PM Modi will attend an event marking 1000 years of Rajendra Chola I’s maritime expedition and the construction of Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday will attend a programme to mark a thousand years of the maritime expedition of the great Rajendra Chola I to South East Asia and the commencement of the construction of the iconic Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple in Tamil Nadu.
As part of the celebrations, a commemorative coin honouring the great Chola king will be released, coinciding with the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival, PM Modi wrote on X.
“Tomorrow, 27th July, will witness a very special programme to mark a thousand years of the maritime expedition of the great Rajendra Chola I to South East Asia and the commencement of the construction of the iconic Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, a shining example of Chola architecture. It is our privilege that a commemorative coin honouring Rajendra Chola I is being released, also celebrating the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival,” he said on X.
The celebration also commemorates the birth anniversary of the great Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I. The grand finale of the festival on July 27 will be graced by PM Modi, who will attend the event as the Chief Guest.
Who Was Rajendra Chola I?
Rajendra Chola I (1014–1044 CE) was one of the most powerful and visionary rulers in Indian history. Under his leadership, the Chola Empire expanded its influence across South and Southeast Asia.
He established Gangaikonda Cholapuram as the imperial capital after his victorious campaigns, and the temple he built there served as a beacon of Shaiva devotion, monumental architecture, and administrative prowess for over 250 years.
Today, the temple stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its intricate sculptures, Chola bronzes, and ancient inscriptions.
The Aadi Thiruvathirai festival also celebrates the rich Tamil Shaiva Bhakti tradition, fervently supported by the Cholas and immortalised by the 63 Nayanmars—the saint-poets of Tamil Shaivism.
Notably, Rajendra Chola’s birth star, Thiruvathirai (Ardra), begins on July 23, making this year’s festival all the more significant.