A brief study on the Cholas (Cholar) of the Medieval Period Tamil Nadu
Towards the end of the tenth century A.D. the Cholas rose as a very powerful - "Tamil ruling dynasty of Tamil Nadu", with their capital at "Thanjavur" and later at "Gangaikonda Cholapuram". They conquered vast territories in the Indian mainland and 'near overseas' in the west and south of India, and 'far overseas' in South-East Asia - at the time of their supreme power and greatness around A.D.1025.
The first Prime Minister of India - Late Hon' Jawarhalal Nehru had clearly acknowledged the - greatness of the Medieval Cholas in the Indian History - and has stated in his book titled "Glimpses of the World History" that - "......the Chola Empire grew to power, and about the middle of the nineth century it dominated the south. It was a Sea-Power and had a big Navy, with which it swept the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.......The Chola Empire thus became very extensive the biggest since the days of the Guptas.....Apart from their success in war, the Cholas were long famous for their sea-trade......". (page 126-127)
The North Indian Historian A.L.Basham speaks of the formidable position of Cholas in the middle ages in his book titled "Wander that was India" and states "....The Chola Empire was one of the mightiest military powers to arise in South and South-East Asia in the medieval period. The Imperial Cholas were the only seafareing power to dominate the Indian Ocean, and the greater part of it's littoral before modern times. The Imperial Cholas were the only rulers in South Asia before the British who can be credited with having a navy in the modern sense of the term.....". (page 75)
Measuring their greatness achieved in all fields, a non-Tamil Historian correctly and justifiably referred to the Cholas especialy to Rajaraja Chola - 1 and Rajendra Chola - 1 in his book titled "Currents of South-East Asian History" as ".....kings of World stature......"
For those who wish to know briefly on the Medieval Cholas of Tamil Nadu, some informations are provided below which should be of interest to them.
The Cholas {Cholar} of the Medieval Period (A.D.848 - A.D.1279)
(1) Vijayalya Cholan : A.D.848-881- His parentage is still not clear from evidences. Capital city - Palaiyarai and later at Thanjavur
(2) Athiththa Cholan : A.D.871-907 - Son of (1) Capital city - Thanjavur
(3) Paranthaha Cholan - 1 : A.D.907-955 - Son of (2) Capital city - Thanjavur Seaport city - Nagapattinam Over Seas War Expedition to - Sri Lanka
(4) Kandarathiththa Cholan : A.D.950-957 - Second Son of (3) Capital city - Thanjavur Seaport city - Nagapattinam
(5) Arinchchaya Cholan : A.D.956-957 - Third Son of (3) Capital city - Thanjavur Seaport city - Nagapattinam
(6) Paranthaha Cholan - 2 (Sundera Cholan) : A.D.957-969 - Son of (5) Capital city - Thanjavur Seaport city - Nagapattinam Overseas War expedition to - Sri Lanka
(7) Uththama Cholan : A.D.969-985 - Son of (4) Capital city - Thanjavur Sea city - Nagapattinam Over Seas War Expedition to - Sri Lanka
(8) Rajaraja Cholan - 1 : A.D.985-1014 - Son of (6) Capital city - Thanjavur Sea-port City - Nagapattinam Mainland War Expeditions upto - Kalinga (Orrisa) in North-East and Chalukya (Mumbai) in North-West of India (Refer Essalam Copper Plates) Over Seas War Expeditions to - Sri Lanka & Maldive Islands. Over Seas Political Relations with - China and Malaysia
(9) Rajendra Cholan - 1: A.D.1012-1044 - Son of (8) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam Mainland War Expeditions upto - River Ganges in North-East India including present Bangaladesh, and the Lower Sind region in the south of the present Pakistan. Over Seas War Expeditions to - Sri Lanka, Maldive Islands, Laccadive Islands (west of Kerala), Nicobar Islands (present Andaman & Nicobar Islands), lower Miyanmar, lower Thailand, many regions in Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra of Indonesia & Laos onbehalf of the Cambodian king. Over Seas Political Relations with - Malaysia, Sumatra of Indonesia, Cambodia & China.
(10) Rajadhiraja Cholan - 1: A.D.1018-1054 - Eldest Son of (9) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam Over Seas War Expeditions to - Sri Lanka
(11) Rajendra Cholan - 2 : A.D.1051-1063 - Second Son of (9) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam Over Seas War Expeditions to - Sri Lanka
(12) Virarajendra Cholan : A.D.1063-1070 - Son of (9) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam Over Seas War Expeditions to - Sri Lanka. Expedition to lower Burma, Kedah region in Malaysia, some regions in Sumatra & Java of Indonesia, and the region of Taoist China near Canton lead by his nephew Kulothunga Chola - 1 (14) "during his youthfull days on behalf of his uncle (the mother's brother) Virarajendra Chola". Over Seas Political Relations with - Malaysia, Sumatra of Indonesia. (13) Athirajendra Cholan : A.D.1067-1070 - Son of (12) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam
(14) Kulothunga Cholan - 1 : A.D.1070-1120 - Son of the Sister of (10), (11), & (12) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam Over Seas War Expeditions to - Sri Lanka. Over Seas Political Relations with - Malaysia, Sumatra & Java of Indonesia, Miyanmar, Cambodia & China.
(15) Vikkrama Cholan : A.D.1118-1135 - Son of (14) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam
(16) Kulothunga Cholan - 2 : A.D.1133-1150 - Son of (15) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam
(17) Rajaraja Cholan - 2 : A.D.1146-1163 - Son of (16) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram later at Palaiyarai renamed as Rajarajapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam
(18) Rajadiraja Cholan - 2 : A.D.1163-1178 - Grand Son of (15) & a cousin brother of (17) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam Over Seas War Expeditions to - Sri Lanka
(19) Kulothunga Cholan - 3 : A.D.1178-1218 - Son of (17) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam
(20) Rajaraja Cholan - 3 : A.D.1216-1256 - Son of (19) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam
(21) Rajendra Cholan - 3 : A.D.1246-1279 - Son of (20) Capital city - Gangaikonda Cholapuram Sea-port City - Nagapattinam