PANDYAS Sources Seethalai Saththanar, the author of epic Manimekalai, hailed from Madurai. Territory

Trade Cholas as Patrons of Learning The End of Chola Rule Sambuvarayars : Sambuvarayars were chieftains in the North Arcot and Chengalpattu regions during the reign of Chola kings, Rajathiraja and Kulothunga III. Though they were feudatories, they were found fighting sometimes on the side of their overlords and occasionally against them also. From the

Society and its Structure Religion Builders of Temples Temple as a Social Institution Gangaikonda Chozhapuram Darasuram Temple Brihadishvarar Temple The Grand Temple of Thanjavur, known as Rajarajisvaram and Brihadishvarar Temple, stands as an outstanding example of Chola architecture, painting, sculpture and iconography. This temple greatly legitimised Rajaraja’s polity. The sanctum with a vimana of 190

Economy Agriculture Land Revenue and Survey Irrigation Water Management Paddy as tax was collected by a unit called kalam (28 kg). Rajaraja I standardised the collection of tax. He collected 100 kalam from the land of one veli (about 6.5 acres), the standard veli being variable according to fertility of the soil and the number

Chola Adminstration King Provinces Army Local Organisation Urar Sabhaiyaar Nagarattaar Nattar Local Elections and Uttaramerur Inscriptions : Two inscriptions (919 and 921) from a Brahmadeya (tax-free land gifted to Brahamans) called Uttaramerur (historically called Uttaramallur Caturvedimangalam) give details of the process of electing members to various committees that administered the affairs of a Brahmin settlement.

Empire Building

Introduction CHOLAS Origin of the Dynasty Sources Territory

Evolution of Syncretic Culture Architecture Qutb Minar, originally a 72.5 metre tower when completed by Iltutmish, was increased to 74 metres by the repairs carried out by Firuz Shah Tughlaq. The Minar is facilitated by 379 steps and it is magnificent for the height, balconies projecting out marking the storeys, the gradual sloping of the

Economy Trade and Urbanization Industrial Expertise Education Historiography In addition to secular sciences that came with Arabic and Persian learning to India, one more notable addition was systematic historiography. The collection of witnesses’ narratives and documents that the Chachnama (thirteenth-century Persian translation of a ninth-century Arabic original), in its account of the Arab conquest of

Administration of the Sultanate State and Society Religion An important aspect of Islam in India was its early acceptance of a long-term coexistence with Hinduism, despite all the violence that occurred in military campaigns, conquests and depredations. The conqueror Mu’izzuddin of Ghor had, on some of his gold coins, stamped the image of the goddess