The royal city of Kumbakonam and the famous Shiva temple there were built by one of the greatest kings of the Chola dynasty, Rajendra I.
The Chola Kingdom was a very ancient one. It was in the 8th century AD that the Cholas’ glory began to shine, when the power of the Pallavas declined. By the 10th century AD, the Cholas took the holy city of Madurai from the Pandyas, and moved further down south to invade Sri Lanka.
The Cholas also defeated the Chalukyas in northeast Deccan.
The greatest triumph was brought by Rajendra I when he marched right up to the banks of the holy river Ganga in Bengal. To celebrate his achievement, he built the royal city of Kumbakonam and constructed a temple for Lord Shiva called Gangaikondacholapuram. This temple is a masterpiece of South Indian architecture. By the beginning of the thirteenth century AD, the Chola Empire began to decline.
Picture Credit : Google
