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[Sangam-Age] Chola: Architecture, administration,

Conquests & 1000th year of Rajendra-1 Cholas


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Indian-History20 hours Ago8 Comments

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1.

3-Southern Kingdoms: Chola, Chera, Pandya

2.

Imperial Chola

3.

Rajendra-1 (1000th Year of coronation, 2014)

4.

Chola Architecture

5.

Chola society and administration

6.

Chola patronized Buddhism

7.

Mock Questions

Chola, Chera, Pandya


On 3rd Nov 2014, Indian navy celebrated the 1000th Anniversary of Rajendra
Cholas coronation, hence topic becomes important for CSAT-2015.
Main Dynasties of Sangam Age

Dynasty
Chola

Territory

Features

Capital: Uraiyur and later Tanjor

Emblem: Tiger

Southern Andhra Pradesh to Northern

Karikala defeated Chera, Pandyas and

Tamilnadu

Chera

Fracture
Pandya

Capital: Vanji

Emblem: Bow

Modern Kerala

Began Pattini Cult for worshipping Ka

Capital: Madurai

Emblem: Carp

Southern Tamilnadu

King Neduncheliyan has executed Kov


destroyed Madurai in fire.

Imperial Chola
Sangam Chola became weak at the end of Sangam Age. But King Vijayala
captured Tanjore, and began the new line of Imperial Chola. Notable Imperial
Chola Kings were Rajaraja-1 and his son Rajendra-1.
Rajaraja-1

He Defeated Chera and Pandya Kings.

He Extended Chola empire all the way to Tungabadhra river.

He built the famous Brihadeshwara Temple at Tanjore (Saivism) and


patronized a Buddhist monetary at Nagapattinam.

Rajendra-1 (1000th Year of coronation, 2014)

Rajendra-1 took away Madurai from Pandya Kings and Keral territories from
Chera Kings, and appointed his son as Viceroy of this region.

He annexed Northern Sri Lanka and Maldives using his mighty navy, and
even abducted Sri Lankan King Mahinda V.

He sent a naval expedition to Malay Archipelago to teach a lesson to Sri


Vijaya Empire because they were obstructing Chola trade with Chinese.

He sent a military expedition towards Northern India, defeated many chillar


kings above Ganges river Odisha and Bengal, and updated his facebook profile
status to Gangai Kondan.

To further celebrate these victories and upload its photos on twitter, he built
a city Gangai-Konda-Cholapuram city and Rajesvaram temple (Saivism) in it.

His successors were weak, ultimately Cholas were reduced from Kings To
local Chieftains

Chola Temple Architecture

Cholas followed the architecture style of Pallavas and constructed numerous


temples throughout their territory. Nagaesh-wvara, Brihadesh-wvara
and Airavatesh-wara temples in Tanjore-Thanjavur region represent the zenith of
Chola architectural style.
Notable features of Chola Temple Architecture

Material

Started using stones instead of bricks.

Walls &
Passages

have neatly detailed frescoes, sculptures and paintings- including birds, dancing figures,

Portraits

Some of the Chola temples contain beautiful life-sized portraits of kings and queens. e.g
I and his queen Chol-mahadevi.

Garbhagriha

chief deity room

Vimana

the 5-7 storeys above chief deity room. In Brihadeshwahra temple- 13 successive storey

Shikhara

above the Vimana (Storeys). Rajarajeshwara temple has Shikhara stone weighing almos
architects built a 4 km long inclined path to drag the stone over the top.

.Vs Pallavas

Nataraja

Although Chola continued the art tradition of Pallavas, but abandoned the lion m

Chola temple pillars were constructed with greater refinement than Pallavas.

During Chola period, metal art showed remarkable development and was used fo

e.g Nataraja or dancing shiva at Chiadambaram temple- described as the cultura

Mandap

Audience hall, for various ceremonies. Elaborate carvings and pillars.

Gopuram

Temple gateways, which enclosed the entire temple structure with high walls.

Trend-Setters

Brihadeshwara temple by Rajaraja I at Tanjore. It was the tallest of all Indian te

Other kingdoms in South India- and even in Sri Lanka, adopted the architectural

Chola society and administration


1.

More centralized than other dynasties. Chola provinces were headed by


Naval chiefs.

2.

Entire kingdom was divided into Mandal=>Vanlandu=>Nadu (villages).

3.

Both towns and villages had autonomous assemblies.

4.

Assembly members had tenure limit of 3 years.

5.

Emergence of Kanchi-Silk, Bronze Idol of Nataraja, Caste rigidity, Sati and


Devdasi system.

6.

They worshipped dead king and built temples in their honor.

7.

Trade flourished with China, Sumatra, Java and Arabia.

8.

Land owned by temples and artisans were exempted from tax.

9.

They made predatory naval raids to fill treasury every once in a while. They
also sent naval expedition for setting up trade-posts in foreign harbors as well.

Chola patronized Buddhism

Sailendra kings were Mahayan Buddist and ruled over Sumatra, Bali,
Cambodia and Malaya.

Sailendra Kings had constructed a Buddhist Vihara at Nagapattinam,


Tamilnadu. (area under Chola control)

Name of this Vihara: Chula-mani-varma-vihara.

Chola King Rajaraja Chola 1 had issued a Charter to provide money to this
Vihara

This charter was inscribed on a copper plate and preserved at Leiden


University of Netherlands, and proves that Chola patronized Buddhism as well.

Mock Questions
Q1.Which of the following pairs are matched incorrectly?
1.

Chola: Madurai

2.

Chera: Kerala

3.

Pandya: Andhra Pradesh

Answer choices
a.

Only 1 and 2

b.

Only 2 and 3

c.

Only 1 and 3

d.

All of them

Q2.Which of the following empire vs emblem pairs are matched correctly?


1.

Chola: Ship

2.

Chera: Tiger

3.

Pandya: Bow

Answer choices
a.

Only 1 and 2

b.

Only 2 and 3

c.

Only 1 and 3

d.

None of them

Q3. Chola King Rajendra-1 had annexed:


1.

Madurai from Chera kings

2.

Andhra from Satvahan kings

3.

Gangai-Konda-Puram from Pandya Kings

Answer choices
a.

Only 1 and 2

b.

Only 2 and 3

c.

Only 1 and 3

d.

None of them

Q4. Chola king Rajaraja-1


1.

Had ordered the execution Kolavan.

2.

had Patronized Saivism and Buddhism.

3.

Built Brihadeshwara temple at Tanjore.

Answer choices
a.

Only 1 and 2

b.

Only 2 and 3

c.

Only 1 and 3

d.

None of them

Q5. King ____ of ___ dynasty called himself Gangai-Kondan.


a.

Rajaraja-1, Chola

b.

Rajendra-1, Chera

c.

Rajaraja-1, Chera

d.

Rajendra-1,Chola

Q6. In Chola empire


1.

Sati system was prohibited

2.

Dev-Dasi system was prohibited

3.

Village Assembly membership was hereditary in nature.

Answer choices
a.

Only 1 and 2

b.

Only 2 and 3

c.

Only 1 and 3

d.

None of them

Q7. Chola temples


1.

have lion motifs on walls

2.

have Gopuram without walls

3.

use bricks instead of stones

Answer choices
a.

Only 1 and 2

b.

Only 2 and 3

c.

Only 1 and 3

d.

None of them

(Mains-2013) Q. Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of


temple architecture. Discuss. (5 Marks, 100 words)
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