Modi’s Chola Path- brave, victorious, spiritual

Tarun Vijay

It’s not a coincidence that Prime Minister Modi is arriving Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Tamilnadu direct after conquering the seas that were shouting “Modi Out” – Modi knows how to tame an anti-India element and unfurl the tricolor with courage for togetherness.
His visit to the land of world’s greatest naval emperor Rajendra Chola is very meaningful in present day context. Rajendra Chola was brave, innovative, emperor , master of all that he surveyed, creative genius, compassionate king for the people and had their welfare at top priority capped with supreme devotion for Shiva. He was humble for the Lord and his people; he was fierce ball of fire for enemies. It is a pity that the greatest of all emperors Rajendra Chola’s story was put in just one paragraph in our school history books and the biographies of those enemies who looted and marauded India was taught to the Indian children in several pages and in various classes. Students were made to learn the names of the sons, grandsons, wives, daughter in-laws of the invaders, the names of the British queens, viceroys and their generals who ordered massacres of the Indians but hardly one school in north or west or east was taught about those great emperors who brought glory to motherland and protected Dharma.
I had the honour to become the first Indian MP to speak on the great life and works of the Chola emperor and present the grand portrait of the Rajendra Chola to two Defence Ministers (Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajnath Singh) and also have it installed in the Mazgon dock, Mumbai – India’s biggest war ship maker in presence of the then Governor Vidya Sagar Rao and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is correcting a historic wrong with his Gangaikonda Cholapuram visit. If I am not mistaken, he will be the first Indian Prime Minister to honour Rajendra Chola in his native land and capital city. I remember when I had visited Gangai Konda Chola Puram to address a gathering of scholars, the thought leaders gathered there said that unless government does something to honour the great Tamil culture and its warrior kings and reformers, national unity is not possible. I feel Narendra Modi ji is doing exactly that when they expected. He quotes Thiruvalluvar so frequently, and often speaks a few lines in Tamil and now he is coming to revive the glory of a Tamil emperor and this event’s message shall reverberate globally. It’s a milestone event- that will be remembered for generations and will inspire many other states to introduce the story of Rajendra Chola in school curriculums.
There is not a single king or emperor, in the entire world who can be matched with the visionary strategies and gigantic ideas for peoples’ welfare like that of Rajendra Chola.
Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044 CE), son of Rajaraja Chola I, was one of the most powerful and influential rulers in Indian history. His desire, to bring the holy Ganga waters to purify his kingdom’s new capital must be seen as the wish of a benevolent Dharmik Citizen- King’s for synchronising spiritualism with rule of law.
After consolidating power in the South and expanding the Chola empire, Rajendra I decided to establish a new capital city. This city would be worthy of his conquests and sanctified with water from the Ganges River, a symbol of Chakravartin- Influence over India’s cultural and religious heartland.
This ambition led to a military expedition. Rajendra’s army travelled north from the existing Chola capital of Thanjavur. This journey covered thousands of kilometers through modern-day Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, to the Ganges River.
The expedition was not merely a journey to collect water. To achieve their goal, Rajendra’s forces had to conquer kingdoms along the way. These included the Somavamsi dynasty in Kalinga (present-day Odisha) and the Pala king Mahipala I in Bengal. The Chola army brought back Ganga water in golden pots, fulfilling Rajendra’s ambition.
In fact Rajendra Chola must be credited with the concept of creating a Sangam of North’s Ganga with south’s Kaveri, a Prayag of Bharatvarsha’s heart, soul and sinews at Gangaikonda Chola Puram.
Rajendra Chola I launched naval expeditions across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia in 1025 CE. He conquered regions of present-day Indonesia, including the capital Kadaram and Pannai in Sumatra, and Malaiyur in the Malay Peninsula.He also invaded Tambralinga and the Langkasuka Kingdom in modern Malaysia and south Thailand. These conquests expanded Chola influence and control over vital maritime trade routes.He also subdued the islands of Laccadives and the Maldives.
Rajendra strengthened the Chola fleet, allowing him to project power across the Indian Ocean.Trade and Prosperity: His conquests and control over maritime trade routes increased the economic prosperity of the Chola Empire.
Rajendra I was a patron of art, literature, and architecture. He built the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, which is a testament to Chola grandeur. The Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur, also known as the “Big Temple,” stands as a testament to the might and glory of the Chola dynasty and Dravidian architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built around 1010 AD. Its glory lies in its monumental scale, remarkable engineering feats for its time, and its profound cultural, historical, and spiritual significance, remaining a potent symbol of Chola power and devotion.
The temple boasts a towering Vimana (tower) over 200 feet high and a massive Nandi statue, crafted with intricate carvings and frescoes that tell stories of its past. The construction, completed in just seven years, involved intricate stone bonding without mortar and the transport of materials like granite.
The use of a massive base, internal construction methods, and the placement of an 80-ton stone capstone at the pinnacle of the Vimana showcase advanced engineering and artistic skill for the era.
As a dedication to Lord Shiva, the temple embodies the deep religious devotion of the Chola period and serves as a powerful symbol of their cultural heritage. It’s considered as culturally, historically, and spiritually important as the pyramids of Cheops, according to some sources.
Despite being over a thousand years old, the Brihadeeswara Temple continues to stand strong, defying time and serving as a profound representation of Chola ingenuity and spiritual depth. Its inscriptions and frescoes provide a vivid account of the region’s history, and modern technology is now being utilized for its preservation and to enhance visitor experiences.
Rajendra Chola was a Ganga bhakt. He built a lake that is 17 km wide named it as Chola Gangam and remains India’s biggest man made water reservoir.
A great scholar KA Neelkanth Sastry says, “A few kilometres away from the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram lies a tank stretching over 17 km. Chola Gangam, locally known as Ponneri, was dug by Rajendra Chola to celebrate his northern campaign. This lake was a ‘liquid pillar of victory’ (ganga-jalamayam jayastambham) in his capital with the waters of the Ganga in the form of the tank Cholaganga.”
He was a true Vedantic Hindu . Shaivite at heart , he welcomed Vaishnavism and Buddhism with equal respect. The saga of Rajendra Chola I is one of bold ambition, military brilliance, and cultural patronage. His reign transformed the Chola Empire into a dominant force in Asia, leaving a lasting legacy on the region’s history and culture.
(The author is former MP,Thiruvalluvar Devotee, installed Thiruvalluvar statue at Ganga, Haridwar)

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