Main Image Via Famous People

Kingdoms rise and fall and they take with them their cultures, practices and traditions that they fought to uphold during their glory days. The Tamizh language and culture, however, has withstood the waves of time. Wonder how? It is all thanks to the sacrifice made by our forefathers. In this article, we bring to you the story of Raja Raja Cholan (I), the mighty Tamizh King.

Raja Raja Cholan (I) was one of the greatest monarchs in Tamil history. Rising to prominence by bringing glory to the Chola Empire, he built it to be a strong and powerful kingdom.

 Following his accession, he began a series of conquests in South India to conquer the kingdoms of Pandyas and Cheras. He proceeded further south and invaded Ceylon (Sri Lanka), through which the Chola Empire gained a century-long control over the entire island. 

The southern military wars were followed by conquests in the north and northeast, capturing Gangapadi, Nolambapadi, Tadigaipadi, Vengi, and Kalinga, defeating the Western Chalukyas, in particular. His empire extended from Kalinga in the northeast to Sri Lanka in the south. 

He also played a major role in establishing a just administrative system and permitted autonomy to his local princes and lords. 

Besides wars and conquests, he is also remembered for building one of the finest and most magnificent architectural monuments in South Indian history. The Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur, also known as Rajarajeswaram or ‘Big Temple’, is famous for its delicate sculptures and supreme craftsmanship. Raja Raja Cholan (I) was succeeded by his son, Rajendra I, who further glorified the Chola Empire, by invading Maldives, Malabar Coast, and the remaining regions of Sri Lanka.

Check out the animation below to learn more about Raja Raja Cholan (I) and the great empire he built with Tamizh as the foundation!  Let us know your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned with RAAGA!

Source: The Famous People