Chola Empire's Temple Donors: The Inscriptions of Rajaraja

This episode explores the thousands of inscriptions carved into the walls of the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, commissioned by Rajaraja Chola I around 1010 CE. These records list the names, villages, and endowments of hundreds of donors—kings, queens, military officers, merchants, and even temple servants. We uncover what these inscriptions reveal about Chola society, economy, and religion: the devadana system of tax-free temple lands, the role of local assemblies (sabhas) in managing resources, and the social mobility possible through generous giving. We also look at the precision of the record-keeping, including the famous Tiruvalangadu plates, and how these texts challenge the idea of a monolithic state. Who gave what, and why? The inscriptions offer a microhistory of a vibrant, stratified, but interconnected world. #BrihadeeswararTemple #RajarajaCholaI #Thanjavur #CholaInscriptions #TiruvalangaduPlates #Devadana #Sabha #TempleEconomy #SouthIndianHistory #MedievalIndia #CholaEmpire #Epigraphy #TamilEpigraphy #Sponsorship #SocialHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo