanam (Tower) of the Great Temple at Thanjavur |
Chola rulers took an active interest in the development of temple centres and used the temples to widen the sphere of their royal authority. They established educational institutions and hospitals around the temple, enhanced the beneficial aspects of the role of the temple, and projected the royalty as a very powerful and genial presence.
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