VR Chennai | Shopping Mall in Chennai

language: Tamil
capital(s) Kanchipuram; Thanjavur (Tanjore)
emblem Tiger
major monuments Brihadishwara Temple, Thanjavur; Brihadeeswarar Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram; Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram

The Chola Dynasty, along with the Pandya and the Chera, were one of the three dominant kingdoms of Tamilakam – a geographical region that includes the modern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry and Lakshadweep, along with parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The history of the Chola Empire can be split into four distinct periods: the early Cholas of the Sangam period, the fall of the early Cholas, the rise of the medieval Empire under King Vijayalaya and finally the later Chola Dynasty.

A seafaring culture, the people travelled far and wide, establishing diplomatic ties with Burma, China, and Malaysia. Chola traders who settled in China even influenced the local culture there and went on to build temples in those port cities. It was also a time in the ancient world when Indian naval might was at its peak. The mighty Chola naval forces invaded Sri Lanka, the Maldives and parts of Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Southern Thailand. The entire Southern region from the Maldives in the south till the Godavari was under one governing system for the first time in history.

Rajendra Chola I, one of the greatest kings of the Dynasty, led the conquest of Odisha. His armies continued to march on, annexing parts of Bengal and reached the river Ganges. To commemorate his victories, the King built a new capital of Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

Under the Cholas, new heights of excellence were attained in the fields of literature, music, art and religion. Chola-era architecture, in the form of magnificent temples, and sculptures, crafted from stone and bronze, are some of the finest of their kind. The influence of their culture can still be seen in parts of South-East Asia.

Inscriptions on the Ulòka Gopuram

The Nataraj

The Nataraj (Lord of the Dance) is a depiction of Lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer. It is said that Shiva's dance, the Tandav, is the source of all creation, preservation and destruction in the universe. The Lord's dance of creation is said to have been performed at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu.

Under Chola rule, the Nataraj form was extensively used in all forms of art and architecture and went on to become a symbol of royalty. The depiction of the Nataraj seen here is inspired by his form as the Lord of the Nagas, the most common depiction of the Lord in Chola processional bronzes.

Airavatesvara Temple

Hundreds of temples were built by the Cholas during their rule and of these, four were vast complexes with magnificently carved stone structures. The Airavatesvara Temple, built by Rajaraja Chola II, is one of these four great temples. The others are in Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Tribuvanam.

The temple inherits its name from a mythological tale that involves Airavat, the white elephant, who is the vehicle of Indra, the King of Gods. It is said that the elephant, who got dirty, was cleaned and restored to its glorious self after taking a dip in the water tank at the temple.

Brihadishwara Temple

One of the "Great Living Chola Temples", the Brihadishwara Temple built by Rajaraja Chola I in Thanjavur, is one of the largest temple complexes in South India. The vimana (tower) which stands above the sanctum is one of the tallest in India and the Shiva Linga inside the temple is among the largest in the country.

The temple is considered to be one of the most exemplary forms of Dravidian architecture and is famed for the quality of its sculpture. The complex is home to intricately carved shrines to the Nandi, Kartikeya, Ganesha and others. It was also the first home of the legendary bronze Nataraj.

The Bhakti Movement

The Bhakti Movement, which led to a surge in spiritual literature in regional languages, originated in Tamil Nadu during the 7th Century CE One of the most influential proponents of the movements were the Alvars ("those immersed in God"), a group of Vaishnava poets who sang praises of Lord Vishnu. They established temples to the Lord in different parts of the region and the Divya Prabhandham, a compilation of their poems, forms an important part of Tamil literature.

Chera

Pandya

Inscriptions on the Ulòka Gopuram

The Nataraj

Airavatesvara Temple

Brihadishwara Temple

The Bhakti Movement

Related Articles