Hinduism: Details about 'Chola Empire'
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Overview of the Chola Empire (9th-13th Centuries)
The Chola Empire rose to power in the 9th century in the Tamil speaking districts of Southern India. Although the Chola Dynasty existed since at least 100 B.C., it was during the 9th Century that it began its rise into a major world power. Under Rajaraja Chola (Rajaraja The Great) and his son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose as a notable military, economic and cultural power in Asia. The Chola Empire stretched from southern Maldives as far north as the Himalaya Mountains and West Bengal in North India. Rajaraja Chola conquered peninsular South India, and annexed parts of Sri Lanka by defeating the Pandyas. Rajendra Chola went beyond, occupying coastal Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Sumatra, Java, Malaya in South East Asia and Pegu islands with his fleet of ships. He defeated Mahipala, the king of Bihar and Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Tamil Chola armies exacted tribute from Thailand and Cambodia. The power of the Cholas declined around the 13th century. The Cholas were the first Indian empire to engage in naval conquest overseas.
Chola NavyThe Cholas are attributed to be amongst the earliest kingdoms to posses a powerful navy that could threaten neighbouring countries. The first of these was Karikalan who attacked the nearby island of Ceylon and defeating the army. He was also instrumental in occupying the Lakshadweep islands. Another King with many more maritime victories was Raja Rajan Cholan who is arguably responsible for leading the 2nd Golden Age of Tamil Nadu. After his decisive victories over the Cheras and Pandias, he turned his attention to the Sinhalese King Mahinda V. He assembled the navy and sent it on a conquest of Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands. The Chola Navy defeated King Mahinda. After the military victory Raja Rajan built a Hindu temple there in Polonnaruva. In the period 984-1042 CE, his sons also despatched great naval expeditions against the empire of Srivijaya. These expeditions occupied parts of Burma, Malaya, Java, Sumatra, and the Andoman & Nicobar islands, while suppressing piracy in Southeast Asia. Apart from the royal navy, a consortium of powerful Chola merchants known as the Nootruvar Kuzhaam (Group of One Hundred) were allowed by the king to operate their own navy in order to protect their merchant vessels from pirates. The Capital cities of the CholasThanjavur was the capital of the Chola Empire from the 9th-11th Centuries. After which, Gangaikonda Cholapuram became the capital from the 11th-13th Centuries, by which time the empire had declined and shrunk to the Cauvery delta. It was taken over by the medieval Pandyan kingdom. Legacy ofThe Great Chola Empire which spanned most of South and South East Asia led to a flowering of Tamil Hindu architecture, dance, music, literature, religion and arts throughout the littoral of the Indian Ocean. It's legacy can be seen in the monumental temples of the Chola heartland, the deep South of India, and the Hindu festivals and temples of Bali, Malaysia and Indonesia. See also
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