Chola Dynasty : Brief Overview On Rulers, Literature, Trade And Architecture (southern India)

CHOLA DYNASTY INTRODUCTION

• It was a Tamil dynasty of Southern India, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in world history.
• It aroused in the 9^th century which brought a large part of the Peninsula under their control.
• With a strong Navy, they conquered Sri Lanka, Maldives and had a strong foreign trade.
• The early periods of the Chola rule saw the onset of the Sangam literature. Kantaman was one of the prominent rulers of this era.
• The medieval period was the era of absolute power and development for the Cholas.
• Later Kulottunga Chola took over Kalinga to establish a strong rule. This magnificence lasted until the arrival of the Pandyas in the early 13^th

Some prominent pillars of the Chola Empire:

Vijayalaya

• He founded the Chola Empire.
• He took over the Tanjore kingdom in the 8^th century and led to the rise of the mighty Cholas by defeating the Pallavas. Tanjore was hence made the first capital of the eminent Chola Empire.

Aditya I

• He succeeded Vijayalaya to become the ruler of the empire.
• He defeated king Aprajita and the empire gained massive power under his reign.
• He conquered the Pandya King along with the Vadumbas and establishes control over the Pallavas power in the region.

Rajendra Chola I

• He succeeded his father Rajaraja Chola I.
• He was the first to venture to the bank of Ganges.
• He was popularly called the Victor of the Ganges.
• He instituted a new capital at the banks of Kaveri called Gangaikondacholapuram where he received the title of ‘Gangaikonda’. This period is referred to as the golden age of the Cholas.
• He also undertook a naval expedition against revived Srivijaya Empire of Indo- China.
• After his rule, the kingdom witnessed a widespread downfall.

Chola Government

• The King administered his territories with advice from his Council of Ministers.
• Chola administration:
• Mandalams – provinces
• Valanadu – minor provinces
• Nadu – district
• Kurram – a group of villages
• Royal roads were built and irrigation projects were undertaken.
• A general assembly of the village was called the Mahasabha.
• Gathering of adult men in Brahmana villages which were called Agraharas.
• The system of rule was such that each village acted as a self- governing unit during the era of the Cholas but the King remained the central authority who would make the major decisions and carry out the governance.

Cultural life

• They were great builders of cities (Tanjore, Gangaikondacholapuram), large palaces, spacious gardens, and terraces, etc.
• The Dravidian style of temple architecture attained its climax. The temple had become so elaborate like a mini-city and enjoyed revenue-free grants of land for its expenses.
• Kailasanathar temple in Kanchi, Brihadeeswara temple in Tanjore are some examples of Dravidian architecture.
• Holy Scriptures and the ancient Vedas were taught to students.
• Societal structure at this time was divided amongst Brahmins and Non-Brahmins.
• Several gods and goddesses were worshipped with Shiva being a popular source of strength for the faithful.
• The Srirangam temple stands to be the highlight of this era. It was submerged in water for centuries and was renovated later to its former glory.
• Several sites which include the Brihadeeswara temple and the Airavatesvara temple has been classified as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
• Sculptures of gods and goddesses have been carved out of bronze and serve as a golden reminder of this period.
• Along with devotional literature, Jain and Buddhist writings also got appreciation and recognition during this phase.
• The popular Nalayira Divya Prabhandham from this period is a compilation of 4000 Tamil verses and is widely savored by literary scholars even to this day.
• Pampa, Ponna, and Ranna are regarded as the three gems of Kannada poetry.

Thus, the Cholas and their reign mark a remarkable period of medieval history that saw a massive cultural spurt along with a growth in civilization and it's meaning. It symbolizes not only a period of rapid advancement but also a magnificent time to look back at and learn from.