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1/9/2015 Mrunal Chola Empire: Rajendra-1' s Coronation-1000 years

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[Sangam-Age] Chola: Architecture, administration,Conquests & 1000th year of Rajendra-1 Cholas

Coronation

Posted By Mrunal On 05/01/2015 @ 9:30 pm In Indian-History | 21 Comments

1. 3-Southern Kingdoms: Chola, Chera, Pandya2. Imperial Chola3. Rajendra-1 (1000th Year of coronation, 2014)4. Chola Architecture

5. Chola society and administration6. Chola patronized Buddhism7. Mock Questions

Chola, Chera, Pandya

On 3rd Nov 2014, Indian navy celebrated the 1000th Anniversaryof

Rajendra Cholas coronation, hence topic becomes important for CSAT-2015.

Main Dynasties of Sangam AgeDynasty Territory Features

Chola

Capital:

Uraiyur and

later Tanjor

Southern

AndhraPradesh to

NorthernTamilnadu

Emblem: Tiger

Karikala defeated Chera, Pandyasand other chillar kingdoms.

Chera Capital:Vanji

Modern Kerala

Emblem: Bow

Began Pattini Cult for worshipping

Kannagi.

FracturePandya

Capital:

MaduraiSouthern

Tamilnadu

Emblem:Carp

King Neduncheliyan has executedKovalan. The Curse of Kovalans wife

Kannagi- destroyed Madurai in fire.
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Imperial Chola

Sangam Cholabecame 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) andpatronized a Buddhist monetary at Nagapattinam.

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

Rajendra-1 took away Madurai from Pandya Kings and Keral territoriesfrom 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 withChinese.


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He sent a military expedition towards Northern India, defeated manychillar 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 andAiravatesh-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, pictorial stories from

Puranas

PortraitsSome of the Chola temples contain beautiful life-sizedportraits of kings and queens. e.g. Rajaraja I and his queen

lok-mahadevi, Rajendra I and his queen Chol-mahadevi.Garbhagriha chief deity room

Vimana the 5-7 storeys above chief deity room. In Brihadeshwahra

temple- 13 successive storeys.


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Shikharaabove the Vimana (Storeys). Rajarajeshwara temple hasShikhara stone weighing almost 90 tonnes. Since they didnt

have cranes to lift it, architects built a 4 km long inclined path

to drag the stone over the top.

.Vs Pallavas

Although Chola continued the art tradition of Pallavas,but abandoned the lion motifs from temple walls.

Chola temple pillars were constructed with greaterrefinement than Pallavas.

Nataraja

During Chola period, metal art showed remarkable

development and was used for further decoration of

temples.

e.g Nataraja or dancing shiva at Chiadambaramtemple- described as the cultural epitome of the Chola

period.

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 temple at that period.Other kingdoms in South India- and even in Sri Lanka,

adopted the architectural style of Chola temples.

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 foreignharbors as well.

Chola patronized Buddhism

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


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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 LeidenUniversity 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 3c. Only 1 and 3

d. All of them

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

correctly?

1. Chola: Ship2. Chera: Tiger

3. Pandya: Bow

Answer choices

a. Only 1 and 2


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


d. None of them

Q4. Chola king Rajaraja-1


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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


d. None of them

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

a. Rajaraja-1, Chola

b. Rajendra-1, Chera

c. Rajaraja-1, Cherad. Rajendra-1,Chola

Q6. In Chola empire

1. Sati system was prohibited2. Dev-Dasi system was prohibited

3. Village Assembly membership was hereditary in nature.

Answer choices

a. Only 1 and 2


d. None of them

Q7. Chola temples

1. have lion motifs on walls

2. have Gopuram without walls3. use bricks instead of stones

Answer choices

a. Only 1 and 2b. Only 2 and 3

c. Only 1 and 3

d. None of them

(Mains-2013) Q. Chola architecture represents a high watermark in theevolution of temple architecture. Discuss. (5 Marks, 100 words)

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