Thursday, February 21, 2008

Rajendra Chola......like father like son


Rajendra Chola I,son of Rajaraja Chola I, succeeded his father in 1014 C.E. as the Chola emperor. In the course of his tenure, he expanded the territories of the already vast Chola empire up to the banks of the river Ganges in the north and across the ocean. Rajendra territories extended coastal Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Maldives, conquered the kings of Srivijaya (Sumatra, Java and Malaya in South East Asia) and Pegu islands with his fleet of ships. He defeated Mahipala, the Pala king of Bengal and Bihar, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Tamil Chola armies exacted payment from Thailand and the Khmer kingdom of Cambodia. Rajendra was the first Indian king to take his armies overseas. He also built a temple for Siva at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, similar in design to the Tanjore Brihadisvara temple built by Rajaraja Chola. He recieved titles Parakesari and Yuddhamalla.

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