Introduction

The Cholas were a mighty imperial and naval power. They were also the longest reigning dynasty spanning 1000 years (300BCE-1300CE), originating from the south Indian peninsula.
The Tamil Chola Empire was one of the most significant Indian kingdoms and is considered the most influential Hindu kingdom in Indian history. The Chola dynasty belongs to the Vellalar caste ("noble Tamil warrior caste") and to the lineage of Suryavamsam (Sun dynasty).
The Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras were all descended from the Sangam dynasty.
The reign of King Raja Raja Chola is considered the Golden Age of the Tamils.
The capital of the Cholas was the royal city Thanjavur and the emblem of the Chola kingdom was the tiger.
Even today, Tamil movements use the tiger in their symbols.
Improvements in Dravidian Art, architecture, economy, military and government were also observed in the Chola age.

Rajendra Chola

Under the reign of Rajendra Chola, the Cholas defeated enemies and expanded their empire outside India.
They ruled over South / East India, Indian islands like Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Singapore, Bangladesh, Maldives and Indonesia.
It is possible that the influence of the Cholas was much greater and extended over to the Philippines as well.

religion

The Cholas were very religious Hindus and followers of Shaivism (teaching of Lord Shiva).
The Chola kings would not tolerate any concept of a God higher than Lord Shiva.
It was tradition of the Cholas in conquered territories to build a Shiva temple to thank Lord Shiva for victory and glory.
Generally, the Chola Kings consider it as a measurement of power. The greater the monument, the greater the power.
The Cholas also spread their cultural and religious influence on neighboring countries as well.
They built temples and Culture Schools all over Southeast Asia.
The Brihadisvara temple is one of the famous monument built by the Cholas. The temple, which is more than 1000 years old, is located in Thanjavur and listed as one of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A statue of Nataraja, from the Chola period, is also considered one of the world famous symbol of Hinduism.
The temple complex at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, built in 1200 CE is the prime example of Chola influence.

Economy

During Chola dynasty, South Indian merchant guilds had shown great maritime influence as well.
The Indian government even named the Merchant Navy Training Centre in Mumbai as TSRAJENDRA as a tribute to this.
Rajendra Chola was the founder of the first Indian Navy.
Chola dynasty controlled both east and west coastlines of the Indian peninsula. They exploited this to the maximum by establishing strong trade routes to other countries like China, Arabia and Rome. Many coins from the Chola dynasty have been found in these countries. This Chinese coin found in Kollam (reknowned as Quilon in China) in present day Kerala, India is one of many.

Points to ponder

Capital - Uraiyur later Puhar
royal emblem - Tiger.
Uruvapperhare-iulanjeltani - 1st Ruler
achievements
victory over rulers under the Chera and Pandyan kings at Venni, near Tanjore
conquered Sri Lanka
construction of Kaveri canal
was a master of seven musical nodes

Military

The Chola dynasty had a professional military, of which the king was the supreme commander.
It had four elements, comprising the
1> cavalry,
2> elephant corps
3> several divisions of infantry 4> A navy
There were regiments of bowmen and swordsmen while the swordsmen were the most permanent and dependable troops.
The Chola army was spread all over the country and was stationed in local garrisons or military camps known as Kodagams.
The elephants played a major role in the army and the dynasty had numerous war elephants.
These carried houses or huge Howdahs on their backs, full of soldiers who shot arrows at long range and who fought with spears at close quarters.[110]
The Chola rulers built several palaces and fortifications to protect their cities. The fortifications were mostly made up of bricks but other materials like stone, wood and mud were also used.
According to the ancient Tamil text Silappadikaram, the Tamil kings defended their forts with catapults that threw stones, huge cauldrons of boiling water or molten lead, and hooks, chains and traps.
The soldiers of the Chola dynasty used weapons such as swords, bows, javelins, spears and shields which were made up of steel.
Particularly the famous Wootz steel, which has a long history in south India dating back to the period before the Christian era, seems also be used to produce weapons.
The army consisted of people from different castes but the warriors of the Kaikolar and Vellalar castes played a prominent role.
The Chola navy was the zenith of ancient India sea power. It played a vital role in the expansion of the empire, including the conquest of the Ceylon islands and naval raids on Srivijaya.The navy grew both in size and status during the medieval Cholas reign. The Chola admirals commanded much respect and prestige. The navy commanders also acted as diplomats in some instances. From 900 to 1100, the navy had grown from a small backwater entity to that of a potent power projection and diplomatic symbol in all of Asia, but was gradually reduced in significance when the Cholas fought land battles subjugating the Chalukyas of the Andhra-Kannada area in South India.
A martial art called Silambam was patronised by the Chola rulers. Ancient and medieval Tamil texts mention different forms of martial traditions but the ultimate expression of the loyalty of the warrior to his commander was a form of martial suicide called Navakandam. The medieval Kalingathu Parani text, which celebrates the victory of Kulothunga Chola I and his general in the battle for Kalinga, describes the practice in detail