The Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur stands as a testament to Dravidian architecture. Built by the Chola dynasty, the massive dome and intricate frescoes transport you to a time of divine grandeur.

At every temple in South India, the aarti for the deity is performed by burning a piece of camphor on a platter. Who knew that this blessed, fragrant tree produ ...

What you might not know, however, is that Nataraja’s popularity owes a great deal to a single Chola queen from over 1,000 years ago: Sembiyan Mahadevi. Sembiyan first emerges in historical records in ...

One of the most distinguishing features of the Chola Empire was their comfort with diversity. Instead of replacing existing cultures after the conquest, the Cholas added a new layer to them which ...

Thillai Nataraja Temple, also referred as the Chidambaram Nataraja ... Completed in 1035 AD by Rajendra Chola I as a part of his new capital. The Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple is smaller yet more ...

He also highlighted the influence of the Chola dowager queen and great-aunt of Sembiyan Mahadevi in the kingdom and establishing the Nataraja idol as an iconic symbol of India. Stating that ...

And in the late 10th century, you begin to see this change in a very concerted fashion because of this remarkable Chola queen called Sembian Mahadevi, who is a devotee of Nataraja and builds a ...

Women had played a central role in the rise of Chola power but as their power faded, so too did the status of their women. Chola royal women practically disappeared from the historical record from the ...

In 1024, Rajendra Chola dreamt up the grandest, riskiest, campaign ever planned by a medieval Indian ruler: an attack across the seas on Kedah (in today’s Malaysia). Both Rajendra Chola and the ...

Elaborating on how she patronised temples and built the popular support for the Chola empire, Mr. Kanisetti said she clearly saw temple construction as a very important part of the public persona.