How Rajendra I Chola became ruler of the seas and led an expedition to far East

India Today

22-05-2025

TS Rajendra was a Navy training ship commissioned on April 2, 1972. This legendary vessel was named after Rajendra I Chola the Great, who conquered parts of Southeast Asia during the early mediaeval period. It was under his reign that Indian culture travelled to the distant shores of Southeast Asia.He conquered regions of present-day Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and the Nicobar Islands. At its height, the Chola Empire commanded vast maritime dominance.advertisementRajendra Chola ruled for 30 years, from 1014 CE to 1044 CE, and is often referred to as Rajendra Chola the Great.
Throughout history, we have heard of kings who ruled vast territories -- Alexander the Great, for example, who dominated Europe and the Middle East. Similarly, the Roman Empire left a lasting legacy, having governed all of Europe and parts of Arabia.Under Rajendra I Chola, the Chola Empire's trade boundaries extended as far as Song China, and this was facilitated through connections with the Khmer Empire who are renowned for constructing the largest Hindu temple, Angkor Wat.The famous expedition of Rajendra I Chola to Srivijaya (present-day Indonesia) forever changed the political and cultural influence of the empire far in the east.The Cholas also had trade links with the Arab world and Africa, establishing a far-reaching commercial presence.advertisementThe Cholas were not only known as skilled warriors and capable administrators, but were also accomplished builders. One notable achievement is the construction of Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur, built by Rajaraja I Chola, father of Rajendra I, in 1010 CE.At its height, the temple became one of the wealthiest in the region. It also served as an administrative centre, supporting activities related to social welfare and public life.Historian SR Balasubrahmanyam records that Rajaraja gifted over 38,000 gold coins -- more than many European courts of the time. Alongside jewels and silver seized from defeated rivals, his offerings totalled nearly 95,500 gold coins.
Chola empire under Rajendra I (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
RISE OF THE CHOLASIndian history records two Chola dynasties from Southern India -- one as early as the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE, and the other, the Imperial Cholas, to which Rajendra I belonged. The latter dynasty was based in Thanjavur and rose to power after defeating the Pallavas. Founded by Vijayalaya Chola, historians debate the lineage connection between the early and later Cholas.advertisementAs Sailendra Nath Sen writes in Ancient Indian History and Civilisation, 'Vijayalaya, a descendant of the Early Cholas, reestablished (or founded) the Chola empire in 848 CE.'Around 850 CE, Vijayalaya Chola, seized Thanjavur from the Muttarayars during a conflict between the Pandyas and Pallavas, laying the foundation for the Imperial Chola dynasty.Under Aditya I, the Cholas allied with the Pallavas to defeat the Pandyas in 885 CE and expanded into the Kannada region.In the later years, the Cholas fought not only the southern powers but a major land-dominant dynasty, Rashtrkutas who ruled in ancient and mediaeval times.As William Dalrymple notes in The Golden Road, 'The Chola dynasty grew to become the most powerful of all South Indian empires after defeating their rivals -- the Pallavas, their one-time overlords.'The Chola control over the entire southern coastline is remembered today in the Tamil term for the eastern coast -- Coromandel, which is a corruption of Cholamandala, meaning "Circle of Chola Rule."An eleventh-century Chinese bureaucrat offered a vivid glimpse into the grandeur of the Chola empire, writing:"The crown of the [Chola]" ruler is decorated with luminous pearls and rare precious stones. He is often at war with various kingdoms of Western Heaven [India]. The kingdom has sixty thousand war elephants. There are almost 10,000 female servants, 3,000 of whom alternate every day to serve at the court."advertisementThis account reflects not only the wealth and opulence of the Chola court but also the vast military strength and intricate administrative sophistication of one of South India's most powerful empires.
Shiva as the lord of dance, Chola dynasty (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Verily, it was during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I that the venerable image of Nataraja -- Shiva as the cosmic dancer -- was drawn forth from the mists of sacred devotion and placed squarely at the heart of the Chola vision of divine kingship.Though the origins of this form lay in the fervent Tamil bhakti of earlier centuries, it was under Rajaraja's discerning furtherance that Natraja Shiva assumed new glory.RAJENDRA I CHOLA THE GREATRajendra Chola I rose to the throne in 1014 CE, after the death of Rajaraja I Chola. Even though nominated heir in 1012, it was only with Rajaraja's death that Rajendra finally came into his own as the chief force behind the Chola Empire's emergence as a power who ruled south-east Asia for decades.advertisementIn the early 11th century, Rajendra Chola wanted to expand as well as legitimise his rule with bold and unorthodox tactics. He invested his sons with regalia taken from conquered enemies, naming them as "Chola Lord of Lanka" and "Chola-Pandya" to establish Chola hegemony.But his most dramatic action was the pursuit of a digvijaya -- a victory of the directions, aimed not just to add more territory to his empire, but to announce himself as universal emperor, with authority emanating to all points of the known world.
Rajndra I Chola in Battle (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
To an extent, it could be said that it was Rajaraja I who directed the Chola forces to penetrate into land to far east which not only covered land but mighty ocean too.Rajendra first started to set about securing his grip on Sri Lanka, which in some parts had been conquered during Rajaraja I, completing a campaign begun by his father. He took King Mahinda 5 captive and subjugated the whole island to Chola power for the first time.advertisementThe initial military effectiveness and martial qualities of Rajendra I Chola were honed by campaigns against the Western Chalukyas and the kingdom of Anuradhapura, in addition to crushing rebellions in the regions of Chera and Pandya.The achievements of these regions not only consolidated the empire's southern border but also cemented Rajendra's status as a strategist who mastered warfare.Rajendra I Chola expanded the influence of the empire by conquering Kalinga and Vengi and then defeated the Palas of Bengal, after which he was titled Gangaikonda Cholan, or "The Chola who conquered the Ganges".To mark the triumph, he established Gangaikondacholapuram, an imperial new capital which was a trade centre, administrative centre, and hub of cultural exchange.Not far from the Indian mainland, Rajendra gained control over Laccadive or Lakshdweep and the Maldives, which were the key islands on Indian Ocean trade routes connecting the Arab and African countries.RAJENDRA I CHOLA'S SEA EXPEDITIONS TO THE EASTHaving the ambition to establish dominance over the seas, Rajendra I led campaigns years after his accession to the throne, reaching the Far East, including Sumatra and other nearby empires.
Seal of Rajendra I Chola found in far east (Image: Wikimedia commons)
The first to be hit was Srivijaya (present-day Indonesia and Sumatra), which held a major point on the sea route to China.RC Majumdar writes in the overseas expedition of Rajendra Chola: "The attacks by one of the alliances of the Cholas on Sri Vijaya, the Khmer Empire under Suryavarman I, allowed Rajendra I to cross the seas and help Suryavarman.""As both the Khmer and the Cholas were Hindu kingdoms, their alliance was predominant. To counter this, Tambralinga of the Malay Peninsula turned to Srivijaya, whose rulers were Buddhists. Thus, it was set in motion a series of hostilities that culminated in the famed Chola naval expedition against Srivijaya," he writes further.This campaign conquered parts of the Srivijaya empire, including regions such as Kedah, Tambralinga, and Pegu, extending Chola influence deep into Southeast Asia.In the campaign, the Cholas sacked the capitals Kadaram and Pannai on Sumatra, and Malaiyur on the Malay Peninsula.The Chola invasion did not only mark a military victory, but also the extensive proliferation of Tamil commercial activities beyond the seas of the east. Merchant guilds of ancient prestige -- like the Manigramam, the brave Ayyavole, and the famous Ainnurruvar -- did venture far into the vibrant ports of South-East Asia.Hence, for the greater part of a century to come, the business of trade and commerce in those far-off lands came to be directed, indeed controlled, by the hardworking hands of Tamil businessmen.The influence of this lasted for centuries, and records also show that a later branch of the Cholas ruled parts of Southeast Asia until the 16th century and contributed largely to the region's history.
Charter issued by Rajendra I Chola (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
It was then, under Rajendra I Chola, that the Tamil diaspora turned hand to an extensive expansion. Tamil temples began to appear along China's shores and across Southeast Asia.Archaeological findings -- Tamil inscriptions, trade artifacts, and even adornments like a wedding necklace on an Arab or Indonesian bride of a Tamil trader -- testify to the rich cross-cultural exchange of these times.The language of the Sumatran Karo tribe still carries dozens of Tamil loanwords -- a living testimony to the global influence of the Chola era.It was the dominance of Rajendra I Chola on land and seas that made him The Great Rajendra I Chola, and it was his naval expedition that connected the Far East with southern India and established the exchange of trade and culture for centuries.Must Watch