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Were Chola Hindu

Were Chola kings Hindu?

Claim: Raja Raja Chozlan wasn’t Hindu

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kamal-haasans-remark-sparks-row-no-hindu-religion-during-chola-period-3409830

Fact: Cholas proudly declared they were descendants of Lord Rāma

Cholas proudly declared they were descendants of Lord Rāma. Many Chola kings ruled according to Manusmriti. In Chola’s rule, Cow Killing was capital punishment. Cholas built 1000s of Hindu temples. The Chola king Elara Chola was known as “Manu Niti Cholan” because he followed Manumsriti. He executed his own son who was found guilty of inadvertently killing a cow. He was very famous for administering justice to everyone. Even the Sinhalese Buddhists venerated this king. When it becomes too hard for them to deny the Hinduness of Cholas, they use the strawman argument of sects. Kamal Hasan says that the Cholas were “Shaivites” but not Hindus. Is this true? Is Chola Shaivism different from Hinduism? Let us see.

Raja Raja Chola built many temples for Ganesha. One such example is the famous Vatapi Ganapati temple of Tiruchenkattankudi. This temple was rebuilt in stone by Rajaraja Chola according to the inscription in the temple.

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Raja Raja Chola also built many temples for Vishnu. Even in the newly conquered regions of Karnataka wrested from Western Gangas, he built Vishnu temples. The temple of Sri Janardhana at Tadi Malingi was built during his reign. It was ruined during Tipu’s incursions.

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The Aprameya Swamy temple in Karnataka is a Vishnu temple that was rebuilt by Rajaraja Chola in 1019 CE. He granted the temple certain lands for the offerings of the deity.

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Rajendra Chola had the title “Pandita Chola”. Why? He was a master of Vedas and Shastras. He was well-versed in Sanskrit. He also encouraged scholars throughout his kingdom. He would have been shocked to know that he would be declared a Non-Hindu in the future.

Cholas were great patrons of scholarship. Rajendra Chola invited 40,000 Vedic Brahmins from the North & granted them Agraharas. In his 8th year alone, he invited 1080 Brahmins &settled them near Kaveri. Chola inscriptions refer to these Vedic scholars as Bhumidevah, that is, lords of the earth.

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Cholas built thousands of Hindu temples. They include temples for Vishnu, Shiva, Skanda, Ganesha, Durga& Surya. They also built Hindu temples in Srilanka &Sumatra. How many Buddhist temples have they built? Hardly any is the answer. If Hinduism did not exist, why this distinction?

The Kuladevi of Cholas the Goddess Nisumbasuthani. Nisumbasuthani(=Slayer of Nishumbha) was a form of Durga. Cholas built many temples for this Goddess. Her main shrine is in Tanjavur.

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Cholas were performers of Vedic sacrifices & rituals. Chola inscriptions say that Karikala Chola performed Ashvamedha. Sangam literature tells us that ancient Chola king Perunakilli performed the Rajasuya sacrifice& got the title “Rajasuyam Vetta”. Ancient Chola coins depict Ashvamedha.

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The Manimangalam inscription of Rajadhiraja Chola ( 1046 CE) tells us that he followed Manusmriti and performed Ashvamedha.

Source: https://twitter.com/BharadwajAgain/status/1578367065626677248