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The Cholas

The rule of the Cholas, Vijayalaya, Rajaraja I, and the architecture and crafts during the Chola empire.

In the southern part of India, a powerful kingdom emerged after the defeat of the Pallava dynasty. In the ninth century A.D, the Cholas successfully captured the entire Sri Lankan and Malay peninsula region. Besides defeating the Pallava dynasty, the Cholas gave a huge setback to the Pandyas. Even though they were successful in the attempt, they were defeated by the Rashtrakutas. 

When King Rajaraja I came to power, he made the kingdom reach new heights of success. The supremacy of the dynasty was established when King Rajaraja I successfully defeated the Cheras and the Pandyas. 

Chola Rulers

The ninth century saw the rise of the Chola empire. They were able to establish their empire which comprised a major portion of South India. All the information gained on the Chola empire was found from multiple inscriptions. The vital knowledge regarding the Cholas’ administration, culture, society, and economy was found through them. 

King Vijayalaya founded the Imperial Chola line. The next ruler was Aditya, who defeated Aparajita and ended the Pallava dynasty. Parantaka I fought the famous Battle of Vellore and defeated the Pandyas and the ruler of Ceylon. He built multiple temples and made the golden roof of the Nataraja temple. Parantaka II (Sundara Chola) invaded Sri Lanka and captured a few parts of Tondaimandalam. Uttama Chola captured some other parts of Tondaimandalam. 

Many other rulers, especially the later rulers, such as Kulottunga II, Rajaraja II, and Kulottunga III, could not maintain their power. As a result, the empire saw a downfall as the 13th century came to an end. The beginning of the 14th century brought with it the power of the Sultans of Delhi.

Administration of the Chola Empire

One of the most important positions in the Cholas’ administration was that of the King. All the kingdom’s powers rested in the hands of the Kings. A council of ministers always accompanied the King and was formed to advise the Kings on various issues related to the kingdom. The tenure of the council of ministers was undefined. This meant that they held office till the king wanted them to. In addition to that, there was a secretariat who handled central administration tasks. To maintain coordination with the administration, the king scheduled tours and trips. 

  • Military administration – The military administration of the Chola empire was based on three main bodies. These were the infantry, cavalry, and elephants. For military purposes, the empire was known to have a large army made of these three
  • Revenue administration – The Cholas’ revenue was generated through irrigation, land tax, tolls on trade, etc. The Kaveri River was the main source of water that the people used to irrigate their lands and generate income. A bunch of neighbouring countries also contributed to the income
  • Provincial administration – The Chola empire was known to maintain peace in each territory. To execute their tasks effectively, the empire was divided into nine provinces. Each province was known as a mandalam and was headed by “mandala mudali.” He was paid in terms of land. With the resources that were provided, each head was asked to maintain peace in each province
  • District administration – Similar to the provinces, there was division in district administration too. Each province was further divided into 500 districts known as Nadus. The district was headed by Nattar, who was responsible for running the district effectively
  • Local administration – The local administration of the Chola empire was divided into two major types. People from distinct castes lived in the first type of village that was run by “ur.” The second type of village, known as “agrahara,” consisted of Brahmins, and the land was rent-free there
The Cholas Part2 : Unacademy

Architecture of the Chola Empire

The previous dynasty, the Pallava dynasty, introduced Dravidian features in the architecture. However, the architecture gained its classical form during the Cholas empire by the gopurams, mandapams, and vimanas. Since the beginning, the vimana features dominated the gopuram ones. But in the later stages, the gopuram features gained massive popularity and vimanas were overshadowed. 

  • Vimanas were constructed with multiple storeys. At Tanjore, the Raja Rajeshwar temple, also known as the Brihadeshwara temple, was constructed with vimana features and thirteen storeys. Later, the Nataraj temple at Chidambaram was constructed but it had a circular concept 
  • The temple constructed at Tanjore had a rectangular outer wall. Eight vimanas protected the structure. This temple, known as Dakshimeruvitankar, was completely dedicated to Lord Shiva
  • Rajendra Chola I constructed a city known as Gangaikonda Cholapuram and a temple in it
  • Vijayalaya, the ruler of the Chola empire, is known to have captured Tanjore. He built a Durga temple
The Cholas : Unacademy

Arts and Crafts of the Chola Empire

The Chola empire was famous for its art, music and Chola crafts. A great contribution was made to both vocal and instrumental music. Some of the instruments used during the period were the kudamulla, vina and flute. To provide entertainment to the people, there were multiple plays and dramas enacted in the temple premises. Additionally, paintings were made on the walls of famous temples such as the Raja Rajeswara temple, the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, and the Nataraja temple. 

Religion and Philosophy of the Chola Empire

During the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th centuries A.D, there was a decline of Buddhism while Jainism managed to survive. The Chola ruler Rajaraja I was a patron of Lord Shiva. To portray his devotion, he built the temple known as the Raja Rajeswara temple, which was dedicated to Lord Shiva. Another ruler of the Chola empire, Kulottunga I, resented Ramanuja. He was a Vaishnavite Saint who bordered the social base of Vaishnavism. 

Conclusion 

While many rulers bravely fought and managed to win numerous territories and eventually established a large empire, the beginning of the 14th century saw the decline of the Chola empire’s power. 

The Chola empire was also known for the high growth in literature that occurred during this period. A lot of literature in Tamil was composed by the Alvars and Nayannars. A total of 11 volumes were collected during the beginning of the 12th century. “The Ramayana” was written during this time. It was composed by famous classic Tamil writer Kamban. Kannada poetry had three main jewels: Pampa, Ponna and Ranna.