Epic Saga of the CHOLAS Their Art, Temples and Heritage

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

It is no easy task to capture the genius and flowering of the Chola period in Tamil history. The legacy of this extraordinary empire has had a lasting impact on art, architecture, literature, and temple-building as well as on sculptures in stone, bronze, and copper. Their exceptional ideas have had a bearing on principles of governance, on land and water management, social organisation, the establishment of bureaucracies, and much more. In this illuminating coffee-table book published by The Hindu, the brilliance, the talent, and the staggering achievements of a nearly 450-year- long empire are encapsulated.

From about 846 CE to 1279 CE, the Cholas were a commanding political and military power, and their sway stretched not only over the entire Tamil country but also to countries beyond their borders. Using their mighty naval power, they crossed the seas to subjugate many parts of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka; Raja Raja I's son, Rajendra Chola I, and Kulottunga I even sent envoys to the Chinese court. The Chola military expansion also implied that trade routes were created and brisk trading inland as well as across the seas contributed to the creation of a robust economy.

We still have with us today a veritable treasury of Chola art reflected in the temples that they built, the sculptures they carved, the murals they painted, and the bronzes they cast, which along with their literature, copper plates and inscriptions reflect the high watermark of Tamil culture. Whether it is the great Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur or smaller temples like the Alanthurainathar temple at Pullamangai, the superb Chola aesthetic is consistently visible, as can be seen in the striking photographs published in this book. The Chola kings were in reality secular in outlook, and actively patronized Buddhism and Jainism by building Jain temples and Buddhist viharas, as well as setting up schools of these faiths across Tamilakam. Their queens also patronized temple-building, and made generous donations to schools, religious centres, hospitals, and the construction of waterways.

**Contents and Sample Pages**