Defence
The founder of the medieval (Imperial) Chola dynasty, who captured Thanjavur in the mid-9th century, was:
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Answer: Option A — Vijayalaya
Detailed Solution
Vijayalaya founded the medieval (Imperial) Chola dynasty, after capturing Thanjavur in about 850 CE.
About Vijayalaya:
- The Cholas were an ancient ruling family, mentioned in Sangam literature, but they had declined and become minor chiefs in the Uraiyur region by the 6th-8th centuries.
- NCERT explains that a family of minor chiefs known as the Muttaraiyar held power in the Kaveri delta and were subordinate to the Pallava kings.
- Vijayalaya, who belonged to the ancient chiefly family of the Cholas from Uraiyur, captured the delta from the Muttaraiyar in the middle of the 9th century.
- He built the town of Thanjavur (or made it his capital), and a temple there for the goddess Nishumbhasudini (a form of Durga).
- The Vijayalaya Cholisvaram temple at Narttamalai (Pudukkottai district) is an early Chola temple associated with his time.
His successors:
- Aditya I (about 871-907 CE): defeated the Pallavas and extended Chola power over the Pallava territory.
- Parantaka I (about 907-955 CE): conquered Madurai (Pandya kingdom); in his reign, the Uttaramerur inscriptions on village assemblies were inscribed.
- Rajaraja I (985-1014 CE) and Rajendra I (1014-1044 CE): the greatest Chola rulers.
- NCERT notes that Vijayalaya's successors conquered neighbouring regions, and the kingdom grew in size and power; the Pandyan and the Pallava territories to the south and north were made part of this kingdom.
Decline:
The Chola empire declined in the 13th century, and was finally overthrown by the Pandyas around 1279 CE.
About the early Cholas:
Karikala was the most famous early (Sangam) Chola king, known for building the Kallanai (Grand Anicut) dam on the Kaveri.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Karikala was an early Sangam-age Chola king.
- ✗Aditya I and Parantaka I were successors of Vijayalaya.
Quick tip
Remember: Vijayalaya = founder of the Imperial Cholas (captured Thanjavur from the Muttaraiyar about 850 CE; Nishumbhasudini temple); Karikala = Sangam Chola (Kallanai); end about 1279.
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Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India from about the 7th to the 12th century: the Rajput dynasties, the tripartite struggle between the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and the South Indian kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas, along with the Sangam age and the temple architecture of the period. Questions often ask which dynasty built a temple (the Pallavas built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, and Rajaraja Chola I built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur), the capitals of dynasties, and the local self-government of the Cholas. Learning each dynasty with its capital, greatest ruler and one monument is the quickest way to answer these questions. Practise the early medieval India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.