Raja Raja introspects on his life , achievements and failures
(This is not history but the author's personal version of Raja Raja’s thoughts towards the end of his life. The provocation for this is the the coming elections and the numerous factions in Tamil nadu politics which seem to be endlessly fighting with each other.. Raja Raja foresaw the mess and the Tamil’s never ending fascination with northern Sri Lanka which they consider as their back yard.).
Towards the end of my rule I made my son Rajendra my regent and have him full powers to rule. I was tired of ruling this fractious Tamil Nadu, settling disputes and fighting all the time to retain my conquest. I was lucky to have time to think before taking over and was fortunate in having my sister to educate me on new ideas and the present dangers I would face when I took over. She inspired me to think out a strategy of united the warring tamils into a kingdom. She asked me to ask myself why the hindus worshipping the same gods in the temples insisted on constant warfare.
I asked myself why and was it it possible to bring them all together and create a South
Indian nation. The south was numerous petty chieftains controlling small areas and eternally fighting among themselves and owning nominal allegiance to a raja. I decided that I must establish total control over them if the south had to be strong. I built a vast army and used horses brought by arabs to create a cavalry for fast attacks. I conquered the whole of the south. We had not fully realised the use of the katarpatai (navy )for warfare though we had been using it for cultural contacts with our neighbours. This was stupid.A nation with a such a large coastline must have had a navy to speak of instead of being land bound.So I built the largest katarpatai seen in the south till then and used it for conqust northen Lanka. I captured Maldives. War and conquest can be very expensive and plunder of the enemies did not bring in enough to cover conquests. Very often they rebelled like lankans and had to be put down at great cost. For the first time in Chola land collections of taxes on agricultural produce was introduced to collect money for the governance of the state and warfare. The Chola Bronzes reached a high level beauty and sophistication during my rule. Unitary state was slowly built up and my control was absolute.
Thanjavur had always been our home town. We were fed by the bountiful Kaveri. In the reign of my ancestor Karikala the flow of kaveri increased to the northern branch Coledon, thus reducing supply to Thanjavur. Karikaklan built the Kallanai bund across the Kaveri to reduce the flow into Coledon. Tanjore was saved. Thanjavur did not have great temples like in Madurai an Srirangam or Kanchi and I built the big Brihadeeswara temple which could be seen from everywhere around.I did not make a worshipping temple but more as a cultural and recreational place which will last forever. I was criticised for building a temple for myself! I made sure that no big samadhi would be built for me by wandering about in old age.
Building this temple I had experts from even China .I had established trade with that distant lands and this began to pay dividends. I handed over to Rajendra and began wandering round the banks of Kaveri in my beloved Chola land. Rajendra was a great warrior and he kept up our campaigns in the north. The wars that Rajandran fought seemed endless. He also sent naval expeditions to conquer Srivijaya kingdoms . I learnt that Rejendran had decided to shift our capital to new location further north and build a new temple to rival the big temple in Thanjavur. He would If he went on like this he would run short of money and a time will come when the conquered will join together and bring down the Chola hegemony over the south.
It was my mistake that I did not slowly ease off the war and concentrate on improving trade in a big way and thus encourage growth of local industry and help integration of a caste ridden society. It might have worked .We might have had an integrated south. Instead people worshipping the same gods fought with each other.I missed my chance. We were in for bad times and we will become divided south. I ride around the land and Kavri banks. Sometimes I see In the distance the Brihadeeswara temple.Whatever happens this temple will stand for ages, I can visualise centuries on people coming to Thanjavur to see this miracle of human achievement. I have not done what the Pallavas did for Kanchi But the solitary splendour Brihadeeswara will stand for all times. The chola bronzes created my people will be another lasting legacy. The Pallavas and we Cholas built up the naval traditions. The northerns have no idea of importance of naval power. I can only hope and pray that is it is not forgotten.
The people from Chalukya land will become wiser and build bunds across the Kaveri upstream and what will happen to my Beloved Thanjavur? The lankans will have the last laugh on the Tamils.The merry go round will go on.
I have been riding the whole afternoon and am tired. I will rest under the shade of a big tree .
Raja Ramakrishnan
May 7th 2016
Towards the end of my rule I made my son Rajendra my regent and have him full powers to rule. I was tired of ruling this fractious Tamil Nadu, settling disputes and fighting all the time to retain my conquest. I was lucky to have time to think before taking over and was fortunate in having my sister to educate me on new ideas and the present dangers I would face when I took over. She inspired me to think out a strategy of united the warring tamils into a kingdom. She asked me to ask myself why the hindus worshipping the same gods in the temples insisted on constant warfare.
I asked myself why and was it it possible to bring them all together and create a South
Indian nation. The south was numerous petty chieftains controlling small areas and eternally fighting among themselves and owning nominal allegiance to a raja. I decided that I must establish total control over them if the south had to be strong. I built a vast army and used horses brought by arabs to create a cavalry for fast attacks. I conquered the whole of the south. We had not fully realised the use of the katarpatai (navy )for warfare though we had been using it for cultural contacts with our neighbours. This was stupid.A nation with a such a large coastline must have had a navy to speak of instead of being land bound.So I built the largest katarpatai seen in the south till then and used it for conqust northen Lanka. I captured Maldives. War and conquest can be very expensive and plunder of the enemies did not bring in enough to cover conquests. Very often they rebelled like lankans and had to be put down at great cost. For the first time in Chola land collections of taxes on agricultural produce was introduced to collect money for the governance of the state and warfare. The Chola Bronzes reached a high level beauty and sophistication during my rule. Unitary state was slowly built up and my control was absolute.
Thanjavur had always been our home town. We were fed by the bountiful Kaveri. In the reign of my ancestor Karikala the flow of kaveri increased to the northern branch Coledon, thus reducing supply to Thanjavur. Karikaklan built the Kallanai bund across the kaveri to reduce the flow into Coledon. Tanjore was saved. Thanjavur did not have great temples like in Madurai an Srirangam or Kanchi and I built the big Brihadeeswara temple which could be seen from everywhere around.I did not make a worshipping temple but more as a cultural and recreational place which will last forever. I was criticised for building a temple for myself! I made sure that no big samadhi would be built for me by wandering about in old age.
Building this temple I had experts from even china .I had established trade with that distant lands and this began to pay dividends. I handed over to Rajendra and began wandering round the banks of Kaveri in my beloved Chola land. Rajendra was a great warrior and he kept up our campaigns in the north. The wars that Rajandran fought seemed endless. He also sent naval expeditions to conquer Srivijaya kingdoms . I learnt that Rejendran had decided to shift our capital to new location further north and build a new temple to rival the big temple in Thanjavur. He would If he went on like this he would run short of money and a time will come when the conquered will join together and bring down the Chola hegemony over the south.
Raja Raja introspects on his life and achievements.
(This is not history but the author's personal version of Raja Raja’s thoughts towards the end of his life. The provocation for this is the the coming elections and the numerous factions in Tamil nadu politics which seem to be endlessly fighting with each other.. Raja Raja foresaw the mess and the Tamil’s never ending fascination with northern Sri Lanka which they consider as their back yard.).
Towards the end of my rule I made my son Rajendra my regent and have him full powers to rule. I was tired of ruling this fractious Tamil Nadu, settling disputes and fighting all the time to retain my conquest. I was lucky to have time to think before taking over and was fortunate in having my sister to educate me on new ideas and the present dangers I would face when I took over. She inspired me to think out a strategy of united the warring tamils into a kingdom. She asked me to ask myself why the hindus worshipping the same gods in the temples insisted on constant warfare.
I asked myself why and was it it possible to bring them all together and create a South
Indian nation. The south was numerous petty chieftains controlling small areas and eternally fighting among themselves and owning nominal allegiance to a raja. I decided that I must establish total control over them if the south had to be strong. I built a vast army and used horses brought by arabs to create a cavalry for fast attacks. I conquered the whole of the south. We had not fully realised the use of the katarpatai (navy )for warfare though we had been using it for cultural contacts with our neighbours. This was stupid.A nation with a such a large coastline must have had a navy to speak of instead of being land bound.So I built the largest katarpatai seen in the south till then and used it for conqust northen Lanka. I captured Maldives. War and conquest can be very expensive and plunder of the enemies did not bring in enough to cover conquests. Very often they rebelled like lankans and had to be put down at great cost. For the first time in Chola land collections of taxes on agricultural produce was introduced to collect money for the governance of the state and warfare. The Chola Bronzes reached a high level beauty and sophistication during my rule. Unitary state was slowly built up and my control was absolute.
Thanjavur had always been our home town. We were fed by the bountiful Kaveri. In the reign of my ancestor Karikala the flow of kaveri increased to the northern branch Coledon, thus reducing supply to Thanjavur. Karikaklan built the Kallanai bund across the kaveri to reduce the flow into Coledon. Tanjore was saved. Thanjavur did not have great temples like in Madurai an Srirangam or Kanchi and I built the big Brihadeeswara temple which could be seen from everywhere around.I did not make a worshipping temple but more as a cultural and recreational place which will last forever. I was criticised for building a temple for myself! I made sure that no big samadhi would be built for me by wandering about in old age.
Building this temple I had experts from even china .I had established trade with that distant lands and this began to pay dividends. I handed over to Rajendra and began wandering round the banks of Kaveri in my beloved Chola land. Rajendra was a great warrior and he kept up our campaigns in the north. The wars that Rajandran fought seemed endless. He also sent naval expeditions to conquer Srivijaya kingdoms . I learnt that Rejendran had decided to shift our capital to new location further north and build a new temple to rival the big temple in Thanjavur. He would If he went on like this he would run short of money and a time will come when the conquered will join together and bring down the Chola hegemony over the south.
It was my mistake that I did not slowly ease off the war and concentrate on improving trade in a big way and thus encourage growth of local industry and generate integration of a caste ridden society. It might have worked .We might have had an integrated south. Instead people worshipping the same gods fought with each other.I missed my chance. We were in for bad times and we will become divided south. I ride around the land and kavri banks. Sometimes I see In the distance the Brihadeeswara temple.Whatever happens this temple will stand for ages, I can visualise centuries on people coming to Thanjavur to see this miracle of human achievement. I have not done what the Pallavas did for Kanchi But the solitary splendour Brihadeeswara will stand for all times. The chola bronzes created my people will be another lasting legacy. The Pallavas and we cholas built up the naval traditions. The northerns have no idea of importance of naval power. I can only hope and pray that is it is not forgotten.
The people from Chalukya land will become wiser and build bunds across the Kaveri upstream and what will happen to my Beloved Thanjavur? The lankans will have the last laugh on the Tamils.The merry go round will go on.
I have been riding the whole afternoon and am tired. I will rest under the shade of a big tree .
Raja Ramakrishnan
May 7th 2016
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