• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced construction of grand statues of Chola kings  Rajaraja Chola and his son, Rajendra Chola-I, in Tamil Nadu.

• Addressing the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival to mark and honour the birth anniversary of Rajendra Chola-I, the PM said these statues will serve as modern pillars of India’s historical consciousness. 

• After praying at the Brihadeeswara temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Modi released a commemorative coin honouring Rajendra Chola-I.

Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival

• The Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival was held from July 23 to 27 at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu. 

• The festival commemorates 1,000 years of Rajendra Chola’s legendary maritime expedition to South East Asia and the commencement of the construction of the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, a magnificent example of Chola architecture.

• The Aadi Thiruvathirai festival also celebrates the rich Tamil Shaiva Bhakti tradition, fervently supported by the Cholas and immortalised by the 63 Nayanmars — the saint-poets of Tamil Shaivism. 

Rajendra Chola-I

• Rajendra Chola-I (1012–1044 CE) was one of the most powerful and visionary rulers in Indian history. 

• Under his leadership, the Chola Empire expanded its influence across the south and Southeast Asia. 

• He established Gangaikonda Cholapuram as the imperial capital after his victorious campaigns, and the temple he built there served as a beacon of Shaiva devotion, monumental architecture, and administrative prowess for over 250 years. 

• Today, the temple stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its intricate sculptures, Chola bronzes, and ancient inscriptions.

• Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Ariyalur district is near Kumbakonam in the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu. 

• The historians consider the Chola period to be among the golden eras of India, an era distinguished by its military strength.

• The Chola Empire advanced India’s democratic traditions, often overlooked in global narratives. 

• While historians speak of Britain’s Magna Carta in the context of democracy, the Chola empire had implemented democratic election practices centuries earlier through the Kudavolai system.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)