PEOPLE INVOLVED-MEDIVIAL CHOLAS

•             Vijayalaya

The Tiruvalangadu plates state that Vijayalaya captured the city of Tanjavur and made it his capital and that he also built in it a temple to the goddess Nisumbhasudani (Durga). The Kanyakumari inscription states that he renovated the city of Tanjore.

Narttamalai, Pudukkottai has a Cholesvara temple attributed to Vijayalaya.

        Vijayalaya Cholesvara

•             Parantaka I

Parantakan gave importance to village administration and irrigation facilities. He improved agriculture a lot. He was a great devotee of Shiva. He completed construction of many temples that were started by Aditya I. He also gave golden roof to Chidambaram Natraj shrine.

Chidambaram Natraj shrine
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thillai_Nataraja_Temple,_Chidambaram)

•          Raja Raja Chola I

Rajaraja Chola (985-1014 AD) was the one of the imperialistic and greatest Chola rulers. Under the rule of Rajaraja the Chola kingdom grew into an extensive and well knit empire. It maintained diplomatic ties with countries as distant as Burma (Myanmar), China, and Malaysia across the Indian Ocean. Rajaraja I with the help of his able son Rajendra conquered nearly the whole of the present Madras Presidency. He defeated the eastern Chalukyas of Vegi, the Pandyas of Madurai and the Gangas of Mysore. He was an able administrator and also a great builder. Rajaraja’s reign is commemorated by the Siva temple in Thanjavur, called Brihadeshwara

The medieval Cholas under Rajaraja and his successors developed a highly organised administrative structure with central control and autonomous village assemblies. The system of government was a hereditary monarchy and the coronation of the king was an impressive ceremony. The royal household comprised of numerous servants of varied descriptions. For the purpose of administration the empire was divided into convenient areas such as valanadu, mandalam, nadu, etc. Land revenue was the mainstay of public finance and great care was undertaken to recording land rights and revenue dues.

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Sculpture

Gopuram










·         Rajendra Chola

Rajendra I (1012 1044 AD) was also an able ruler like his father Rajaraja Chola. He went upto Bengal and became victorious on the banks of Ganges. He was given the title of "Gangaikonda" (the victor of Ganges). He built up a new capital called Gangaikondacholapuram. Rajendra Chola's greatest achievements was the conquest of Andaman and Nicobar islands. During Rajendra Chola reign the kingdom was called the "Golden Age of Cholas."

The glory of Rajendra Chola’s city, Gangaikonda Cholapuram is now all but lost. The once mighty Chola capital is now a small village in Tamil Nadu. The Royal palace, the city buildings are all one with the dust. The only proof that the place was once the capital of one of the might Chola Empire are the Shiva temple and the Lion well.

The Lion Well

(http://whostory.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/gangaikonda-cholapuram-the-chola-who-brought-the-ganges/)