- Capital: Tanjore
- Symbol: Tiger
- Administrative Division: Empire, Mandala, Valanadu, Ooru, Sabhas.
- Uttarameru Inscriptions: Deal with local body elections
- Administrative Structure: The ruler was assisted by a council of ministers. Higher-level officials were referred to as Peruntaram, and lower-level ones as Siruntaram.
Army
- The military consisted of infantry, cavalry, elephants, and a powerful navy.
Economy
- Mercent Guilds: Manigram
- Source of Income
- The economy was predominantly agrarian, supported by taxation.
- Overseas trade flourished with China, Java, Sumatra and Arabia.
- Industries such as silk weaving at Kanchi and metal crafts prospered.
- Taxation Terms
- Kutimai: Tax levied on cultivators
- Labour Dues: Vetti/vettinai
- Natacci: Taxes levied on residences and communal spaces.
- Cunkam: Toll
- Tattar Pattam: Tax on goldsmiths
- Kurai Kacu: Tax on fabric
- Vetrilai: Tariff on betel leaf
- Vannar Parai: Tax on washermen
- Paci Pattam: Tax on fishing
- Coins: Gold, silver and copper coins circulated.
- Coastal Towns: Poompuhar, Nagapattinam, Mamallapuram
Condition of Society
- The caste system was widely prevalent (2 major divisions among castes -valangai and idangai)
- Saivism and Vaishnavism continued to flourish
- At the elite brahmadeya settlements, Brahmin landholders known as brahmadeya-kilavars were established with tax exemptions, displacing the local peasants (kudi neekki). Like in Brahmadeyams, temples received land known as devadana, which was tax-free.
- The temples became the centre of a number of activities throughout this time. The vellanvagai communities’ landowners occupied the next position in the social structure.
- Land ownership was not permitted for Ulukudi (tenants), and they were compelled to work the properties owned by Brahmins and vellanvagai village holders.
- Landowners retained melvaram, or the majority of the harvest, while the ulukudi received kizh varam, or the lesser part. The lowest socioeconomic classes continued to be those of workers (paniceymakkal) and slaves (adimaigal).
Art and Architecture
- Temple: Dravidian temple architecture reached its peak during Chola rule.
- Example: Darasuram, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, and Brihadeshwara Temple.
- Painting: Chola paintings have wide-open eyes. The paintings are vibrant and alive with energy.
- Sculptures: The Cholas created magnificent bronze sculptures of dancing Shiva and Nataraja by using the lost-wax method.
Education and Literature
- Associated Inscriptions: Ennayiram, Thirumukkudal, and Thirubhuvanai
- Subjects Taught: Vedas, Epics, mathematics, and medicine.
- Tamil Literature
- Thiruthakkadevar and Kundalakesi penned Sivakasintamani.
- Ramayana by Kamban and the Periyapuranam or Tiruttondarpuranam by Sekkilar.
- The Kalinga war of Kulotunga I is described in Jayankondar’s Kalingattupparani.
- The Moovarula by Ottakuthar describes the lives of three Chola monarchs. The Nalavenba is written by Pugalendi.
- Works on Tamil grammar include Kalladam by Kalladanar, Yapperungalam by Amirthasagarar, Jain, Nannul by Pavanandhi, and Virasoliyam by Buddhamitra were created during the Chola dynasty.
Source: The Indian Express