The temple and the city....
Rajendra the Builder....
Later history....
The City then and now....
Temple Architecture....
Temple Sculptures....
Temple Bronzes....
Minor Shrines....
Epigraphs....
Literature....
Gaingaikondacholan Lake....
Chalukya and Kalinga scul....
Bibliography....
The temple and the city
Gangaikondacholapuram, now in the Udaiyarpalayam taluk of Tiruchi district, in Tamilnadu, was ereated as the capital of the Cholas by Rajendra I, the son and successor of Rajaraja I, the great Chola who conquered a large area in South India at the beginning of the 11th century A.D. It occupies an important place in the history of India. As the capital of the Cholas from about 1025 A.D. for about 250 years, the city controlled the affairs of entire south India, from the Tungabhadra in the north to Ceylon in the south. The great temple of Siva at this place is next only to the great temple of Tanjore in its monumental nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality. The city was founded by the eminent Chola emperor probably to commemorate his victorious march to the Ganges and reflected his personality throughout the days of its eminence and continues to do so because of its great temple, though its role as a capital of the south has been forgotten by its inhabitants. It is now a small village, bounded in the west by the celebrated Gangaikondan lake, one of the biggest lakes in south India, and by the river Vadavaru in the east. To the south and the north are fields with a few hamlets bearing names recalling their associations with the greatness of the city. A highway winding its way through this once great city runs north-south leading to the Lower Anicut, while another road cuts across the great lake east-west and connects this village with Jayamkondachola puram, another Chola foundation about six miles to the west. The lofty tower of the great prasada could be seen from about a distance of six or seven miles. Besides the great temple and another ancient relices, inscriptions on the temple are our primary source of information for reconstructing the history of the city. Copper plate charters issued by Rajendra and his successors also give valuable information. A few Tamil literary works like the Thiruvisaippa of Karuvurdevar, the Kalingattup-parani of Jayamkondar, the Muvar Ula of Ottakkuttar, and the Koyil Olugu furnish some data. The Sanskrit work, the Vikramankadeva Charita of Bilhana on the exploits of Vikramaditya VI, also throws some light. Records dealing with the Udaiyarpalaiyam zamin give some valuab;e information about the temple and the city.