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| Chola ship shipshub.com |
Rajendra Chola I of the Chola Dynasty of Tamil Desam was the first southern ruler to have given much importance to maritime \naval power. His strong and compressive naval force gave him enough courage and confidence to undertake war campaigns in the East Asian countries across the perilous sea (The Bay of Bengal). Unfortunately, his daring adventure across the ocean more than 1000 years is overlooked by in the Indian History book when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister of India. Subsequent Congress ministry never cared about the great warriors of north and south India. The recent visit of PM Modiji (August 23, 2025) to Gangaikonda Cholapuram (once a busy capital of the Chola emperor),Tamil Nadu to celebrate victorious ruler's 1000 th birth anniversary for the first time brought to light across India and the world the daring overseas war exploits of the great Chola ruler. Surely, it is a milestone event that etched the Chola's name into global maritime history.
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Gangaikonda Cholapuram, TN and PM Modiji
thecommunemag.com |
Rajendra Chola I (r. 1014–1044 CE), the son of Rajaraja Chola I, inherited not just a powerful empire but also a strong maritime legacy. Under his leadership, the Chola navy reached unprecedented heights, projecting power across the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean and undertaking one of the most significant naval campaigns in early South and Southeast Asian history — the conquest of the Srivijaya empire in Southeast Asia (c. 1025 CE).
1. Chola Naval Strategy and Seafaring Excellence
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Maritime Expansion: Rajendra Chola's overseas campaign was unprecedented for an Indian ruler. The Chola navy sailed across the Bay of Bengal and attacked key port cities of the Srivijaya empire, which controlled vital maritime trade routes stretching from Sumatra to the Malay Peninsula.
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Naval Bases and Ports: The Cholas maintained well-equipped port cities like Puhar (Kaveripattinam), Nagapattinam, and Kadalur, which served as hubs for trade and naval operations. These ports were connected to inland river systems for transporting materials and troops.
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Sea Routes: Chola ships followed established monsoon wind patterns to travel to Southeast Asia. Their seafaring knowledge, rooted in observation of seasonal winds (e.g., northeast and southwest monsoons), allowed for efficient and swift voyages.
2. Shipbuilding Techniques and Naval Craft
Materials Used: Chola shipbuilders primarily used teakwood, sal wood, and jackfruit wood, known for their durability and resistance to saltwater. The availability of these hardwoods in the Western Ghats and forests of Tamil Nadu contributed to robust ship construction.
Types of Ships: Based on inscriptions, literary sources, and foreign accounts (notably from Chinese and Arab merchants),
Chola ships fell into two main categories: Trading Vessels (Marakkalam): Used for commercial purposes, these were large, multi-decked ships capable of carrying spices, textiles, and horses.
Warships (Thirisadai or Kalam): Purpose-built for warfare, these ships were armed with archers, warriors, and perhaps catapults. They were designed for both riverine and oceanic warfare.
Construction Style: Chola ships were built using the sewn-plank method, where wooden planks were stitched together using coir ropes and sealed with natural resins and fish oil for waterproofing. This gave flexibility and strength in rough seas.
Design Features: High stern and prow to navigate waves. Shallow draft for coastal navigation and riverine access.
Ballast chambers for stability during ocean crossings.
Square or lateen sails, possibly made of cotton or palm fibers, harnessing monsoon winds.
Crew and Navigation: Ships were manned by expert seamen, often drawn from coastal fishing communities. Navigational knowledge was preserved orally and through simple instruments like the astrolabe, knotted ropes, and star charts. Experienced navigators (possibly called 'Nevidhar') guided long-distance voyages.
3. Documentation and Inscriptions
The Thanjavur inscriptions of Rajendra Chola provide accounts of his conquest of Kadaram (modern-day Kedah in Malaysia) and other ports in Srivijaya, indicating the scale and success of the campaign.
The Tamil copperplate inscriptions such as the Leiden Grant (now in the Netherlands) document Chola naval trade and religious patronage in Southeast Asia, including endowments to Buddhist monasteries.
4. Legacy and Influence
The Chola naval conquests disrupted Srivijaya’s monopoly over the Malacca Strait, boosting Indian influence on international trade with China and Southeast Asia.
Temples and merchant guilds (like the Ayyavole 500 and Manigramam) thrived abroad, leaving cultural and architectural imprints in Southeast Asia.
Rajendra Chola’s navy set a precedent for later Indian rulers and is considered a pioneering force in Asian maritime history.
Conclusion: Rajendra Chola I’s naval strength was not accidental — it was the result of deliberate investment in shipbuilding, port infrastructure, and seafaring knowledge. His naval campaigns showcased Tamil maritime engineering at its finest and allowed India to assert itself as a naval power long before the European colonial era.
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