Here is a brief thread on the very underrated and much ignored Chola dynasty (by Delhi of course!) Read if you want some myths around Indian naval power (in history) busted.

Contrary to popular (read Delhi-centric) historians and experts, India wasn’t just a continental power. We’ve learnt of Ashoka the Great, Harshavardhana, the Guptas, the Slave Dynasty and the Mughals. Have you wondered what was going on in the south of the Vindhyas at the time?

Unlikely, because our history books never taught is that. We’ve learnt about the Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas, but the balance of power in the peninsula was sadly, never taught. So, to start this story, we go back c. 9th century AD. Pallava power in the peninsula was waning.

The Pandyas of Madurai were engaged in a power struggle with what was until then, a minor dynasty, the Cholas. The Rashtrakutas threatened the fledgling kingdom from the north. After the death of Prince Rajaditya in Thakkolam, it looked like the Chola would be annihilated.

But no, they rose from their ashes. By the time Sundara Chola ascended the throne in the early 10th century, the Cholas had conquered much of the areas around Uraiyur and established an interim capital at Pazhaiyarai (near Kumbakonam). This moved to Thanjavur in later years.

This is where the story begins. During his reign, Sundara Chola’s sons, Arulmozhi and Aditya Karikalan captured major parts of Sri Lanka and the northern part of TN (thondaimandalam), right up to Kanchipuram.

The conquest of Sri Lanka is perhaps the first instance of an Indian king crossing a sea to establish dominion. The Sinhala king, Mahinda because a Chola vassal and Tamil cultural influences began to take root in Lanka.

When Arulmozhi finally ascended the throne, he had already conquered large parts of south India, including the regions around present day AP and karnataka. Better known as Rajaraja I, he consolidated his empire and established one of the best known local administrative systems.

His son Rajendra I went further. He conquered Orissa and defeated the Palas in Bengal, earning the title Gangaikonda Cholan. Not content with continental expansion, he looked eastwards, conquering Sri Vijaya (present day Sumatra in Indonesia).

He also completed the conquest of Lanka and defeated the Sinhala king comprehensively, thereby establishing Chola rule in Sri Lanka. Chola shipbuilding activities have been recorded for almost two hundred years before Rajendra’s time.

They were not just able administrators, but also expert sailors and had unparalleled naval military expertise. There are accounts of Chola warships fending off threats from pirates during Rajendra’s time.

The impact of Chola conquest of Southeast Asia is seen even today. Chola temples exist in Indonesia, Thailand, parts of the Malay peninsula and in Cambodia. In fact, the world’s largest temple complex outside India, the Angkor Vat, dates back to Rajendra’s time.

This kind of influence and impact is only possible when the ruler sees the navy as much more than an “army of ships” and truly understands maritime warfare.

If you want to know more about the dynasty and the lasting impact it has had on Indian) history, I strongly recommend the two-volume work of KA Neelakantha Shastri called “The Cholas”. Written in the 1950s, it gives you considerable insight into the life and times of the Cholas.

Many more sources have been discovered since then. The Leiden grants and the Esalam Copper Plates discovered later give more details and can be found online. The study of the Cholas is one that’s both fascinating and never ending.

Each time I read about them, there’s one facet I discover that I hadn’t known of earlier. And if you want to read an interesting story on the dynasty that expertly combines history and fiction, please read Ponniyin Selvan. /End/

Just adding on. Rajendra is often referred to as kadaram kondaan because of his conquest of the Malay peninsula. Also has the title of Maduraikonda (Madurai always had a special place in Tamil politics) because of his defeat of the Pandyas.

Adding a disclaimer: this thread is purely about military conquest using naval power. It does not, in any way, take away from previous rulers and their commercial, marital or political ties with Southeast Asia.