Raja Raja Chola History

Raja Raja Chola I, was clearly the greatest of the Chola Monarchs. During his reign (985 - 1014 AD) he brought stability to the Chola Kingdom, and restored from obscurity the brilliant Tevaram hymns of the Saivite Nayanmars from obscurity. Raja Raja was a great builder, and the Peruvudaiyar Koyil or the Big Tmeple at Thanjavur was his creation. His son Rajendra Chola (1014 - 1044 AD) was a greater conqueror who marched all the way to the banks of the Ganges.This march was commemorated with a new capital Gangaikonda Cholapuram and another 'Periya Koyil'. Gangai Konda Cholapuram was the capital of the Cholas for about two centuries, although it is nothing more than a village now with this rather well maintained magnificient temple. 35 Kilometers from Thanjavur lies Darasuram, once known as Rajarajapuram - a part of the Chola's secondary capital of Pazhaiyarai. Here is the Airavateeswarar Temple built by Raja Raja II (1146 - 1173). It was during the reign of Kulottunga III (1178 - 1218) that the Kambahareswarar temple at Tribhuvanam was built. The kings as well as the rich were the patrons of art and architecture. They gave huge donations of money and land for the building and maintenance of the temples. The Chola kings built magnificent temples.Raja Raja Chola built the famous Brahadeeswara temple at Tanjore. It is also known as the big temple. This temple is built with Sikara style. It consists of 14 successive stores rising to a height of 190 feet. A massive dome consisting of a single stone block, weighing about 80 tons, crowns it. Its construction began some time about AD. 1003 and was completed in A.D 1010.Rajendra Chola founded a new capital at Gangaikonda Cholapuram in A.D 1025. He also built a temple at this place. The bronze images of the Chola period are very famous. The Nataraja idol in the Nageswara temple at Kumbakonam is one of the largest and finest images known. The bronze image of Arthanareeswara is also another important specimen.