Watch: Gangaikonda Cholapuram: PM Modi to visit Rajendra Chola's lost capital
Gangaikonda Cholapuram was established by King Rajendra Chola I (1012–1044 CE), the son of the legendary Rajaraja Chola, to mark a triumphant military expedition to the Gangetic plains. The campaign lasted less than two years. To mark this victory, Rajendra shifted the capital from Thanjavur to the newly established city: Gangaikonda Cholapuram, which means, 'the city of the Chola who conquered the Ganga.' The city boasted grand markets and a sprawling palace said to cover 60 acres.
Today, other than the temple, little of that remains.
Remnants of the palace were found at Maligaimedu (the mound of the palace), just two kilometres behind the famous Brihadeeswarar Temple. The temple is a replica of the Thanjavur Big Temple. The outer wall was demolished by the British to build the Lower Kollidam Anaicut.
Much of the temple's granite sculptures were dismantled, and the wall was almost entirely destroyed to obtain construction materials. When locals resisted the demolition, a promise was made to replace it with a brick wall.
Despite the destruction, the temple remains a masterclass in Chola architecture. Its sculptures are both intricate and unique. Around the temple are ruins of smaller shrines, broken down to build the dam. A few kilometres behind the temple lies the Chola Gangam lake, dug by Rajendra Chola. Once, it stretched 25 km and brought water from the Kollidam to the palace and city. Now, it is dry, cracked, and a shadow of its past. The canals that fed it are long gone. It relies solely on rainwater and is dry for most of the year.
Four days after The Hindu's report on the derelict state of the lake, the Tamil Nadu government, earlier this week, has promised to restore this 1000-year-old lake at a cost of ₹12 crore.
PM Modi's visit during the Aadi Thiruvadhirai festival, which marks the birth anniversary of Rajendra Chola, once again throws a spotlight on this once-mighty seat of power. Locals hope the visit will draw the nation's attention to this historical town. The Chola emperor's capital city may be in ruins — but its story still stands, carved in stone, waiting to be told.
Credits:
Reporting: B. Kolappan
Camera: Jothi Ramalingam B.
M. Moorthy
Voiceover: Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
Production: V. Nivedita
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