In the year 1025 CE, Rajendra Chola I — one of the most powerful rulers of South India — launched an ambitious naval expedition that extended the Chola Empire’s reach across the seas. His campaign struck key parts of the Srivijaya Empire, including present-day Kedah, Sumatra, and parts of Southeast Asia, marking a significant display of Tamil maritime strength and military prowess.

This chapter of history is often celebrated with pride — held up as a symbol of Tamil resilience, naval excellence, and imperial glory. And in 2025, as we mark 1,000 years since the campaign, calls to remember and honour this moment have resurfaced.

But as we pause to reflect on this millennial milestone, a different conversation is emerging — one that questions what we choose to celebrate in our history.

According to experts and historians cited in The Wire’s article, while the Chola expedition is a fascinating story of expansion, it is also a tale of invasion, disruption, and destruction. Cities were attacked and looted, temples were plundered, and local populations across the region likely suffered in ways that are often left unspoken in popular retellings.

The article challenges us to consider whether this was truly a triumph — or if it was part of a larger imperial legacy that needs to be understood in full complexity.

As Tamil communities around the world reflect on their rich and influential history, it’s also important to look at both the pride and the pain — to celebrate cultural brilliance without overlooking the costs of conquest.

This 1,000-year moment offers more than just a chance for commemoration. It invites us to rethink how we engage with history, and what it means to be proud of a past that was as layered and human as the present.

Source: "One Thousand Years Later, Why Rajendra Chola’s Naval Campaign Is Not a Moment for Celebration" – The Wire