Review: the Cholas

the Cholas by NILAKANTA SASTRI
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Cholas (சோழர்கள்) Volume 1 is authored by Sri K.A. Nilakanta Sastri. This volume that I read now is the translation of the book in English to Tamil by Sri K.V.Raman. Sri Sastri has written many books on History of South India. Generally Indian History books by foreign authors and Indian authors are mostly covering the history of India, falling north of Vindhyas. Even in the Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru, the South Indian history is mentioned as a passing remark. But Sri Sastri has written many books on the Indian history of the land south of Vindhyas.

In this book about the Cholas, the author has tried to bring to book the history of the Chola clan, starting from the famous Karikalan. But the early history is not deducible with reference to specific authoritative records such as stone inscriptions etc., Therefore, the author has relied upon the references made to the Chola kings in the Tamil Sangam literature such as Pattinappalai, Puranaanooru etc., thanks to U.Ve.Swaminatha Ayyar who made a great attempt to bring such literatures to print. The author bases his research on the 'Mahavamsa' indicating the history of Sri Lanka, Periplus of the Erythraean Sea and other notes by the Chinese and Arabian travellers to India.

After the fall of first of Chola dynasty during Pallava and Kalabhras, In about 850CE, Vijayalaya managed to recapture the lands around Thanjavur from Mutharaiyars and establish the second term of Chola dynasty. From then on, the Chola kings had a practice of recording their achievements, issue of grants to temples and other honorable people as stone incriptions and placing them on the walls of temples they built in their dominion. Also they inscribed such details on copper plates and made them secure with temple treasures. These inscriptions not only bore the achievements of the kings who caused the inscriptions, but also had the history of their predecessors in throne. These details were unearthed during Archaeological excavations and the history of the period were made authentic by comparing the inscriptions by various kings of concurrent times.

The author has made a great attempt in collecting such inscriptions form the archaeological survey of India and other authorities and has brought to book the history of not only the Cholas, but also Pandyas, Chalukyas, Sri Lankan monarchs and other contemporary rulers.

An interesting study and hence could cover the book of nearly six hundred pages in a relatively shorter period. This is Volume 1, and I am taking up volume 2 for study. A good read for those interested in history, especially of Tamil and Telugu history and Sangam literature.

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