Raja raja cholan - "The King of Kings"

Raja raja cholan was born in Thirukoilur. His true name was "Arulmozhivarman", also called as "Ponniyin Selvan". His parents are Parantaka Sundara Chola and Vanavan Maha Devi was the daughter of Thirukkovilur king. Aditya Karikala was the elder brother and Kundhavai, the elder sister. He is one of the greatest Emperors of India, who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE.

During the lifetime of his father Sundara Chola, Arulmozhivarman had carved a name for himself through his exploits in the battles against the Sinhala and Pandyan armies.He had a number of wives. One daughter of Rajaraja cholan called Rajaraja Kundavai Alvar who he named after his sister. After the death of Aditya II,  Madhuranthaga was declared by Sundara Chola as the heir apparent ahead of Arulmozhivarman.Arulmozhivarman ascended the throne after the death of Madhuranthaga (Uttama Chola).

Thiruvalangadu copper-plate inscriptions depicts

"…Though his subjects…entreated Arulmozhi Varman, he…did not desire the kingdom for himself even inwardly "

Mummudi Chola

      Rajaraja's initial campaigns were against the combined Pandya and Chera armies.The first military achievement of Rajaraja’s reign was the campaign in Kerala c. 994 CE. In the war against the Pandyas, Rajaraja seized the Pandya king Amarabhujanga and the Chola general captured the port of Virinam. To commemorate these conquests Rajaraja assumed the title "Mummudi-Chola", (the Chola king who wears three crowns – the Chera, Chola and Pandya).

Conquest of Srilanka

      Rajaraja invaded ancient Sri Lanka in 993 CE. Mahinda V was the king of Sinhalese at that time. In 991 CE,Chola armies occupied the northern half of Lanka and named the dominion ‘Mummudi Chola Mandalam’.Cholas made the city of Polonnaruwa as their capital and renamed it Jananathamangalam. Rajaraja also built a Temple for Siva in Pollonaruwa. RajaRajan's desire to bring the whole Lankan island under Cholan empire was never fulfilled and the southern part of the island (Ruhuna) remained independent.

Rajaraja also expanded his conquests in the north and northwest.

Conquests of Naval regions

      One of the last conquests of Rajaraja was the naval conquest of the ‘old islands of the sea numbering 12,000.The Cholas controlled the area around of Bay of Bengal and turned it to Chola Lake. Nagapattinam on Bay of Bengal was the main port of the Cholas and could have been the navy headquarters. The success of Raja Raja allowed his son Rajendra Chola to expand the Chola empire beyond the Bay of Bengal Sea. Rajendra Chola improved the ships of his father and was the First Indian Ruler to establish the First Indian Naval Fleet some 1200 years back. He had established his rule extending from India up to South East Asia with his Naval Fleet. Rajendra Chola annexed Java, Sumatra, Bali, parts of Malaysia, Brunei islands and demanded tribute from Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia.

Brihadeeswarar Temple(Vimana tower), Thanjavur

Brihadeeswarar Temple (Entry), Thanjavur

Thanjavur Temple - A great example of Tamil architecture

       Raja Raja I had his capital at Thanjavur (the rice bowl of Tamilnadu). Rajaraja’s reign is commemorated by the Siva temple in Thanjavur, called the Peruvudaiyar Koyil also known as Brihadeeswarar Temple, Rajarajeswaram and ‘Big Temple', turned 1008 years old in 2018.The temple is now recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, forming part of the Great Living Chola Temples site. Temple was build using granite. One of the interesting feature of this temple is it's shadow never falls on ground at noon. From the 23rd to the 29th year of Rajaraja’s rule his dominions enjoyed peace and the king apparently devoted his energies to the task of internal administration.

References:

 *KAN Sastri, History of South India p 164

 *KAN Sastri, The Colas

 *Chakravarti, Prithwis Chandra (December 1930). "Naval Warfare in ancient India"

Thiruvalluvar- "God of the golden words "

A man who enlightened the world with his indepth golden words. His background was unknown but some articles were published that his birth time was between 4th centuary B.C and 7th centuary B.C but not proved. He was born in Tamilnadu, India. Valluvar was one of the son of Bhagwan (Father) and Adi (Mother) [1]. His wife name was vasuki.

Thirukkural is one of his valuable literary work -2000 years older approximately. It is the world renowned couplets which is translated into many languages. It has total 1330 couplets,133 sections of 10 couplets each. Aram (38 sections) about ethics, Porul (70 sections) about economic and political matters & Inbam (25 sections) about love. All these couplets explain the basic traits of life.

"அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் 
ஆதி பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு"
"A is the first of the alphabet;
God is the primary force of the world"......Aram-Thiruvalluvar

"தள்ளா விளையுளும் தக்காரும் தாழ்விலாச் 
செல்வரும் சேர்வது நாடு"
"Unfailing crops, exemplary people, and the wealthy
with untarnished and undiminishing wealth, constitute a country"....Porul-Thiruvalluvar

"மன்னுயிர் எல்லாம் துயிற்றி அளித்திரா 
என்னல்லது இல்லை துணை"
"The night which graciously lulls to sleep 
all living creatures, has me alone for her companion"....Inbam-Thiruvalluvar

Valluvar's other works are "Gnana Vettiyan" and "Pancharathnam"[2] which describes the ayurvedic medicine. In the memory of thiruvalluvar a statue was build by tamilnadu government in Kanyakumari beach adjacent to the vivekanada rock memorial. The combined height of the statue and pedestal is 133 feet to represent the 133 sections of thirukkural. Another memorial was constructed in chennai as "Valluvar kottam". All 1330 couplets are inscribed on it. People celebrate "Thiruvalluvar day" on january 15th.

Some meaningful incidents that happened in valluvar's life....

Valluvar's wife vasuki was an ideal woman. She never questioned about her husband's actions. One day a poet was came to their home. Valluvar and the poet were eating the cold fermented rice (palaya sadham).Valluvar told the rice was hot and asked his wife to brought hand fan to cool the rice. (How can the fermented rice be hot?).She did and never questioned him.Everyday while eating valluvar kept a needle and a bowl of water near the serving leaf. His wife didn't asked about it. On the last days of her life only she asked about it. He answered "needle was to pick the rice and the water to rinse it if the rice grains fall while you serving. None of the food should be wasted. But till now your serving was good. So I kept this unused". They were a perfect example of husband and wife.

References:
1.Kamil Zvelebil,1973.
2.Ca.Ve Cuppiramaṇiyann,1980.