Rajaraja Chola I
Arulmozhi Devan, later known as Rajaraja Chola I, the third child of Paranthaka Chola II and Vanavan Madevi, was born in Thirukovalur in the year 944 CE in the month of Ayipasi, under the birth star Sadhayam. According to the Thiruvalankadu inscriptions (11th c. copper inscriptions containing Chola genealogy), he had the signs of the shangu (conch) and chakram (wheel) on his palms, symbols of a great king. Frescos and bronzes of Rajaraja from the early 11th century show him to be a very handsome man, a trait he likely inherited from his father, Paranthaka II, who was known as “Sundara Chola” and considered to be the epitome of male beauty.
After the death of Paranthaka Chola, Rajaraja wished to avoid infighting within the family and ceded the throne to his uncle, Uthama Chola. Upon the death of Uthama Chola, Rajaraja ascended the throne at the age of 41 on July 7, 985, (the 22nd day of Adi per the Tamil calendar, a Saturday under the auspices of the Punarvasu star).
Under Rajaraja’s regime the Chola kingdom grew to encompass the entire South Indian peninsula, as well as parts of Sri Lanka and Lakshadweep Islands. Beyond being a successful conqueror, Rajaraja had the foresight and astuteness to organize his kingdom to ensure continuing prosperity built upon agriculture, trade, and learning. To this end, he initiated a land survey and assessment in 1000 CE which led to the reorganization of Tamil country into mandalams (provinces), further subdivided into valanadus, nadus, and villages. Each level of administration had autonomous local assemblies responsible for tax collection, justice, and maintenance of public works such as irrigation.
Rajaraja also left a significant mark through his architectural and cultural achievements. He commissioned the construction of the Rajarajeshwaram Temple (presently known as Brihadishwara temple) in the Chola capital of Thanjavur, which is still revered as one of the most prominent examples of medieval South Indian architecture. The temple was not only a religious center but also the hub of economic, cultural, and educational activity. He set up endowments for daily worship, festivals, music, and dance performances in temples.
Art, music and dance flourished under his active patronage. Important Tamil literary works by poets such as Appar, Sambandar, and Sundarar were gathered and compiled into a single collection known as the Thirumurai.
While Rajaraja was a devout Shaivite (Hindu follower of Lord Shiva), his rule was marked by religious tolerance and patronage of diverse faiths. He supported Vaishnavite institutions and made donations to Buddhist monasteries. Buddhism and Jainism existed in harmony with Shaivism in Rajaraja’s time and this is seen in sculptural examples such as the statues of Buddha and Mahavira that stand alongside Shiva and Parvathi in the Rajaraja gateway in the Brihadishwara temple.
Rajaraja was known as a noble and caring ruler who was adored by all his people. He put the well-being of his people above his own interests, placing the wealth he acquired from his conquests into the royal treasury to be spent on welfare schemes.
There are recorded instances in the Brihadishwara temple of how he implemented a variety of welfare schemes that were often far beyond the norms of his time:
-The upper part of the Thiruchtru Maligai, the outer corridor in the Tanjore temple, served as a place where people could consult physicians and engage in exercise and other health building activities.
-He decreed that the temple serve as a Bank to the public and to traders, so they could borrow money and repay it back with minimal interest.
-He engaged the wounded warriors as maintenance staff in the temple.
-The word “Adikaarichi”, which means female officers, is found in inscriptions around the temple which shows that he gave importance and status to women too!
In his personal life, as was the custom of the time, Rajaraja had several wives, including Lokamadevi (Principal Queen), Panchavan Madeviyar Tribhuvana Mādēviyār, and others. He had two sons, Rajendra (crown prince) and Araiyan Rajarajan, and three daughters.
Rajaraja’s older sister, Kundavai, who was renowned for her intelligence, and her role in Chola politics as a key mentor to Rajaraja. Even though her husband was crowned king of his hometown, Kundavai chose to remain in Thanjavur, where she helped raise the crown prince Rajendra Chola. She made lavish donations to the Brihadishwara Temple at Thanjavur.
After a successful reign of over 25 years, Rajaraja’s health declined. During the last three years of his life, he gradually turned over the reins of the kingdom to his son and dedicated himself to religious matters, taking on the name of “Shivapada Shekhara” (the one who places his crown at the feet of Shiva). Rajaraja’s end came on January 17, 1014. He was succeeded to the throne by his son Rajendra Chola I.