CHENNAI: Administrative jurisdiction, justice system, water and land taxes, interlinked irrigation canal and lake system and maintenance of public records, existed nearly a millennium ago in Southern parts of India and South East Asia; thanks to the meticulous chronicling by the Chola Dynasty, we now have a glimpse of what Tamil Nadu looked like in 1050 AD, say experts.
‘The Chola Dynasty’, is the topic of discussion at Tamil Heritage Trust’s two-day event “Pechchu Kachcheri” which is happening over the weekend at Tamil Virtual Academy at Kotturpuram. Historians and Chola enthusiasts gathered to narrate the legacy the Cholas left behind across arts, architecture, literature and culture.“Temples, particularly those built by Chola kings, are snapshots of frozen time,” said Rangarathnam Gopu, a technical historian and a heritage enthusiast, speaking at the event. He said the temples were not only a place of worship, but was a public place involved in robust activities including education, local administration and maintaining public records.
“The Chola empire sprawled across South Asian region and they were one of the longest living dynasties in Tamil Nadu,” says Chithra Madhavan, an acclaimed historian, speaking at the event. She said their empire spread from South India, to possibly all the way to Vietnam.