THE KINGDOMS OF SOUTH INDIA – CHOLAS

The Chola Empire, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in South Indian history, is renowned
for its immense contributions to politics, economics, culture, and maritime power.
Originating in the fertile plains of the Tamil region, the Cholas ruled over vast territories that
stretched from present-day southern Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu.
About Chola Empire
 The Cholas Empire were one of the most prominent and ancient dynasties in South
India, known for their contributions to political, economic, and cultural life.
 Emerging in the fertile lands of the Tamil region, they ruled vast territories that
extended from modern-day southern Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu.
 Their influence was so significant that their controlled area became known as
“Cholamandalam,” from which the modern name “Coromandel Coast” is derived.
 The early Chola Empire kingdom’s capital was Uraiyur (modern Tiruchirappalli), a
city famed for its cotton trade.
 This strategic location enabled the Cholas Empire to control and participate in
regional commerce, particularly in the cotton trade, which was highly valued across
ancient trade networks.
 Control over the cotton trade boosted their economy and strengthened their political
influence in South India.
 This combination of trade wealth and political dominance allowed the early Cholas to
maintain a powerful and well-structured kingdom.
History of Chola Empire
 The Chola Empire was geographically situated between the Pennar and Velar rivers in
modern-day Tamil Nadu.
 This strategic location allowed the Cholas to control a fertile and resource-rich region,
crucial for the kingdom’s agricultural and economic prosperity.
 The proximity to rivers enabled easy access to water for agriculture while serving as
natural boundaries for the kingdom’s territorial control.
 The early Chola capital, Uraiyur, was renowned for its cotton trade, making it an
important regional economic hub.
 The fertile land around Uraiyur made it a centre for cotton production, and its thriving
cotton trade significantly contributed to the wealth and growth of the Chola Empire.
 The city’s prominence as a commercial centre attracted merchants and traders, further
enhancing its reputation in South India.
 Flag of the Cholas

Archaeological Sources of the Cholas

Archaeological sources of the period include inscriptions and monuments.
ROLE OF MONUMENTS
Monuments are mainly in the form of temples, sculptured halls and towers. These
monuments depict the art and architecture of the Cholas, their religious beliefs and
socioeconomic conditions.
Some famous temples are the Brihadeshwara and Gangaikonda Cholapuram temples in
Thanjavur and the Koranganatha temple in Tiruchirappalli.
The Brihadeshwara temple also known as Rajarajeshwara temple was built by Raja raja
Chola in the 10th century AD. The temple has a great tower consisting of 13 storeys rising to
190 feet. The main shrine of the temple houses a large Shiva lingam which is cut in a
monolithic rock and is about 8.87 metres high.
The Brihadeshwara temple is a splendid specimen of Tamil architecture. It has been declared
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
ROLE OF INSCRIPTIONS
We get information about the Chola period from various inscriptions. The inscriptions of the
Cholas are mainly in the form of copper plate grants and stone and wall inscriptions.
The copper plate inscriptions contained details such as the origin of the Chola dynasty and
the land grants made during the period.
The copper plate inscriptions are important sources because of the following reasons:
They shed light on the Chola administration.
They are a record of the land endowments and gifts made to the Brahmins and the temples by
kings.
They tell us about the construction of temples.
Copper plate inscriptions contain details of royal orders or decrees pertaining to matters of
public importance such as land revenue and judgments delivered against thefts and murder.
THE KINGS OF THE CHOLA KINGDOM
The Chola rule was established by Vijayalaya Chola in AD 846. He made Thanjavur his
capital. He was succeeded by his grandson, Parantaka I. He annexed Madurai and defeated
the Pandyas and the rulers of Lanka.
Rajaraja I was one of the greatest kings of the Chola dynasty. He attacked the Pandyas and
the Cheras. He annexed the parts of the territories of Mysore, Travancore and Coorg.
Rajaraja realised the importance of sea trade in the economy of India and thus led a naval
expedition and attacked Sri Lanka and Maldives. However, he could not control them. In the
North, Rajaraja conquered the northwest parts of Ganga. The Cholas became a great power
under his rule.
He built the Rajarajeshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at Thanjavur.
Rajendra Chola, the son of Rajaraja, ruled from AD 1012 to AD 1044. He continued the
expansionist policies of his father.
The Chola army under him defeated Mahipala, the king of Bengal. To celebrate the occasion,
he adopted the title of Gangaikonda and built a new capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
He led one of the famous campaigns in Southeast Asia. Indian merchants were trading with
various parts of Southeast Asia and southern China through the straits of Malacca which was
under the control of Shrivijaya (modern Indonesia).
When the merchants of Shrivijaya began to create problems for the Indian merchants, the
latter appealed to Rajendra Chola for help. As a result, Rajendra Chola sent a huge army and
defeated the king of Shrivijaya.
He built many beautiful temples in his new capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
Rajadhiraja Chola was the last great ruler of this dynasty. He died during the battle of
Koppam against the Chalukyas in AD 1052. After his death, the Chola kingdom began to
disintegrate.
After the disintegration of the Chola kingdom, the independent kingdoms of the Pandyas,
Cheras and Hoysalas began to emerge. The Chola kingdom totally disintegrated after Malik
Kafur, a general of Alauddin Khilji invaded the south.
CAPITAL OF CHOLA EMPIRE
The capital of the Chola Empire was Thanjavur (also known as Tanjore), which was
established as the political and cultural centre of the dynasty during the reign of Vijayalaya
Chola.
Thanjavur became the hub of Chola administration, art, and architecture, and under
subsequent rulers like Raja Raja Chola I, it flourished further with the construction of
magnificent temples, including the famous Brihadeeswara Temple. The city played a vital
role in the empire’s growth and dominance in South India and Southeast Asia.
ADMINISTRATION OF CHOLA KINGDOM
The administration of the Chola Empire was highly organised and efficient, with a strong
central authority under the king, who was considered the supreme ruler.
The Chola Empire was divided into various administrative units such as mandalams
(provinces), nadus (districts), and kottams (smaller units), each governed by officials
appointed by the king.
Local self-governance played a significant role, with village assemblies or sabhas being
responsible for managing local affairs, such as irrigation, land revenue, and law and order.
The Chola administration maintained a well-structured bureaucracy, with a sophisticated
system of land revenue collection, military organisation, and an emphasis on infrastructure,
including constructing temples, roads, and irrigation systems.
ECONOMIC STRENGTH OF CHOLA EMPIRE
The Chola economy was primarily supported by the cotton trade, a significant wealth source.
The Chola Empire has prosperous trade led to the emergence of key urban centres like Puhar
(Kaveripattanam) as vital commercial hubs.
These two cities were essential for commerce, attracting merchants from different regions due
to their flourishing markets.
They also became centres for export, especially in textiles and other goods.
NAVAL POWER OF CHOLA EMPIRE
The Cholas Empire has maintained a highly effective naval force, one of the first in South
Indian history to project power over the seas. This naval strength enabled them to control the
Bay of Bengal and secure trade routes extending to Southeast Asia.
The Chola Empire’s navy protected merchant ships and expanded its influence over nearby
island nations, including parts of Sri Lanka. Their naval prowess also spread Indian culture,
religion, and trade networks to Southeast Asia.
CHOLA ARCHITECTURE

The Chola rulers built several temples, canals, roads, cities and palaces. They built most
temples in the Dravidian style. Earlier they built simple structures, but later, temples began to
be constructed on a magnificent and grand scale.
While the gateway of the temple was known as gopuram, the main shrine of the temple was
known as garbhagriha. The images of gods and goddesses were kept in the garbhagriha.
Massive towers or vimanas were the main features of the Chola architecture. The best
example of such temples was the Brihadeshwara or the Shiva temple at Thanjavur.

The temples built in the capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram were magnificent and are fine
examples of Chola architecture. The Cholas seemed perfect in making images of gods and
goddesses. Many bronze images were made during this period.

The bronze image of Lord Shiva as Natraja or the Lord of Dance is an excellent work of art.
The image of Natraja has been described as the cultural epitome of the Chola Period.
TAMIL LITERATURE UNDER THE CHOLAS
The Chola period is known for developments made in Tamil and is known as the ‘Golden
Age of Tamil literature.
Kamban was a great writer who lived in the 11th century. He wrote Tamil Ramayana. Many
writers wrote stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Pugalandi composed Nala Venba which was a love story of Nala Damyanti.
In the 12th century, the works of Tamil writers were collected in eleven volumes known as
Tirumurais. These are considered sacred texts.
Kalingattuparani was a poem written by Jayankondar which describes the second war of
Kulothunga against Sri Lanka.
Buddhamitra and Rawankashi wrote treatises on grammar. A Jain poet Amrit Sagar wrote
several books which have enriched Tamil literature.
CONCLUSION
The Chola kingdom began to decline by the end of the 13th century AD. Continuous wars
against the neighbouring kingdoms made the kingdom weak. Apart from it, internal conflicts
also further weakened the kingdom.