The Chola Dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire in southern India, and it was one of the world's longest-ruling dynasties. The family came to dominate the region in the mid-ninth century, establishing an empire that would last more than 400 years. The Chola Dynasty, which was based in the fertile Kaveri River delta in the present-day Indian state of Tamil Nadu, ruled much of south India and as far as Sri Lanka and the Maldives at its peak in the eleventh century.

The Chola Empire was organized into three major administrative units: the Central Government, the Provincial Government, and the Local Government. The Uttaramerur inscriptions shed light on Chola administration. The king presided over the administration. The Chola kingship was a hereditary position. In this article, we will discuss the Administration of Cholas which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Origin of Chola Dynasty

• The Cholas' reign began in the 9th century, when they defeated the Pallavas and took power. This rule lasted for over five centuries, until the 13th century.
• However, in the early 2nd century, the state of Andhra had a Chola kingdom that flourished far and wide. Sangam literature emerged during the early periods of Chola rule. Kantaman was a prominent ruler during this time period.
• For the Cholas, the medieval period was a time of absolute power and development. This is when kings such as Aditya I and Parantaka I reigned.
• Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra Chola expanded the kingdom into the Tamil region from here.
• Later, Kulothunga Chola took control of Kalinga in order to establish a strong rule. This splendour lasted until the Pandyas arrived in the early 13th century.

Administration of Cholas - Features

• The Chola kings used a highly efficient administration system. The Chola Mandalam included the entire Tanjore district as well as parts of Trichy, Pudukottai, and South Arcot districts.
• The Cholas were divided into three major administrative divisions: Central Government, Provincial Government, and Local Government. Tanjore was the Cholas' capital.
• Many historians and rulers have praised the efficient Chola administrative system.

Administration under Cholas

Kingship

• The king was in charge of the administration. The Chola kings and queens were regarded as God's representatives. Temples housed their idols. The Chola throne was hereditary.
• The Chola royal family followed the principle that the eldest son of the king should succeed to the Chola throne. Yuvaraja was the name of the heir apparent.
• The Chola monarchs wielded tremendous power and privilege. The Chola kings were given titles to commemorate their accomplishments.
• They lived in enormous royal palaces. In their administration, kings were assisted by ministers and officials. The tiger was the royal emblem of Chola kings.

Central Administration

• The King is the head of the Central Government. The Council of Ministers and officials actively participated in the administration of the Central Government.
• The higher officials were known as Peruntaram, while the lower officials were known as Siruntaram.

Provincial Administration

• The Chola Empire comprised of nine provinces. They were also known as mandalams. The viceroy was the province's ruler. Viceroys were appointed by close relatives of kings.
• The Viceroys were always in contact with the Central Government. The king gave orders to viceroys.
• They responded to the king on a regular basis. The viceroys were assisted in their administrative duties by a large number of officials.

Divisions of Administration

• The Chola administration's success was more dependent on the administrative division's smooth operation.
• Generally, mandalams were named after the Chola kings' original names or titles. Each mandalam was subdivided into Kottams or Valanadus.
• Every kottam was further subdivided into nadu. Each nadu was further subdivided into (Urs) villages, which formed the final administrative unit.
• The Chola administration is mentioned in the Uttaramerur inscriptions.

Local Administration

• The local administration at the district, town, and village levels was the most important feature of the Chola administration.
• The inscriptions at Uttaramerur reveal a lot about the Chola administration.
• The most distinguishing feature of the Chola administrative system was village autonomy.

Nadu

• Nadu was one of the Cholas' most important administrative units. Nadus had democratically elected assemblies.
• Nattars were the names given to the nadus' heads. Nadu's council was known as nattavai.
• Agriculture was promoted by Nattavais and Nattars representatives. They were also in charge of public safety and tax collection.

Administration of the Village

• The village assembly, known as Gram Sabha, was solely responsible for village administration. The village unit was the lowest level of Chola administration.
• The village assemblies were in charge of keeping the peace, tanks, roads, public ponds, revenue collection, the judiciary, education, and temples.
• The village assemblies were in charge of paying taxes owed to the treasury by the villages. They regulated public markets and assisted people during times of flood and fathine.
• Assembly provisions for education were made. The village assemblies had complete control over the affairs of the villages.
• They kept law and order in each village. Chathurvedi mangalam was the name of a Brahmin settlement.

Variyams

• Village Assemblies effectively managed village administration with the help of variyams. These variyams were made up of male members of society.
• The composition of these variyams, as well as the qualifications and durations of membership, varied from village to village.
• Every village had a plethora of variyams. Thottavariyam looked after the flower gardens, while Niyaya variyam administered justice. The Dharma variyam was in charge of charities and temples.
• Erivariyam was in charge of the water tanks and supply. The finance was overseen by the pon variyam. The Gramakariya variyam was in charge of overseeing the work of all committees.
• These varivams' members were dubbed "Varivaperumakkal." They performed honourable service. The village officials were either paid in cash or in kind.
• The effectiveness of these variams increased the efficiency of Chola local administration.

Revenue of Cholas

• The Chola Government's main source of income was land revenue. A thorough land survey was carried out.
• Land was divided into two categories: taxable land and non-taxable land. The taxable lands had a wide range of grades.
• The revenue from land varied according to these grades. Generally, 1/6 of the land yield was collected as tax, either in cash or in kind, or both, depending on the farmers' convenience.
• Aside from land revenue, there were other sources of income such as customs and tolls. Mine, port, forest, and salt pan taxes were levied. Professional and property taxes were also levied. A slew of other taxes were imposed.
• The tax burden was heavier on society. People were sometimes unable to pay taxes due to a lack of rain and famine.

Chola’s Army

• The Cholas had a strong army and navy. The Chola army had elephants, cavalry, and infantry. Soldiers were properly trained. The ranks of nayaks and senapathis were enjoyed by commanders. There were 70 regiments in the army.
• There were 60,000 elephants in the Chola army. To strengthen the cavalry, expensive Arabian horses were imported.
• At Kandalur salai, the Chola kings defeated the Cheras. The kings of Ceylon and the Maldives were also overthrown.
• In South India, the Chola navy was formidable. The Cholas ruled the Coromandal and Malabar coasts with the help of their navy.
• The Bay of Bengal was transformed into the Chola Lake. The Chola army and navy had a total of 150,000 trained soldiers.
• In times of need, the armies of the tributary chieftains also joined the Chola army. The Chola army was generally led by the King or Yuvaraja.

Conclusion

During the imperial period (850 – 1200 CE), the Chola government was notable for its uniqueness and innovation. The Cholas were the first dynasty to attempt and, to a large extent, succeed in uniting all of South India under a single rule. Although the form and protocols of that government cannot be compared to a modern form of government, the Chola empire's history belongs to a happy period in their history when great things were accomplished by the government and the people.