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Question 21 of 93 · Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms
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Which Chola ruler's army reached the Ganga in the 11th century and defeated the Pala king of Bengal?

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Answer: Option D — Rajendra I

Detailed Solution

The Chola king Rajendra I (ruled 1014-1044 CE) sent an army that reached the Ganga in the north and defeated the Pala king Mahipala I of Bengal, around 1022-1023 CE.

About the Ganga expedition:

  • Rajendra I's army marched northwards through the territories of the eastern Chalukyas, Kalinga and Odisha, and reached the Ganga.
  • It defeated several kings on the way, including the Pala king Mahipala I.
  • According to Chola inscriptions, the defeated kings were made to carry the sacred water of the Ganga back to the Chola country.
  • To commemorate this victory, Rajendra I took the title "Gangaikondachola" ("the Chola who took the Ganga").
  • He built a new capital called "Gangaikondacholapuram" (in present-day Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu).
  • He built a great Shiva temple there, the Brihadisvara temple of Gangaikondacholapuram, and a large tank called "Chola Gangam", filled with water from the Ganga.
  • The Gangaikondacholapuram temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Great Living Chola Temples" (added in 2004).

Rajendra I's other achievements:

  • He was the son of Rajaraja I.
  • He conquered Sri Lanka completely.
  • He defeated the western Chalukyas and the Pandyas.
  • He led a naval expedition to South-East Asia, against the kingdom of Srivijaya.
  • He took titles such as "Gangaikondachola" and "Kadaramkonda" ("conqueror of Kadaram", in Malaya).
  • The Chola empire reached its greatest extent under him.

NCERT on the Cholas:

NCERT notes that Rajendra I's army raided the Ganga valley, Sri Lanka and countries of South-East Asia, and that he developed a navy for these expeditions.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Rajaraja I was his father and predecessor.
  • ✗Vijayalaya was an earlier Chola ruler.
  • ✗Kulottunga I was a later Chola ruler.

Quick tip

Remember: Rajendra I = Ganga expedition (about 1022); title "Gangaikondachola"; new capital Gangaikondacholapuram; also conquered Sri Lanka and Kadaram.

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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.

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