‘Tamils Pride Raja Raja Cholan’ trends on Twitter as people celebrate king’s 1074th birth anniversary

Through the hashtag #TamilsPrideRajaRajaCholan, Twitter users took to celebrating Raja Raja Cholan, considered to be one of the greatest kings of the Chola era. During his reign, the Chola empire extended from the Lakshwadeep and Maldives Islands to Odisha.

“Raja Raja Cholan is an inevitable character in Tamil and world history. From modern-day Sri Lanka in the South to Odisha in the North to Malabar Coast and the Maldives, Arulmoli Varman (Raja Raja Chola’s birth name), the Tamil King expanded his empire throughout Asia,” said one Twitter user.

As a ruler, he was known for his war conquests and his military strength. As one Twitter user noted, he had a large naval fleet, a military force that historians consider to be one of the best in his era. However, this was not the only aspect of his reign that was appreciated on Twitter. “He is a remarkable architect, efficient economist, lover of art & literature, an eminent philosopher, & above all a supreme thinker. The interests of Cholan can’t be labelled as one. He is the man of multi-facets, with a great passion for many things,” said another user.

Architecturally, many temples were built during Raja Raja Cholan’s reign, the most noteworthy being Brihadishvara Temple in Thanjavur. Additionally, Cholan bronze statues, many of which are on display at the Government Museum in Egmore, are also very popular among history buffs.