Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday offered prayers at the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple at Ariyalur district near Trichy in Tamil Nadu. He brought the holy water from the Ganga only to be offered to Lord Shiva at the Brihadeeswara temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, once ruled by Rajendra Chola, the greatest warrior of the Chola dynasty.
The Shiva temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram is a UNESCO World heritage site, which is considered the pinnacle of Chola architecture. Built by Rajendra Chola, the son of emperor Raja Raja Chola, the temple and its architecture signify the magnificence of the Chola empire which stretched from near the banks of the Ganga in north India to parts of Sumatra, Malaysia, Myanmar and across the Indian Ocean to the west and Southeast Asia. His was the most powerful maritime empire in India. While his father Raja Raja Chola was regarded as the greatest Chola emperor, Rajendra Chola was more fierce and furious militarily. His naval base was functioning from Poompuhar, one of the historically important towns in south Tamil Nadu on the east coast.
India’s identity and pride
While Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival are the most important in the region from the times of the Chola empire, Modi’s visit to the temple and him bringing holy water from the Ganga has brought the temple and the Chola dynasty to spotlight again, laced with political significance. While lauding Rajendra Chola and Raja Raja Chola, Modi called the two emperors synonymous with India’s identity and pride. He also announced that grand statues would be built for them in Tamil Nadu.
And a day ahead of the discussion and debate on Operation Sindoor in the Parliament, Modi, standing in front of the Tamils in Gangaikonda Cholapuram, praised the military prowess of Rajendra Chola. “Operation Sindoor demonstrated to the world how India responds when its security and sovereignty are threatened, proving that no terrorist hideout is safe from India,” he said. Modi also recalled that the Chola empire serves as an ancient roadmap for building a new India with advanced naval and defence capabilities, praising Rajendra Chola’s maritime strategy.
Rajendra Chola and the Chola dynasty
The Cholas had a strong navy and were known for their military structure. Historically the Cholas exacted tribute from Thailand and the Khmer kingdom of Cambodia and also collected taxes from them. After Raja Raja Chola, his son went a step ahead in conquering kingdoms and expanding his territory by defeating Mahipala, the Pala king of of Gauda, which is in present day West Bengal and Bihar. He assumed the title of ‘Gangaikonda Cholan’ as he conquered the kingdoms in Bengal and Bihar, on the banks of river Ganga. To commemorate this victory he created a capital city in called Gangaikonda Cholapuram. He created this new city on the other side of Pancha Rivers – Cauvery, Kudamurutti, Vettar, Vennar and Palar to avoid troubles while moving the soldiers to the battlefield. This city now falls under the Ariyalur district near Tiruchirapalli.
And Modi visiting this temple and praising the Chola emperors assumes political significance as the Cholas were powerful and were identified as both Hindu and the Dravidian power then. The architecture is completely Dravidian while it celebrates the Tamil identity and tradition to a great extent.
With elections round the corner in Tamil Nadu, celebrating Tamil identity and the Dravidian culture is expected to help the BJP add strength to its vote bank.