Local Self Governance of CHOLAS

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Local self governance of CHOLAS

Origin of Chola Dynasty


 The Cholas' reign began in the 9th century, when they defeated
the Pallavas and took power. This rule lasted for over five
centuries, until the 13th century.
 However, in the early 2nd century, the state of Andhra had a
Chola kingdom that flourished far and wide. Sangam
literature emerged during the early periods of Chola
rule. Kantaman was a prominent ruler during this time period.
 For the Cholas, the medieval period was a time of absolute power
and development. This is when kings such as Aditya I and
Parantaka I reigned.
 Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra Chola expanded the kingdom into
the Tamil region from here.
 Later, Kulothunga Chola took control of Kalinga in order to
establish a strong rule. This splendour lasted until the Pandyas
arrived in the early 13th century.

Administration of Cholas - Features


 The Chola kings used a highly efficient administration system.
The Chola Mandalam included the entire Tanjore district as well
as parts of Trichy, Pudukottai, and South Arcot districts.
 The Cholas were divided into three major administrative
divisions: Central Government, Provincial Government, and
Local Government. Tanjore was the Cholas' capital.
 Many historians and rulers have praised the efficient Chola
administrative system.

Administration under Cholas


Kingship

 The king was in charge of the administration. The Chola


kings and queens were regarded as God's
representatives. Temples housed their idols. The Chola
throne was hereditary.
 The Chola royal family followed the principle that the
eldest son of the king should succeed to the Chola
throne. Yuvaraja was the name of the heir apparent.
 The Chola monarchs wielded tremendous power and
privilege. The Chola kings were given titles to
commemorate their accomplishments.
 They lived in enormous royal palaces. In their
administration, kings were assisted by ministers and
officials. The tiger was the royal emblem of Chola kings.

Central Administration

 The King is the head of the Central


Government. The Council of Ministers and
officials actively participated in the
administration of the Central Government.
 The higher officials were known
as Peruntaram, while the lower officials were
known as Siruntaram.
Provincial Administration

 The Chola Empire comprised of nine provinces. They


were also known as mandalams. The viceroy was the
province's ruler. Viceroys were appointed by close
relatives of kings.
 The Viceroys were always in contact with the Central
Government. The king gave orders to viceroys.
 They responded to the king on a regular basis. The
viceroys were assisted in their administrative duties by
a large number of officials.

Divisions of Administration

 The Chola administration's success was more


dependent on the administrative division's smooth
operation.
 Generally, mandalams were named after the Chola
kings' original names or titles. Each mandalam was
subdivided into Kottams or Valanadus.
 Every kottam was further subdivided into nadu. Each
nadu was further subdivided into (Urs) villages, which
formed the final administrative unit.
 The Chola administration is mentioned in
the Uttaramerur inscriptions.

Local Administration

 The local administration at the district, town, and village


levels was the most important feature of the Chola
administration.
 The inscriptions at Uttaramerur reveal a lot about the
Chola administration.
 The most distinguishing feature of the Chola
administrative system was village autonomy.
Administration of the Village
 The village assembly, known as Gram Sabha, was solely
responsible for village administration. The village unit was the
lowest level of Chola administration.
 The village assemblies were in charge of keeping the peace,
tanks, roads, public ponds, revenue collection, the judiciary,
education, and temples.
 The village assemblies were in charge of paying taxes owed to
the treasury by the villages. They regulated public markets and
assisted people during times of flood and fathine.
 Assembly provisions for education were made. The village
assemblies had complete control over the affairs of the villages.
 They kept law and order in each village. Chathurvedi mangalam
was the name of a Brahmin settlement.

Chola’s Army
 The Cholas had a strong army and navy. The Chola army had elephants,
cavalry, and infantry. Soldiers were properly trained. The ranks of nayaks
and senapathis were enjoyed by commanders. There were 70 regiments in
the army.
 There were 60,000 elephants in the Chola army. To strengthen the cavalry,
expensive Arabian horses were imported.
 At Kandalur salai, the Chola kings defeated the Cheras. The kings of
Ceylon and the Maldives were also overthrown.
 In South India, the Chola navy was formidable. The Cholas ruled the
Coromandal and Malabar coasts with the help of their navy.
 The Bay of Bengal was transformed into the Chola Lake. The Chola army
and navy had a total of 150,000 trained soldiers.
 In times of need, the armies of the tributary chieftains also joined the Chola
army. The Chola army was generally led by the King or Yuvaraja.

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