A memorable tribute to Rajendra Chola, Candesa Anugraha Murti
Rājarāja Chola Crowns his son Rājendra Chola, 1012 C.E.
Dr. R. Nagaswamy - originally published in 2012
At the start of 2nd millenium, over thousand years ago, the entire Southern part of India witnessed the rule of an all round genius Rājarāja Chola. I (985 to 1015 CE). In the fields of arts, architecture, sculpture, paintings, bronzes, music and dance, literature, war and peace, administration and justice, religion and philosophy, catholicity of outlook and above all clarity of thought and implementation, Rājarāja was an unequalled monarch. He paid meticulous attention to the welfare and comfort of his people. Thousands of his inscriptions that have survived give vivid picture of his personality and contributions.
Rājarāja built the Great temple of Thanjavur and covered the two hundred feet high tower with gold to signal his contribution. The temple survives to this day in its original grandeur. He demonstrated absolute freedom and equality of women and allowed them to manage their own affairs. His queens and sister are seen possessing property in their own names and issuing orders with equal validity as that of the Emperor. The most importantly Rājarāja, though was a staunch follower of Saivism, ensured religious tolerance and patronized all religions, Saivism, Vaishnavism, Saktam, Janinism and Buddhism alike.
Exactly 1000 years to this year 2012, in the early weeks of July, 1012 C.E., Rājendra was chosen his apparent by Rājarāja. Rājendra jointly ruled with his father for nearly four years till 1016 C.E.
The great temple of Gangaikonda Cholisvaram built by Rājendra, to commemorate his victorious march to the Ganges, is next only to the great temple of Tanjore in its monumental nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality. Gangaikonda Cholapuram Vimana is undoubtedly a devalaya chakravarti, an emperor among temples of South India.
Tamil Arts Academy Silver Jubilee Celebration
The Tamil Arts Academy is celebrating its Silver Jubilee this year (2025). Established by the renowned Archaeologist and Indologist Dr. R. Nagaswamy and his children, the Academy aims to serve as a model for other scholars who have accumulated valuable material over the years. The Academy was founded in Besant Nagar in January 2000 on Dr. Nagaswamy’s 70th birthday. It boasts a wealth of material on Indian Art and History. It houses hundreds of books in Sanskrit, Tamil, and English, along with 7,000 color slides and 10,000 photographs on Indian Art, with new additions every month.
The Tamil Arts Academy is an institution engaged in the study, survey, data collection, publication, preservation and providing facilities for research Scholars in Arts, Literature, Religion, Philosophy and Culture. Its study extends to whole of India and South Asia in general and Tamil Nadu in particular. It also pays attention to contacts of the Tamils with other parts of the world. It is a fact that the Indian and South Asian Art and Civilization are deeply rooted in the Vedas. It firmly believes that Tamil civilization can be fully and properly comprehended by a study of Sanskrit language and literature in the context of larger Indian heritage. It also believes visual representations of India's heritage by its temples, sculptures, paintings, inscriptions, manuscripts, medicine and allied Śastras and oral traditions are the most telling evidences that require greater attention.
The Academy hopes to make its facilities available to research scholars and provide training in fields such as Epigraphy and Iconography. The Academy can be reached at tamilarts.academybooks@gmail.com.
The website offers a wealth of information on various aspects of Tamil heritage, including:
Historical Studies: Detailed explorations of Tamil kings, their Vedic practices, and the influence of Dharma Śāstra.
Literature and Poetry: Insights into Saṅgam literature, including works like Puṟanāṉūru and Silappadikāram, which highlight the integration of Vedic traditions in Tamil society.
Art and Architecture: Discussions on the contributions of Tamil kings to art and architecture, including the establishment of Vedic colleges and the construction of temples.
Music and Dance: Information on Tamil music and dance forms, with references to ancient texts like Bharata’s Nātya Śāstra.
The Academy has released 33 periodical journals featuring numerous articles and photographs authored by Dr. Nagaswamy. These articles are well-referenced for authenticity and have served as preludes to many best-selling books, such as Tamil Nadu, The Land of the Vedas. Additionally, the Academy has made most of Dr. Nagaswamy's books available for free in both English and Tamil for researchers. We have also digitized many rare Tamil books published over a century ago, making them accessible under a separate category.
Dr. Ramachandran Nagaswamy (1930-2022) was a renowned Indian historian, archaeologist, and epigraphist, known for his extensive work on Tamil Nadu's temple inscriptions and art history. Some key highlights of his career include:
Director of Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department: He served from 1966 to 1988, making significant contributions to the field of archaeology.
Chola Bronzes Expert: Dr. Nagaswamy was an authority on Chola bronzes and conducted numerous studies on South Indian art and architecture.
Publications and Lectures: He authored several books and articles, and was a popular lecturer, making archaeology accessible to the public.
Awards and Honors: He received the Padma Bhushan in 2018 for his contributions to art and Archaeology.
Dr. Nagaswamy’s work has left a lasting impact on the understanding and preservation of Tamil heritage.
