The decision of the Tamil Nadu Government to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Chola King Rajendra Chola (1012-1044 CE) on ‘Aadi Thiruvathirai’ every year, has been hailed by lovers of Tamil history and culture.

decision of the Tamil Nadu Government to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Chola King Rajendra Chola (1012-1044 CE) on ‘Aadi Thiruvathirai’ every year, has been hailed by lovers of Tamil history and culture restricted to a few history enthusiasts.

The 11th century Chola emperor had relocated the capital of Cholas to Gangaikonda Cholapuram in present-day Ariyalur district where he built the Peruvudaiyar temple. The temple was recognised as one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO. In celebrating the birth anniversary of Rajendra I, or ‘Rajendra 1000’ as you can call the event, people all over the world will have the opportunity to recall and record his contributions in various fields and placed Tamil Nadu on the global map.

The emperor Rajendra Chola (1012-1044 CE) was the illustrious son of the great Chola King Rajaraja I (985-1014 CE), who shouldered the task of building, extending, and maintaining the Chola empire. The foundation laid by both Rajaraja I and Rajendra I paved the way for the existence of Chola power for about 250 years, making the Cholas the most powerful dynasty in Asia in the medieval period. Rajendra I was a great warrior and assisted his father in numerous expeditions to project the Cholas to supreme power. Rajendra formally ascended the Chola throne in 1014 AD.

Rajendra conducted various expeditions: the Gangetic expedition, eastern/western Chalukyas, the wars against the Cheras, and Pandyas, the Ceylon expedition, and the Kadaram expedition, etc. Rajendra assumed the title of Gangaikonda Chola and the city Gangaikondacholapuram (which means the town of the Chola who captured the Ganges) was founded by him to commemorate his victorious march to the Ganges. He also constructed the Siva temple named after his title as Gangaikkondacholeswaram, and soon thereafter, the Chola capital was moved from Thanjavur to Gangaikondacholapuram.

The city of Gangaikondacholapuram was probably founded by Rajendra I after his sixth regnal year, that is, c. 1020 CE. And after his successful Southeast Asian campaign he got the title "Kadaram Kondan" (He who took Kedah in Malaysia).

Two supreme creations of the Dravida temple style are the Brahadisvara temple, Thanjavur, and the temple of the same name at Gangaikondacholapuram, built by Rajarajachola and Rajendrachola respectively. The two are fundamentally identical in composition, shape and form. Each of them stand within a walled quadrangle, approached by an immense gopuram. In these two monuments, the Dravida temple style may be said to have reached its supreme expression.

Gangaikondacholapuram, once the flourishing capital of the imperial Cholas, is now a small forgotten village devoid of its ancient glory in Udyarpalayam taluk of the Ariyalur district.

Contemporary literary works such as ‘Muvar Ula’ and ‘Kalingattupparani’ describe the city and palace complex, which are not to be seen today. From the remains it can be concluded that it was a large city, carefully planned and laid out in accordance with the architectural treatises to suit the needs of a capital.

According to scholar Karashima, ceramics found here might have been brought back from China by the mission sent by Rajendra I in 1033 CE.

LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE

The Cholas were by far the most important dynasty of South Asia at the time of Rajendra, The Cholas were by far the most important dynasty of South Asia at the time of Rajendra,

Rajendra led campaigns from 1002 CE. These include the conquest of the Rashtrakutas and the campaigns against the Western Chalukyas. He conquered the Chalukyan territories of Yedatore (a large part of the Raichur district between Krishna and the Tungabhadra), Banavasi in the north-west of Mysore and capital Manyakheta. Rajendra erected a Siva temple at Bhatkal. He also conquered Kollipakkai, located to the north of Hyderabad in present-day Telangana.

In 1025 CE, Rajendra led Chola forces across the Indian Ocean and invaded Srivijaya, attacking several places in Malaysia and Indonesia. The Chola sacked Kadaram (the capital) and Pannai in Sumatra and Malaiyur in the Malay Peninsula. Rajendra also invaded Tambralinga and the Langkasuka Kingdom in modern Malaysia and south Thailand.

The expedition of Rajendra Chola I is mentioned in the corrupted form as ‘Raja Chulan’ in the medieval Malay chronicle Sejarah Melaya, and Malay princes have names ending with Cholan or Chulan, such as Raja Chulan of Perak.

Rajendra Chola built a vast artificial lake, sixteen miles long and three miles wide which was one of the largest man-made lakes in India. The fortified capital of Rajendra Chola was of impressive grandeur and Ottakoothar states, on seeing Gangapuri, all fourteen worlds encircled by the billowing ocean are overwhelmed with joy. The successful invasions of Rajendra Chola were applauded by several medieval Tamil poets like Jayamkondan in his text Kalingattupparani and Ottakkoothar in his text ‘Ula’.

PERSONAL AND FAMILY LIFE

The Siddanta Saravali of Trilochana Sivacharya states that Rajendra was a poet and he composed hymns in praise of God Shiva. A commentary on the same work states that Rajendra brought a number of Saivas from the banks of the river Ganges and settled them in Kanchi and the Chola country.

Rajendra I had many consorts including Tribhuvana or Vanavan Mahadevi, Mukkokilan, Arindhavan Mahadevi and Viramahadevi, last of whom committed sati upon her husband's death. He had three sons namely Rajadhiraja, Rajendra II and Virarajendra, who followed him on the Chola throne in succession. He had two daughters Pranar Arulmoli Nangai and Ammangadevi.

Rajendra I died at the village of Brahmadesam, present-day Tiruvannamalai District in Tamil Nadu. This information is recorded in an inscription by his son, Rajadhiraja I which states that Rajendra's queen Viramahadevi committed sati upon her husband's death and her remains were interred in the same tomb at Brahmadesam.

India's merchant navy training ship ‘TS Rajendra’ was named in his honour. The state government of Maharashtra proposed to dedicate Rajendra Chola's portrait to the Mazgaon Docks

Dr R Nagaswamy, former Director of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu, points out that Ennayiram, a village in South Arcot district in Villupuram taluk, has a Vishnu temple in the centre of the village called Rajaraja Vinnagar. A ‘Ghora Murti’ image of Narasimhar was installed here, an extremely ferocious form that would confer unimaginable victories. As Rajendra expected, he went on to conquer territories up to the Gangetic plains. “The grateful Rajendra brought the Ganges water on the heads of the vanquished kings to this temple and placed it before the deity and worshipped the God. In memory of the unequalled victory, Rajendra worshipped Mahagora Narasimha with the establishment of a Vedic College in the village”, records Dr Nagaswamy.

Dr Nagaswamy recalls, “Rajendra Chola studied all the Vedas and Sastras as a young boy.” This remarkable information available in a Karanadai copper plate has escaped the attention of scholars.

The area around Chennai has about 25 inscriptions belonging to Rajendra (1012-1044), including Santhome (Mayilapur), Tiruvottriyur, Thiruvanmiyur, Poonamallee, Thirumullaivayil and Velachery. Their dates range between the second and 32nd years of Rajendra’s reign.

In Gangaikondacholapuram and its vicinity, The Tamil Nadu government must now take steps to clear the jungles and restore the beauty of the old palaces, and build a wall wherever pulled down.