1,000 Years of Rajendra Chola’s Legendary Maritime Expedition

The Ministry of Culture celebrated the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival from 23rd to 27th July 2025 to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Rajendra Chola I’s maritime expedition to Southeast Asia.

The festival also honoured Tamil Shaiva Bhakti traditions, especially the 63 Nayanmars, saint-poets who received patronage under the Chola dynasty.

Aspect	Details
Rajendra Chola I	Rajendra Chola I ruled from 1014 to 1044 CE and was the son of Rajaraja I, the powerful Chola ruler who became king in 985 CE.
Ganga Valley Conquest	He conquered the Ganga valley and earned the title Gangaikonda Cholan, meaning “The Chola who conquered the Ganges.”
New Capital	To commemorate his northern victory, he founded a new capital named Gangaikonda Cholapuram and built a temple of the same name.
Maritime Campaigns	Rajendra Chola I led successful naval expeditions against Sri Lanka and the powerful Srivijaya Empire in Southeast Asia.
Srivijaya Link	Srivijaya was a dominant maritime power in Southeast Asia by the 7th century and became a major target of Chola naval expansion.
A&N Islands Connection	The name Sri Vijaya Puram for the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is inspired by Rajendra Chola I’s victory over Srivijaya.

PT Facts

Dynasty: Chola dynasty.
Rajendra Chola I: Ruled from 1014 to 1044 CE.
Father: Rajaraja I.
Title: Gangaikonda Cholan.
Capital Founded: Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
Festival: Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival, 23rd to 27th July 2025.

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