Legacy of Chola dynasty provides road map for modern India: PM Modi

Context:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Tamil Nadu for the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival, marking the birth anniversary of Rajendra Chola I.

• Released a commemorative coin in his honour.

• Announced installation of statues of Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra Chola I in Tamil Nadu.

Cholas: 

They ruled a significantly larger area at the height of their power from the latter half of the 9th century till the beginning of the 13th century. They unified peninsular India south of the Tungabhadra River and held the territory as one state for three centuries between 907 and 1215 CE.

1. Governance and Administration:

• Kudavolai system: An early form of grassroots democracy in local self-governance.

  • Elections were conducted by drawing lots (palm leaf voting).

  • Inspired Panchayati Raj institutions in modern India.

• Efficient bureaucracy, taxation, and village-level administration.

2. Military and Strategic Vision:

• Rajaraja Chola: Established a powerful navy for maritime dominance.

• Rajendra Chola I: Expanded military conquests to the Gangetic plains, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.

• Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Cholagangam lake were commemorative public works after northern expedition.

3. Maritime and Diplomatic Power:

• Extensive naval expeditions and diplomatic links with:

  • Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia.

• Cholas built maritime trade routes and upheld cultural exchanges across the Indian Ocean.

4. Water Management and Ecology:

• Constructed large-scale irrigation tanks, lakes, and canals.

• Emphasis on sustainable water use long before modern ecological discourse.

  • Example: Cholagangam Lake – artificial reservoir with advanced hydraulic engineering.

5. Cultural Legacy and National Identity:

• Built magnificent temples: e.g., Brihadisvara Temple (UNESCO World Heritage Site).

• Encouraged Tamil literature, inscriptions, and temple architecture.

• Fostered cultural unity across linguistic and regional boundaries.

  • Recalled by PM as “thread of unity” across India.

6. Contemporary Relevance:

• National security and sovereignty: PM linked Chola naval strength to modern India’s defence posture.

  • Referenced Operation Sindoor (India’s firm response to threats).

• Cultural revival: Government retrieved 600 stolen artefacts since 2014 (36 from TN).

• Initiatives like Kashi Tamil Sangamam and Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam echo Chola cultural diplomacy.

UPSC GS 1:

• “The legacy of Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra Chola is synonymous with India’s identity and pride.”

• “The economic and strategic advancements during the Chola era remain a source of inspiration to modern India.”