TNPSC Free Notes History -Chola Art, Architecture & Literature

இந்தக் கட்டுரையில், TNPSC குரூப் 1, குரூப் 2, குரூப் 2A, குரூப் 4 மாநிலப் போட்டித் தேர்வுகளான TNUSRB, TRB, TET, TNEB போன்றவற்றுக்கான  முறைகள் இலவசக் குறிப்புகளைப் பெறுவீர்கள்.தேர்வுக்கு தயாராவோர் இங்குள்ள பாடக்குறிப்புகளை படித்து பயன்பெற வாழ்த்துகிறோம்.

Chola Art, Architecture & Literature

Temples
 The Cholas built and patronized innumerable temples.
 The royal temples in
 Thanjavur
 Gangaikonda Chozhapuram
 Darasuram, are the repositories of architecture, sculpture, paintings, and
iconography of the Chola arts.
 The temples became the hub of social, economic, cultural, and political activities.
 In the initial stages, architecturally, the Chola temples are simple and modest.
 The prime temple officials were
 Koyirramar
 Koyilkanakku (temple accountant)
 Deva-Kanni (agent of god)
 Srivaisnavar
 Cantesar (temple manager) and others.
 They promoted the development of learning, dance, music, painting, and drama.
 A play called Rajarajanatakam, based on the life of Rajaraja I, was performed in the
Thanjavur temple.
 Festivals – Chithirai Tiruvizha, Kartigai and Aippasi vizha.

 Traditional dances – Kudak-kuthu and Sakkaik-kuthu were portrayed in the form of
sculptures and paintings in the temples in Kilapalivur, Tiruvorriyur.
 The pastoral group, as a mark of devotion, donated livestock of specified number to the
temples to maintain the perpetual lamp to be lit in the temple.
 To record their gift, their names were engraved in the inscriptions of the royal temple.
 Thus, they earned royal affinity.
 The oil pressers called Sankarapadiyar supplied oil to the temple and became part of the
functionaries of the temples.
 In times of famine, some of them sold themselves to the temple as servants.
 Temples functioned as banks by advancing loans and by purchasing and receiving
endowments and donations.
 They also became educational centers as training was imparted in Vedas, music, and the
arts.
 Sculpture and metalwork too were promoted.
 Temple accounts were audited and the auditor was called Koyilkanakku.

Peruvudaiyar Temple
 The Grand Temple of Thanjavur, known as Rajarajisvaram and Brihadishvarar Temple,
stands as an outstanding example of Chola architecture, painting, sculpture, and
iconography.
 Built with the prelude of Tamil words.
 13 storeyed tower with the vimanam.
 The sanctum with a vimana of 190 feet is capped with a stone weighing 80 tons.
 This was placed at the top by building a huge sand bridge by making a slanting curve
from Sarapallam, a village 6 km away from the temple.
 This was considered to be the epitome of success built-in 1010 CE.
 The fresco paintings and the miniature sculptures of the scenes from Puranas and epics
in the temple walls reveal the religious ideology of the Chola rulers.
 It consists of the
 Vimana
 Ardhamandapa
 Mahamandapa
 Nandi mandapa – large pavilion in the front.
Gangaikonda Chozhapuram

 In commemoration of his victory in North India, Rajendra I built Gangaikonda
Chozhapuram on the model of Brihadisvarar temple in Thanjavur.
 The walls of the Chola temples such as the Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram
temples contain numerous icons of large size with fine execution.
Darasuram Temple
 Darasuram Temple, built by Rajaraja II (1146–1172).
 Incidents from the Periyapuranam, in the form of miniatures, are depicted on the base
of the garbha-griha (sanctum sanctorum) wall of the temple.
Art
 The bronzes of the Chola period are world-famous.
 The bronze statues of Nataraja or dancing Siva are masterpieces.
 The Chola paintings were found on the walls of Narthamalai and
Tanjore temples.

Education and Literature
 Education was also given importance.
 Besides the temples and mathas as educational centers, several educational institutions
also flourished.
 The great literary works
 Kamba Ramayanam – Kambar
 Periyapuranam or Tiruttondarpuranam – Sekkilar belong to this period.
 Rajendra I established a Vedic college at Ennayiram (South Arcot district).
 There were 340 students in this Vaishnava center, learning the Vedas, Grammar and
Vedanta under 14 teachers.
 The inscriptions at
 Ennayiram
 Thirumukkudal
 Thirubhuvanai, provide details of the colleges that existed in these places.
 In Sanskrit centers, subjects like Vedas, Sanskrit grammar, religion, and philosophies
were taught.
 Apart from the Vedas and Epics, subjects like mathematics and medicine were taught in
these institutions.
 The endowment of lands was made to run these institutions.
 The development of Tamil literature reached its peak during the Chola period.

Prominent literary works
 Kalingattupparani – Jayankondar, describes the Kalinga war fought

by Kulotunga I.
 Sivakasintamani and Kundalakesi – Thiruthakkadevar
 The Moovarula – Ottakuthar, depicts the life of three Chola

kings.
 The Nalavenba – Pugalendi.

Tamil grammar works
 Kalladam – Kalladanar
 Yapperungalam – Amirthasagarar
 Nannul – Pavanandhi
 Virasoliyam – Buddhamitra
The End of Chola Rule
 The Chola dynasty was paramount in South India from the ninth to the thirteenth
centuries.
 By the end of the twelfth century, local chiefs began to grow in prominence, which
weakened the center.
 With frequent invasions of Pandyas, the once-mighty empire, was reduced to the status
of a dependent on the far stronger Hoysalas.
 With Kanchipuram lost earlier to the Telugu Cholas, the remaining Chola territories
passed into the hands of the Pandyan king.
 In 1264, the Pandyan ruler, Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I, sacked the Chola’s capital of
Gangaikonda Chozhapuram.
 1279 marks the end of the Chola dynasty when King Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I
defeated the last king Rajendra Chola III and established the rule by Pandyas.

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