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Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Gangaikonda Cholapuram(Tamil: ) was erected as the capital ofthe Cholas by Rajendra Chola I, the son and successor of Rajaraja Chola, the great Chola who

conquered a large area in South India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Sumatra, Kadaram (Kedah in Malaysia)

at the beginning of the 11th century A.D. It occupies an important place in the history of India. As the

capital of the Cholas from about 1025 A.D. for about 250 years, the city controlled the affairs of entire

southern India, from the Tungabhadrain the north to Ceylon in the south and other south east Asian

countries. The great temple of Sivaat this place is next only to the Brihadisvara templeat Thanjavurin

its monumental nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality.The Gangaikondaan temple is an

architectural and engineering marvel because the shadow of the main tower never falls on the ground

throughout the year.

City

Nandhi in Gangai Konda CholapuramTemple

Stone sculpture of GnanaSaraswathiat the temple

The temple architecture

The city was founded by Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victory over the Pala Dynasty. The name meansThe town of the chola who brought Ganga (water from Ganga) or who defeated (the kings near) Ganga. It is

now a small village, its past eminence only remembered by the existence of the great Siva Temple.

Rajendra Chola-I (1012-1044 A.D) son of the Great Rajaraja-I, established this temple after his great victorious

march to river Ganges on Northern India. He assumed the title of Rajendra during his coronation and continuedto rule along with his father Rajaraja-I for a while. He was awarded the supreme title of the Cholas known as

Parakesari.

Rajendra-I, a great warrior, assisted his father in numerous expeditions to elevate the Cholas to supreme power.The various expeditions he conducted, were : Gangetic expedition, eastern/Western Chalukyasexpedition, war

against Cheras/Pandyas, Ceylon expedition, Kataram (currently called as Kedah) expedition.

His empire included the whole of southern India to the river Thungabathra in the north. For administrative and

strategic purposes he built another capital and named it Gangaikondacholapuram. The Gangaikondacholapuramtemple he constructed consists of 3 stories and was surrounded by a huge fort-like wall, the outer wall largelydestroyed during the English rule (1896) to reuse the building material (granite rocks) for constructing the

Lower Anicut the dam built across river Kollidam. He built around 10 temples at various places.


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He assumed the title of Gangaikonda Cholan and named his new capital as Gangaikondacholapuram and he alsoconstructed a huge Lake known as Chola Gangam that spreads 22 km mainly used for drinking and irrigation. A

statue of Rajendra-I is found in Kolaram temple at Kolar of Karnataka state in India.

C. 1022 C.E. Rajendra undertook an expedition to the Ganges along the east coast of peninsular India. Theemperor himself lead the army up to the banks of the Godavari river. The Chola armies conquered all the

countries north of Vengi, which included Kalinga, Odda, Southern Kosala, the lower and upper Lada and finallythe Vangaladesa (Bengal). The triumphant Chola armies brought back waters from the river Ganges in goldenvessels. Around the same time, the Cholas under the illustrious Rajendra Chola Ialso vanquished the Chalukyasof Manyakheta when the Chola protectorate of Vengi was threatened by Chalukyas Jayasimha II. Rajendra

Chola I defeated Jayasimha-II Chalukya at Maski (Muyangi in Chola annals) between Eluru and Visayavadai(modern Vijayawada) and subsequently engaged the Chalukya in Kannada country itself i.e. in the Chalukyascapital of Mannaikadakkam (Manyakheta) "the war in which the Chalukya Jayasimha-II, full of fear, hid like a

mouse and fled the battlefield". The Chola armies seized the Chalukya flag, decapitated or slew various generalsof the Chalukyas, with the Chalukyan king fleeing the battlefield. The Chalukya King surrendered his wife tothe victorious Chola monarch. With the Chola coffers filling up with riches from the Chalukya country, they

were able to establish their hold of the region between the Vaigai/Kaveri delta in Tamil country up to theTungabhadra-Krishna basins in the Maharashtra-Andhra region. To commemorate this celebrated victory,Rajendra assumed the title of Gangaikonda Cholan, "Irattapadi-konda Cholan", "Mannai-kondan" (the king who

possessed Irattapadi (erstwhile land of the Rashtrakutasusurped by the Salukkis(Chalukyas) and the king whopossessed (the Chalukyan capital) Manyakheta (Mannaikadakkam in Chola annals) and had the Siva TempleGangakkondacholeswaram built(***). Soon the capital was moved from Thanjavur to Gangaikondacholapuram.The city of Gangaikondacholapuram was probably founded by Rajendra before his 17th year. Most of the Cholakings who succeeded Rajendra were crowned here. They retained it as their capital, reoriented and trained the

efficient Chola army.

Chola rulers were active patrons of the arts. They flourished in architectures, education, science, arts, shipconstruction, poetry, drama, music, business trading, dance. The beautiful Nataraja figure was first conceived

during the Chola empire.

They constructed enormous stone temple complexes decorated inside and out with painted sculptures. While the

stone sculptures and the inner sanctum image empowering the temple remained immovable, changing religiousconcepts during the 10th century demanded that the deities take part in a variety of public roles similar to those

of a human monarch. As a result, large bronze images were created to be carried outside the temple toparticipate in daily rituals, processions, and temple festivals. The round lugs and holes found on the bases ofmany of these sculptures are for the poles that were used to carry the heavy images. They were admired for the

sensuous depiction of the figure and the detailed treatment of their clothing and jewelry in Chola-period

bronzes.

Fortifications

Judging from the available literature and the remains we may conclude that it was an extensive city, carefully

planned and laid in accordance with the architectural treatises to suit the needs of a capital.

The city seems to have had two fortifications, one inner and the other outer. The outer was probably wider. The

remains of the outer fortification can be seen as a mound running all around the palace.

The outer fortification built of burnt bricks, was about six to eight feet wide. It consisted of two walls, theintervening space (the core) being filled with sand. The bricks are fairly large in size and are made of well-burnt

clay. Systematic brick robbing by the local inhabitants has reduced this structure to its current state.

The outer fortification was known as Rajendra Chola Madil and is mentioned in inscriptions. The inner

fortification was around the royal palace, probably identical with the Utpadi vittu madil of the inscriptions.

Probably in the reign of Kulothunga Chola I, the fortifications were renewed and the city underwent some

alteration and additions. An epigraph refers to the fort wall of Kulothunga Chola (Kulottunga Cholan

Thirumadil). The strengthening of the fortification and additions to the city in the reign of Kulothunga I wereprobably necessitated by the uprising which led to the murder of Chola king Athithakarikal Cholain the


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sambuvaraya's palace of Melakadambur, Kulothunga's predecessor. By the 13th century, the Chola kingdom hadexhausted its resources and was on the decline. It succumbed to an attack by the Hoysalas from the west and the

Pandyas from the south. The last king of the Medieval Cholas was Rajendra Chola-III.

The Chola Administration

The Chola administration served as a model for all the other kingdoms of the South. The king had a council ofministers. The kingdom was divided into a number of provinces known as mandalams, The mandalams in turnwere divided into valanadu and nadus. The next administrative sub divisions were kurrams and kottams. Thespecial feature of the Chola administration was the Local Self Government or the autonomous administration.

The villagers themselves carried out village administration. It was more or less like the modern Panchayat Raj.Each village had a village assembly known as the ur or the sabha. The members of the sabha were elected by lot,known as kudavolai system. There was a committee to look after the specified departments, such as justice, law

and order, irrigation etc., which were called as variyams.

Architecture

lion-well (simhakeni) Arthanareswarar statue in Gangai

Konda Cholapuram Temple

Remains of Royal Palace as of 2005

The temple of Gangaikondacholisvara is approached through the eastern entrance from the road. The entrance iscalled the "Mahaduvar" leads to the inner court.

As one steps in, the great Vimana arrests the visitor's sight. The Vimana with its recessed corners and upwardmovement presents a striking contrast to the straight-sided pyramidal tower of Thanjavur but with octagon shapeof Dravidian architecture. As it rises to a height of 182 feet (55 m) and is shorter than the Thanjavur tower with

larger plinth, it is often described as the feminine counterpart of the Thanjavur temple.

The Vimana is flanked on either side by small temples; the one in the north now housing the Goddess is fairlywell preserved. The small shrine of Chandikesvara is near the steps in the north. In the north-east are a shire

housing Durga, a well called lion-well (simhakeni) with a lion figure guarding its steps and a late mandapahousing the office. Nandi is in the east facing the main shrine. In the same direction is the ruined gopura, the

entrance tower. The main tower surrounded by little shrines truly presents the appearance of a great Chakravarti(emperor) surrounded by chieftains and vassals. The Gangaikondacholapuram Vimana is undoubtedly a

devalaya chakravarti, an emperor among temples of South India.

Royal Palace

The royalpalacealso was built of burnt brick. The ceilings were covered with flat tiles of small size, laid in anumber of courses, in fine lime mortar. The pillars were probably made of polished wood, supported on granitebases; a few pillar bases have survived to this day. Iron nails and clamps have been recovered from this palace

site.There is an underground tunnel that links the palace and the temple inner 1st pragara(north).

In the reign of Virarajendra Chola, Rajendra's third son, the palace at Gangaikondacholapuram is referred to as

Chola-Keralan Thirumaligai (Chola Keralan palace) evidently after one of the titles of Rajendra I. The sameinscription mentions a few parts of the palace as adibhumi(the ground floor), Kilaisopana(the eastern portico),


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and a seat namedMavali vanadhirajan. Evidently the palace was multistoried. In an inscription dated in the 49thyear of Kulothunga I (1119 C.E.) reference is made to Gangaikondacholamaligai at this place. It is likely that

there were more than one royals building each having their own name.

Catastrophe on Gangaikondacholapuram[edit]

As per the available evidences, the last Chola King Rajendra Chozha IIIs rule did not end due to any defeat inthe war field. But devastations are available underneath, which proves that some major catastrophe happenedaround Gangaikondacholapuram which brought the Cholas Rule to an end. After about six/eight decades, theChola region was taken over by Pallava from whom it was Hoysala and then to Vijaya Nagar Rule. During

Vijaya Nagar Rule, lots of settlements by Telugu, Telugu Brahmins, Kannada etc.happened. It is also evidentthat while the farmers tried to dig wells for farming around Gangaikondacholapuram, it was revealed to the

world that the Palace buildings and other constructions are underneath about 50 80 feet depth.

Expedition to the Ganges

With both the Western and Eastern Chalukya fronts subdued, Rajendras armies undertook an extraordinary

expedition. 1019 CE Rajendras forces continued to march through Kalinga.

Kalinga was a kingdom in central-eastern India, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa, as well assome northern areas of the bordering state of Andhra Pradesh to the river Ganges. The Emperor himself led the

advance up to the r iver Godavari.

The Chola army eventually reach the Pala kingdom of Bengal where they met Mahipala I,considered the secondfounder of the Pala Empire . Gopala I established the dynastic rule of the Palas in the middle of the 8th century

C.E and defeated him.

According to the Tiruvalangadu Plates, the campaign lasted less than two years in which many kingdoms of thenorth felt the might of the Chola army. The inscriptions further claim that Rajendra defeated the armies of

Ranasura and entered the land of Dharmapala and subdued him and thereby he reached the Ganges and causedthe water river to be brought by the conquered kings back to the Chola country. The new conquests opened upnew roots for the Cholas to head for distant lands like Burma by land (through what are now modern Orissa,

West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh).

It is true that Rajendra's army defeated the kings of Sakkarakottam and Dhandabhukti and Mahipala. Theseterritories were initially added to the kingdom, while later they had the status of tribute paying subordinates andtrade partners with the Chola Kingdom, an arrangement that lasted till the times of Kulothunga-III and to alimited extent, of Raja Raja-III too. It was undoubtedly an exhibition of the power and might of the Chola

empire to the northern kingdoms. But the benevolent leadership of the Cholas treated them in a benevolent

manner and did not permanently annexe them to the Chola dominions.

Besides the names of the palace and fort walls, the names of a few roads and streets are preserved in theepigraphs. The entryways named Thiruvasal, the eastern gate and the Vembugudi gate, evidently the south gate

leading to the village Vembugudi situated in that direction are mentioned. Reference is also found to highwaysnamed after Rajaraja and Rajendra as Rajarajan Peruvali and Rajendran Peruvali. Other streets mentioned inepigraphs are the ten streets (Pattu teru), the gateway lane (Thiruvasal Narasam) and the Suddhamali lane. The

inscription also refers to the highways, Kulottungacholan Thirumadil peruvali, Vilangudaiyan Peruvali and

Kulaiyanai pona Peruvali(the highway through which a short elephant passed by).

City layout

The epigraphs also refer to theMadhurantaka Vadavaru, now called the Vadavaru, running about six kilometerseast of the ruined capital. Madhurantaka Vedavaru, named after one of the titles of Rajendra I, was a source ofirrigation to a vast stretch of land bordering the capital. An irrigation channel called Anaivettuvan is also

mentioned.


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"Anaivettuvan" - Anai means irrigation (step irrigation) vettuvan means labour or engineer. Hence the aboveseque is not matching, more over Hindu dharam never allows to kill elephant.Another possible meaning of

"AnaiVettuvan" - Anai means Dam, vettuvan means constructor(labour or engineer).

There were both wet and dry lands inside the Fort, used for cultivation and other purposes. The present positionsof the existing temples throw some light on the lay out of the city. With the palace as the centre to the city, the

great temple, and the other temples in the city seem to have been erected. Towards the northeast (Isanya) of thepalace is the great temple of Siva. The Siva temple according to Vastuand traditional texts should be in the

northeast of the city or village and should face east. The temple of Vishnushould be in the west.

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