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1000th anniversary of Rajendra Chola I’s Expedition
July 23 , 2025
12 hrs 0 min
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- King Rajendra Chola’s military expedition to the Gangetic plains had inspired the building of Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
- Tamil Nadu is commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Rajendra Chola I’s northern expedition.
- The king celebrated the victory by assuming the title ‘Gangaikonda Cholan’.
- He also built Gangaikonda Cholapuram in the present-day Ariyalur district.
- It was along with the Gangaikonda Cholisvaram, the Shiva temple, an UNESCO-listed architectural.
- It is listed as one of the three great living Chola temples by UNESCO.
- It is more famously known as the Brihadisvara Temple.
- Gangaikonda Cholapuram remained the capital from 1025 CE till the fall of the Chola dynasty in 1279 CE.
- The city controlled the affairs of the entire South India, from the Tungabhadra in the north to Ceylon in the south.
- It was the second largest and important city in the 11th-12th Centuries and the centre of political, commercial and cultural activities, like Madurai in the Pandya nadu and Karur in Chera nadu.
- Yet, there is no inscription of Rajendra Chola I in the Gangaikonda Chola puram temple.
- It is from an inscription of his son, Vira Rajendra that it is known that his father had built the temple.
- The inscription of Vira Rajendra, the third son of Rajendra, refers to the palace at Gangaikonda Cholapuram as Chola-Keralan Thirumaaligai.
- Earlier Thanjavur had been the Chola capital ever since it had been captured from the Muttaraiya chieftains by Vijayalaya.
- Within a few years of his [Raja Raja I] passing, his son, Rajendra, had shifted his capital to Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
- The city, its temple, and its massive lake called Chola Gangam remain the very embodiment of the signal achievements of Rajendra Chola I (regnal years 1012-1044 CE).
- The Tiruvalangadu, Esalam, and Karanthai Copper Plates, several inscriptions, and literary works celebrate his victory.
- During the expedition to the Gangetic plains, Rajendra Chola I defeated several kings and chieftains, including the Kalinga ruler and the Pala ruler Mahipala of Bengal.
- According to the Tiruvalangadu Copper Plates, the vanquished kings were made to carry the Ganga water on their heads to Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
- The water was poured into the Chola Gangam, now known as Ponneri.
- Rajendra erected a ‘liquid pillar of victory’ (ganga-jalamayam jayastambham) in his capital with the waters of the Ganga in the form of the tank Cholaganga.
- An elaborate description of the citadel comes from Muvar Ula of Ottakuttar.
- Rajaraja Cholan Ula gives an account of almost all the important places of the city.
- The city is referred to as Gangapuri in Kalingattuparani, composed by poet Jayan kondar.
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