Page 15 - SST Class 07

Baradai’s Prithviraj Raso and Kalhana’s South Asia and South-East Asia. During the period
Rajatarangini . Geet Govinda was the beautiful of 1010-1200 AD, the Chola territories stretched
poetry composed by Jaideva on the love theme of from the islands of the Maldives in the south to as
Radha and Krishna was also very popular. Dandin far north as banks of the Godavari River in Andhra
(Dasakumaracharita) and Banabhatta (Harshcharita Pradesh. Rajaraja Chola annexed peninsular South
and Kadambari) were other famous authors. India including parts of what is now Sri Lanka and
occupied the island of Maldives. Rajendra Chola
Quiz Time
sent a military expedition to North India that
Name the dynasties of the following rulers : defeated the Pala ruler, Mahipala.

1. Prithviraj Chauhan ______________________
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2. Dharmapala ______________________
3. Nagabhata ______________________ Rajendra Chola defeated the Palas in West Bengal
and controlled territories right up to the bank of
4. Mahendrapala ______________________
the Ganga River. After this victory, he took the
5. Dantidurga ______________________ title of Gangaikonda Chola (or the Chola conqueror
of Ganga) and named his capital city, Tanjore as
Case Study : The Cholas Gangaikonda Cholapuram (or the city of the

The Cholas were an ancient family from Uraiyur conqueror of the Ganga).
(now in Tamil Nadu). The empire was founded by Cholas even had trade with South-East Asia and
Vijayalaya , but it rose to prominence under southern China which made the Chola kingdom
Parantaka followed by Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra prosperous and wealthy. The successors of Rajendra
Chola . They ruled over a significant part of the Chola continued to fight against the neighbouring
southern India from later half of the 9th century kingdoms. This led to the depletion of resources
till the beginning of the 13th century. The whole and decline of Chola empire towards the end of the
area around Tungabhadra was united and held as 13th century.
one state for over a period of two centuries. Under
Rajaraja I and his son Rajendra I, Chola dynasty Administration of Cholas
became a military, economic and cultural power in The king was the head of the administration with a
council of ministers to advise him. He often toured
the kingdom in disguise to know the actual
THE CHOLA KINGDOM
conditions of the people. The empire was divided
Narmada R.
into several mandalams or provinces. These were
Tapi R.
further divided into valanadus and nadus. Nadus
h n
Ma a a i d
ADA AS R.
V
Y God were groups of villages comprising several urs or
v
ARABIAN CHALUKYAS a ari R.
UNDER
SEA VIKRAMADITYA VI peasant settlements.
ALINGA
K BAY OF
KALYANI
BENGAL
L TH SOU
KADAMBAS Krishna R. K AK T A IYAS VENGI Just Think!
KA INGA
BADAMI
aba dra R . D S
h
Tung OLAMBAVAI A Pennar R. Why did Chola rulers give the tax free land to
VASI N
BANA L KANCHI Fluctuating Frontier Brahmins?
GANGAVADI O
Village Administration
H
GANGAIKONDACHOLAPURAM
Kaveri R.
C URAIYUR TANJORE The Cholas had a well developed system of local
self-government. The ur and the sabha or
MADURAI
PANDYAS mahasabha were the two assemblies. Inscriptions
INDIAN OCEAN tell us that the ur was general assembly of all
The Chola kingdom classes of people who owned land within the
New Kings and Kingdoms (AD 700 – AD 1200)
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