Contrary to the favored perception that Rajendra Chola personally marched in the direction of the Gangetic plains, inscriptions on the Tiruvalangadu copper plates reveal that one of many ablest generals of the king had commanded the navy expedition in the direction of the Ganges. The monarch had stayed again on the banks of the Godavari.
With the assistance of voluminous historic works akin to The Colas by Ok.A. Nilakanta Sastri, Pirkaala Sozhar Sarithiram (History of Later Cholas) by T.V. Sadasiva Pandarathar, and The Palas of Bengal by R.D. Banerji, The Hindu makes an attempt to reconstruct the trail traced by Rajendra Chola’s military. These accounts reveal the Chola forces defeated kingdoms within the japanese Deccan, coastal Odisha, and ultimately clashed with the Pala dynasty in Bengal.
Venginadu
The precise marketing campaign started not from the Chola’s capital within the South, however from the northeast of Venginadu that unfold throughout the Godavari and Krishna rivers. Venginadu at the moment was dominated by kings (Eastern Chalukyas or Chalukyas of Vengi) loyal to the Cholas. Due to Vengi’s shut ties with the Cholas, and since all of the areas to its south have been already below Rajendra Chola’s empire, the expedition started north of Vengi, with the primary conquest in that marketing campaign being Chakrakottam.
Chakrakottam is located eight miles from Rajapura, on the southern financial institution of the Indravati River. In trendy occasions, the place is named Chitrakootam (Bastar area in present-day Chhattisgarh). After the autumn of Chakrakottam, the Chola military marched in the direction of the inexperienced fields of ‘Masuna Desam’ or ‘Masuni Desam’ below the management of courageous rulers of the Chindaka household who recognized themselves as belonging to the Naga lineage.
Nilakanta Sastri, whereas citing a Tamil Prasasti, says the area of Maduramandalam, Namanaikkonam and Panchappalli, all fell below the ‘Masuni Desam’. He mentioned Maduramandalam was destroyed in a trice by the Chola military. Namanaikkonam with dense groves and Panchappalli, whose warriors bore merciless bows, have been additionally conquered by Rajendra’s commander.
Indraratha’s defeat
Following that, the Chola commander marched additional northeast, defeated Indraratha at Adinagara, and captured the areas of Odda (Odisha). His marketing campaign took a westward flip with the seize of the Kosala kingdom. The area of Kosala referred to right here is Dakshina (southern) Kosala, often known as Mahakosala.
Having consolidated management over central-eastern India, the following goal was Dandabhukti to the east, dominated by Dharmapala. Dandabhukti comprised the southern and southwestern elements of the Midnapore district in Bengal. Therefore, it doubtless stretched alongside each banks of the Subarnarekha River.
Bengal
From there, the Chola forces superior in the direction of Bengal. After defeating Dharmapala, Rajendra’s military marched in the direction of Dakshinaradha (Takkana Ladam in Tamil), dominated by Ranasura. ‘Radha’ (additionally spelt as Ratta or Lada) was the traditional title of part of Bengal, which was bounded on the north by the Ganges. Dakshinaradha refers back to the space comprising at the moment’s Hooghly and Howrah districts in Bengal, whereas Uttararadha (Uttara Ladam in Tamil) refers back to the areas comprising Murshidabad and Birbhum districts.
The Ganges
With southern Bengal subdued, the commander handed eastwards, crossed the Ganges, and reached Vangala Desam (Eastern Bengal), which was then dominated by Govindachandra. Following the conquest of Eastern Bengal, Rajendra Chola’s military turned westward and defeated Mahipala. The commander reached the Ganges, fetched water from the river, and introduced it to his sovereign lord, Rajendra, whom he met on the banks of the Godavari throughout the military’s retreat.
Though the fetching of the Ganges water was maybe a part of the unique goal, the true motive was undoubtedly an exhibition of the Chola empire’s energy and an indication of its power to the rulers of northern India, says Nilakanta Sastri.
Rajendra then returned to his kingdom along with his victorious common. In nice pleasure, the emperor accepted the sacred objects introduced again. During his return journey, he visited numerous temples and made choices, as talked about in a number of inscriptions. One such inscription was present in Thriloki (modern-day Thirulogi close to Thiruppanandal within the Thanjavur district), positioned about ten miles southeast of Gangaikonda Cholapuram, notes Sadasiva Pandarathar.
According to the Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy for the 12 months ending March 31, 1932, “A fragmentary document engraved in Tiruloki makes an attention-grabbing reference to the incident of the king worshipping the sacred ft of the Lord at this village, which is simply about 10 miles from Gangaikonda Cholapuram, whereas returning with the waters of the Ganges. (Rajendra-Choladevar Gangaikondu elundarulukinra idattu tiruvadi tolu[du]).” The historical title of this place was given as Trailokyamahadevi-chaturvedimangalam.
According to Sastri, such expeditions have been undertaken by all highly effective monarchs in India and have been enjoined upon them by the political code of the nation. The intention of the expedition was not merely to deliver down the water of the Ganges to the Chola capital, however to take action after establishing a proper of means throughout territories exterior the empire by a robust present of pressure. This turns into clear from the assertion that on the finish of the expedition, Rajendra erected a ‘liquid pillar of victory’ (jalamayam jayastambham) in his capital with the waters of the Ganges, within the type of the tank Cholagangam.
Banerji says the invasion of the Chola king didn’t change the political divisions of the nation, nevertheless it left one everlasting mark within the form of a physique of settlers, who occupied the thrones of Bengal and Mithila because the Sena and Karnata dynasties throughout the latter days of the Palas.
