RULERS, ARCHITECTURE, ADMINISTRATION

3. SOURCES
Archaeological
Inscriptions
The Brihadeshwara
temple

4. INSCRIPTIONS
Leyden Grant
(Holland)
Copper plate inscriptions
Temple inscriptions

5. • South India, a land flooded with Temple towns, mysterious, myth, and the beauty is also
called the land of inscriptions.
• Majority of the epigraphs found in India are situated in the southern states, with Tamil
Nadu having the maximum number of inscriptions.
• These inscriptions are of two types-the lithic inscriptions which are found carved on temple
walls and those found inscribed on sheets of copper-plates.
• Copper inscriptions – Anbil and Karandi and Kanyakumari inscription – gives long list of
rulers indicating solar origin of Cholas (Suryavansh)
• 31 copper sheets – Sanskrit and Tamil – record grants made to temple by Rajendra Chola I
• Inscriptions provide following information
• About administration – Uttaramerur inscription – details about village administration,
taxation and land revenue
• Leyden grant (preserved in Holland) – grants given Parantaka Chola and Parakesari
Uttama Chola
• Construction of a temple or setting up of a new image
• Royal orders on taxation and land revenue, village assemblies etc.
• Inscriptions on temple walls served the purpose of a public registrations

6. BRIHADESHWARA TEMPLE / RAJARAJESHWARA TEMPLE

7. • Best specimen of Dravidian architecture (1000 years
old)
• Chief feature – Vimana or towers and spacious
courtyards
• Gateway – Gopuram
• Vimana – 190 feet tall, crowned by dome 25feet
high and weighs 80 tons
• Main shrine – Garbagriha
• Mandapa – gathering area for people
• Brihadeshwara temple built in 1010 by Rajaraja I
• Completely built out of granite rocks
• Other structures – Nandi Pavilion, a pillared portico
and a large assembly hall.
• UNESCO world heritage site (1987)
• Main shrine - Garbagriha
• Shiv linga – made out of
monolithic rock – 8.87m high
• Gateway – Gopuram
Nandi Pavilion

8. VIMANA/TOWER
MANDAPA/COURTYARD
Kumbam/Dome

10. POLITICAL HISTORY
• Founded by Vijayalaya Chola in Tamil Nadu with Thanjavur as its capital
• Two great rulers – RAJARAJA I and RAJENDRA CHOLA
• RAJARAJA I (985AD – 1014AD)
• Annexed Pandaya and Chera kingdom and captured Mysore
• Two rich islands of Sri Lanka and Maldives annexed by him.
• Became the supreme power in South India, description of it found on walls of
Brihadeshwara temple.
• RAJENDRA CHOLA (1014AD – 1044AD)
• Strong ruler, defeated Mahipala – king of Bengal and captured areas around Ganges river
• Adopted the title of Gangaikonda, built new city called Gangaikonda Cholapuram
• Famous campaign against Shrivijaya (Indonesia) and helped Indian merchants in
expanding trade with South east and China

11. ADMINISTRATION
2. Provincial administration
1. Central administration
• Headed by King and assisted by council of ministers
• Officers were paid by giving assignments in revenue bearing land
• Defence, internal matters, trade and public welfare – under King and
princes

12. 3. Local self governments
Ur
Assembly of
villagers
Sabha
Brahmin
assembly
Nagaram
Assembly of
merchants
• Existence of three types of assemblies evident from temple inscriptions
• Developed a sense of unity among the people and promoted welfare of subjects
• Discussion over the issues of tax collection, settlement of disputes and allocation of water
took place

13. Worship place and place of social
activity
Also centre of education, languages
such as Sanskrit and Tamil were used
Land grants to temple called
DEVADAYA or DEVDANA
Sometimes also collected land
revenue as a source of income
Owned huge lands, involved in
overseas trade
Were also biggest employers after
State, providing means of livelihood
to many people

14. TAXATION SYSTEM
•Revenue from taxes on land, produce on land
and taxes on trade
•1/6 th of the yield was generally charged as tax
•A part of it was reserved for the king and the rest
was used for the public welfare, maintenance of
the army

15. • Chola rulers – great patron of art and
architecture
• Most of the temples were constructed
in the Dravidian style
• Used the lost wax technology to make
sculptures in bronze
• Extensive use of stone to carve images
of gods and goddesses
NATRAJA – Lord shiva as lord of dance

17. FRESCO style painting inside
Brihadeshwara temple
Temple at Gangaikonda
Cholapuram
Spoked chariot wheel,
Airavateswarar Temple, Darasuram
c. 1200 C.E.
The horse-drawn chariot is carved
on the front of the mandapam. The
chariot and its wheel are so finely
sculpted that they include even the
faintest details
Airavateswara temple