Raja Raja Chola I(985 AD-1014 AD) born Arunmozhi Varman (also called as Raja Kesari Varman Raja Raja Devar and respectfully as Peruvudaiyar), popularly known as Raja Raja the Great, is one of the greatest emperors of the Tamil Chola Empire of India who ruled between 985 and 1014 CE. He established the Chola Empire by conquering the kingdoms of southern India expanding the Chola Empire as far as Sri Lanka in the south, and Kalinga (Orissa) in the northeast. He fought many battles with the Chalukyas in the north and the Pandyas in the south. By conquering Vengi, Rajaraja laid the foundations for the Later Chola dynasty. He invaded Sri Lanka and started a century-long Chola occupation of the island. He streamlined the administrative system with the division of the country into various districts and by standardizing revenue collection through systematic land surveys. Being an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, he built the magnificent Peruvudaiyar Temple (also known as the Brihadeeswarar Temple) in Thanjavur and through it enabled wealth distribution amongst his subjects. His successes enabled his son Rajendra Chola I to extend the empire even further.
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| Statue of Raja Raja Chola outside Brihadeeswarar Temple |
An emperor who has history for this kind and still remembered by the Tamil people has a very sad story in end of his life, the burial ground where the Raja Raja Chola was buried was a Siva temple in Udayalur, Kumbakonam(Tanjore district) and this burial ground(Memorial) of this great king who had built hundreds of temple doesn’t even has a proper shelter for this place where he was buried.
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| The banner displaying the information about the Emperor |
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| Banner displaying the location of the Siva Temple |
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| The place which was believed that Raja Raja Cholan was buried under this Siva Lignam | |
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| Caretaker of the Siva Temple |
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| Location Of Siva Temple |
Documentary On Raja Raja Chola
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