Cholas, one of the three major ruling dynasties of the Tamil Country during the Sangam period (between the 3rd century B.C. and 3rd century A.D.), were reduced to the dustbin of obscurity by the Pallavas, only to rise once again in the mid 9th century AD and rule for some 300 years the Coromandel Coast and much of south India and as far as Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands. During this period the Cholas came to be called Imperial Cholas because they managed to bring large swath of territory under their influence.
The founder of the Imperial Chola line was Vijayalaya who is credited to have restored the lost glory of ancient Cholas sometime before in 850 AD. A feudatory of the Pallava rulers, Vijayalaya captured Thanjavur from the Mutharaiyar chieftains who held sway in these parts of Tamil Nadu until the rise of the Chola power in the mid-9th century AD. He made Thanjavur his capital where he founded a temple dedicated to the goddess Nisumbhasudani (Durga).
Vijayalaya built the Vijayalaya Choleeshwaram temple at Narthamalai (in Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu), 25km from the city of Trichy.
Battle of Thirupurambiyam
Vijayalaya was succeeded by his son Aditya I in c. 871 AD. Aditya I joined a confederacy of Pallavas and Western Gangas to defeat the Pandyan ruler Varagunavarman II in the Battle of Sri Purambiyam or Thirupurambiyam in 879 CE near Kumbakonam. Varagunavarman II lost the battle though Western Ganga king Prithvipati I lost his life in the battle. The confederacy was led by the Pallava king Aparajita.
Prithivipati I was buried in a pallipadai temple in the village of Thirupurambiyam. The pallipadai temple is now known as Bhagavathi Ayyanar temple.
Not satisfied with remaining subordinate to the Pallava power, he now embarked on a campaign to altogether extinguish the Pallava power and killed its last ruler Aparajita in c. 897 CE, bringing the Pallava territory under the Chola dominions.
After Aditya I, his son Parantaka I ascended the Chola throne in 907 and ruled for forty-eight years till 955. Continuing the expansionist policy of his father he invaded Pandyan territory under Maravarman Rajasimha II and conquered Madurai in 910 and assumed the title of Maduraikonda (captor of Madurai). In 949 Parantaka I, however, suffered defeat at the hands of Rshtrakuta king Krishna III in the battle of Takkolam. Rajaditya, eldest son of Parantaka I, lost his life in the battle when a well-aimed arrow by Butuga II (Western Ganga king and brother-in-law Krishna III) struck him while he was on an elephant back. After his success in the battle, Krishna III adopted the title of ‘Conqueror of Kanchi (Kanchipuram) and Thanjai (Thanjavur)’. This caused a temporary setback to the rising power of the Cholas.
During the reign of Parantaka I, the Koranganatha temple at Srinivasanallur in Tiruchirappalli district was built.
Parantaka I had laid the golden roof of Chidambaram's Nataraja Temple to which Chola rulers were attached.
In 955, Parantaka I was succeeded to the Chola throne by his son Gandaraditya whose military exploits are less known. Gandaraditya, with his wife Sembiyan Mahadevi, is more known for his work in the field of culture and religion. At the time of Gandaraditya’s reign, the Chola kingdom was reduced to the size of a principality. After his death the throne passed on to his brother Arinjaya who also ruled for a short period (956-57).
Arinjaya was succeeded by his son Parantaka Chola II who ruled till 973. He was also known as Sundara Chola. In the last years of his reign personal tragedy struck him when his eldest son and crown prince Aditya II was assassinated. He was compelled by Uttam Chola (son of Gandaraditya) to declare him as heir-apparent in preference to Arumoli (future Rajaraja I or Raja Raja the Great), younger brother of Aditya II. Parantaka Chola II died in 973 and was succeeded by Uttam Chola.
After the death of Uttam Chola in 935 AD, Arumolivarman or Arumoli crowned himself as Rajaraja, one of two greatest kings of the Chola dynasty. The power of the Chola dynasty reached its pinnacle during the reigns of Rajaraja I (985-1014) and his son Rajendra Chola (1014- 1042).
One of the earliest campaigns of Rajaraja I resulted in the uprooting of Chera kings whose fleet he destroyed by attacking Kandalur. He defeated Pandyan ruler Amarabhujanga and took Madurai. He employed a navy to invade Sri Lanka and destroyed Anuradhapura. He annexed Ceylon’s northern part which became a Chola province under the name Mummadi Chola Mandalam. Polonnaruva became the capital of Mummadi Chola Mandalam.
Rajaraja I turned his attention towards the Eastern Chalukya Kingdom of Vengi. Eastern Chalukya ruler Vimaladitya (1011–1018 AD) recognised the Chola suzernity and married Rajaraja I’s daughter Kundavai.
Towards the closing years of his reign Rajaraja annexed the Maldives and the Lakshadweep island.
Rajaraja built the Siva temple Rajarajesvara or Brihadishvara Temple at Tanjore (now Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu). Known for its beautiful decoration, this magnificent Shiva temple was completed in 1010 AD. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this temple contains elaborate pillared halls and was probably the largest temple built in India up to that time. The Brihadishvara Temple is also known as the Big Temple.
Rajaraja is known for his religious tolerance. He gave a helping hand to the Sailendra ruler of the Srivijaya Empire Mara Vijayottunggavarman in building a Buddhist monastery in Nagapattinam. The monastery was known Chudamani Vihara after Cudamanivarman, father of Mara Vijayottunggavarman. Srivijaya Empire was in what is now Indonesia and much of the Malay Archipelago.
Rajaraja had assumed different titles including Mummadi Chola and Chola-martanda.
Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu / Image Source
For Rajendra Chola I, son of Rajaraja I Read Tale of Imperial Medieval Cholas - Part 2
