1. LATER CHOLAS

2. Inscriptions : Later Cholas __ Sources
The later Cholas became prominent in the 9th Century and established an empire comprising the major portion of South India and they were called as the Imperial Cholas .
The Sources for the history of the Later Cholas were classified into Inscriptions , Monuments , Numismatic sources and Literary sources .
Inscriptions :
Inscriptions were placed on the walls of the temples and pillars , about the life of the rulers , Administration , Political , Economic , Religious , Social and Cultural conditions during the Cholas period .
The Inscriptions in the Brahadeeswarar temple at Tanjore known as “ Big Temple “ .
Many important inscriptions are found in Cuddalore , Villupuram , Trichy , Tanjore , Chidambaram , Kumbakonam and Nagapattinam .

3. The stone inscriptions give us useful information about the administration of the Cholas rulers .
The Thiruvandhipuram stone inscriptions give information about the reign of Rejendra –III .
The Uttaramerur Inscriptions give information about the Kudavolai system , Village Administration , Taxation and Land revenue .
Anbil Plates , the Kanyakumari stone inscriptions , Karanthai Plates and Thiruvalangadu Copper Plates give useful information about the Cholas .
The Tanjore Peruvudaiyar temple Inscriptions talk about the existence of Saivism .
The Inscriptions of Cheras , Pandyas , Rashtrakutas and Ganges speak about the Cholas .

4. Monuments
The Brahadeewarar Temple at Tanjore ,the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple
Airavateesvarar Temple of Dharasuram and the Kanbagareswarar Temple in
Thirupuvanam are some of the important monuments of the Cholas .
Numismatics Sources :
The Cholas kings issued Gold , Silver and Copper coins .
Figure of Tiger was engraved as the Chola Emblem on every Chola coin issued during that period .
King Rajaraja issued a new Ceylon type of coins .
Chola coins are useful to fix the Chronology of the Chola rulers .

5. Literary Sources .
The literary sources are very useful for the study of the Cholas .
Sekkilar’s Periyapuranam deals with the life of Saiva devotees .
Sekkilar was a contemporary of Kulothunga – II .
Kalingathupparani of Jayamkondan , Three Ulas and the Kulothungan Pillai Tamil of Ottakkoothar give useful information about the Cholas .
Other literary works like Veerasoliyam , Sthalapuranam and Cholavarma Charitham about the early Cholas .
Foreign Sources :
Mahavamsam , the Ceylon literature talks about the relationship between the early Chola Country and Ceylon kingdom and also speaks about the Chola rule in Ceylon .
European traveller Marcopolo and foreign writer Magesthanese give interesting information about the Cholas .
Al –beruni a Muslim historian writes about the Cholas .

6. Political history of the Cholas .
Vijayalaya Chola :
King Vijayalaya was the founder of the later Chola dynasty .
Vijayalaya captured Tanjore from the Muttaraiyas and made it his capital in 850 AD .
His son Aditya put an end to the Pallava kingdom by defeating Aparajita and annexed Tondaimandalam .
Vijayalaya also annexed the Kongu country .
He was a woshipper of Siva .

7. Parantaka – I : 907 AD – 953 AD :
Uttaramerur Inscriptions speak about Parantaka –I
He was a son of Aditya .
He was a devotee of Lord Siva
He conquered many parts of Southern India and extended his boundary .
He captured Madurai .
Thus he assumed the title of Maduraikondan .
After defeating the combined armies of the Pandyas and Ceylon kings , he assumed the title of “ Maduraiyum Ezhamum Kondan “
He extended his empire upto Nellore in North .

9. He provided golden roof to the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram and came to be called as “ Pon Veintha Cholan “ .
He was a great builder of temples.
He provided the Vimana of the famous Nataraja temple at Chidambaram with a golden roof .
The famous Uttaramerur Inscriptions give a detailed account of the Village administration under the Cholas belong to his reign .
But he suffered a defeat at the hands of the Rashtrakutas in the famous battle of Takkolam .
He was succeeded by Kandaraditya , Arinjaya , Sundara Chola alias Parantaka – II and Uttama Chola .
After a gap of thirty years , the Cholas regained their supremacy under Rajaraja –I .

10. Rajaraja – I : 985 AD – 1014 AD :