Chola Empire Cheras Pandyas MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Chola Empire Cheras Pandyas - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Chola.

Key Points

About Chola ruler:

• The Chola Dynasty was founded by the Vijayalaya in the 8th century. This dynasty was one of the longest-ruling dynasties in south India. They ruled from 848-1279 BCE century.
• The Heartland of the Cholas was situated on the banks of Kaveri River, but they ruled a significantly from the latter half of the 9th Century till the beginning of the 13th Century.
• The Chola dynasty emerged under the Rajaraja Chola 1 and his successors like Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra Chola, Rajendra Chola 2, and Kulothunga Chola I, the dynasty became an Economic, Cultural Power, and  Military, in South Asia and some parts of South-East Asia.
• During the Period of 1010–1153, the Chola territories extended from the Islands of the Maldives in the South to as far in the north as the banks of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.
• Their Patronage of Tamil Literature and their zealous feeling towards making the building of temples has resulted in some great works of Tamil literature and Temple Architecture.​

About Lord Shiva Dancing statue:

• The famous Nataraja Shiva Dance and the Bronze Sculpture, of the Natatraj of the Chola period,
• It is one of the Most Significant Religious Sculptures and Beholding the stature even today itself. The statue was made with the Lost Wax technique, the Chola period Bronzes bring together in the form of art of Metallurgy and the Aesthetics of the sacred statue.
• The Artwork and Pose are elaborated in many Hindu texts such as the Uttarakamika and Anshumadbhed Agama, the Dance form featured in all the Major Hindu Temples of Shaivism.
• As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the Ananda Tandava (Dance of Bliss), the dance shows the three things in which the Universe is Created, Maintained, and Destroyed. Symbolism in art has been various historians interpreted by the Chola era.

Image of Natraja Dance:

The correct answer is - Pastoral-cum-agricultural space

Key Points

• Kottam
  • The term Kottam refers to administrative and territorial units developed by the Chola dynasty.
  • It was primarily associated with pastoral-cum-agricultural space, which included regions where agriculture and animal husbandry were the main economic activities.
  • The Cholas organized their territories systematically to ensure efficient management and revenue collection.
• Chola administration
  • The Cholas were known for their highly structured and decentralized administrative system.
  • Kottams were part of this framework, helping govern rural areas and maintain control over local resources.
  • This system ensured both economic productivity and political stability.

Additional Information

• Chola dynasty
  • The Chola dynasty was one of the longest-ruling dynasties in South India, known for its remarkable contributions to art, architecture, and administration.
  • They ruled primarily during the period between the 9th and 13th centuries CE.
• Administrative divisions
  • The Chola kingdom was divided into several administrative units, such as Mandalam (province), Valanadu (district), and Kottam (local unit).
  • The Kottam was often associated with rural economic activities like farming and cattle rearing.
• Revenue system
  • The Cholas implemented a sophisticated revenue system, ensuring proper collection of taxes from both agricultural and pastoral activities.
  • The Kottam system played a vital role in the allocation and management of resources.

The correct answer is - Pandyas

Key Points

• Pandya dynasty
  • The coins of the Pandya dynasty often depict symbols like the fish, which is emblematic of their rule.
  • The fish symbol was a significant representation of the Pandya dynasty, reflecting their maritime connections and cultural identity.
  • The reverse side of Pandya coins usually bore the fish symbol, making these coins distinct and easily recognizable.
• Historical significance
  • The Pandya dynasty ruled over parts of southern India, primarily Tamil Nadu, and were known for their contributions to trade, art, and architecture.
  • The use of the fish symbol on coins highlights the importance of symbolism in ancient dynasties to represent their heritage and authority.

Additional Information

• Other dynasties and their coin symbols
  • Guptas: Gupta coins often depicted images of kings, deities like Lakshmi and Kartikeya, or the Garuda symbol, highlighting their religious and political dominance.
  • Kushanas: The Kushana coins prominently featured Greek and Indian deities, as well as inscriptions in Greek and Kharosthi scripts, reflecting their multicultural empire.
  • Hoysalas: Hoysala coins commonly displayed mythological figures and inscriptions in Kannada script, symbolizing their regional influence in Karnataka.
• Maritime connections of the Pandyas
  • The Pandya dynasty had strong maritime trade links with Southeast Asia, Rome, and other regions.
  • The fish symbol also alludes to their geographical location near the coast and their reliance on trade and fishing economies.
• Exam Tip
  • Focus on identifying the distinct symbols or characteristics associated with each dynasty, as these are commonly tested in history exams.
  • For the Pandya dynasty, always associate the fish symbol with their coinage and maritime influence.

The correct answer is Rajendra - I.

Key Points

•  Rajendra - I
  • Rajendra - I was a prominent Chola emperor who ruled from 1014 to 1044 CE.
  • He is credited with founding the city of Gangaikonda Cholapuram around 1025 CE.
  • The city commemorated his victorious military expedition to the Gangetic plains.
  • He shifted the Chola capital from Thanjavur to Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
  • This city remained the Chola capital for approximately 250 years.
  • Rajendra - I also built the Brihadisvara Temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Additional Information

• Raja Raja - I
  • Raja Raja - I was the father of Rajendra - I and ruled from 985 to 1014 CE.
  • He was known for his conquests and the construction of the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur.
  • While he expanded the Chola empire, he did not found Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
• Kulothungan - I
  • Kulothungan - I was a Chola emperor who ruled from 1070 to 1122 CE.
  • He succeeded the descendants of Rajendra - I and his reign was a period of consolidation.
  • He lived much later and was not involved in the founding of Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
  • Inscriptions from his time mention Gangaikonda Cholapuram as an existing city.
• Karikalan
• Karikalan was an early Chola king, likely from the 1st or 2nd century CE.
• He is known for his military achievements and the Kallanai dam.
• He lived centuries before the founding of Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
• He was not connected to the establishment of this city.
• The imperial Chola period, to which Rajendra - I belonged, began with the revival under Vijayalaya in the 9th century CE.

The correct answer is Rajendra-I.

Key Points

• Rajendra-I
  • Rajendra Chola I founded the city of Gangaikonda Cholapuram to commemorate his victory over the Gangetic region.
  • After defeating the Pala dynasty (Bengal), he brought Ganges water to the city, naming it "Gangaikonda Cholapuram" (The City of the Chola who Conquered the Ganges).
  • It served as the capital of the Chola Empire for over 250 years, replacing Thanjavur.
  • The city housed the Brihadeeswarar Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, mirroring Raja Raja I's Thanjavur temple.
  • Rajendra I's reign (1012–1044 CE) marked the peak of Chola military and architectural achievements.

Additional Information

• Raja Raja-I
  • Raja Raja Chola I was one of the greatest Chola emperors, ruling from 985–1014 CE.
  • He built the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture.
  • His reign laid the foundation for the Chola Empire's expansion but he did not build Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
  • He conducted naval campaigns but Rajendra I (his son) expanded further north, including the Ganges expedition.
  • Thanjavur remained the capital during his rule, while Gangaikonda Cholapuram was established later.
• Kulothungan-I
  • Kulothunga Chola I ruled from 1070–1122 CE, much later than Rajendra I.
  • He was a Chalukya-Chola ruler who merged the Eastern Chalukya and Chola kingdoms.
  • His reign focused on administrative reforms rather than major military conquests like Rajendra I.
  • By his time, Gangaikonda Cholapuram was already an established city, not founded by him.
  • He is known for his patronage of literature (like the Tamil epic Kamba Ramayanam) and temple renovations.
• Karikalan
  • Karikala Chola was an early Chola king (around 2nd century CE), long before Rajendra I.
  • He is famed for constructing the Grand Anicut (Kallanai), one of the world's oldest water-diversion structures.
  • His reign belonged to the Sangam period, predating the medieval Chola Empire's golden age.
  • Gangaikonda Cholapuram was built centuries later during the imperial Chola period.
  • Early Cholas like Karikala had no connection to the city's founding or later Chola capitals.

The correct answer is Arikamedu.

Key Points

• Arikamedu was an ancient Roman trade centre and coastal settlement in Pondicherry.
• Arikamedu, an archaeological site in Kakkayanthope, Puducherry was formerly a major Chola port dedicated to bead making and trading with Roman traders and was believed to be the only town to have ties with Rome.
  • The ancient city was first excavated by French archaeologists residing at Pondicherry, Jouveau Dubreuil, and Dr A. Aiyappan, the Superintendent of the Government Museum in Madras, four years before Wheeler came there.

Additional Information

• Lothal is a port city in Gujarat, located on the banks of the Bhogava River, a right tributary of the Sabarmati River.
• Pulakeshin ruled from the Chalukyan capital of Badami which was the main power in the south of the Narmada river.

The correct answer is Tirunamattukkani.

Key Points​According to Chola Inscriptions, There were five types of "Land gifts" that Chola kings gave to their peoples

• The Cholas (8th-12th century AD):
• They are remembered as one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the southern regions of India.
• The reign of the Cholas began in the 9th century when they defeated the Pallavas to come into power.
• This rule stretched over for over five long centuries until the 13th century.
• The medieval period was the era of absolute power and development for the Cholas. This is when kings like Aditya I and Parantaka I.
• From here Rajaraj Chola and Rajendra Chola further expanded the kingdom into the Tamil region. Later Kulothunga Chola took over Kalinga to establish a strong rule.
• This magnificence lasted until the arrival of the Pandyas in the early 13th century.

Additional Information

• Tirunamattukkani or Devadan: Also known as land gifted to temples.
• Pallichchhandam: Land gifted to Jain institutions.

The correct answer is Rajendra Chola.

Key Points

• Rajendra Chola is also known as Napoleon of South India due to his military conquest.
• He is also called Pandita Chola.
• He was the one who invaded and conquered Sri Lanka and later Kalinga.
• He also defeated Pala king Mahendra Pala making him the first South Indian who got success in North India or the Gangetic plains.
• He adopted the title of gangaikonda Chola afterwards.
• He built a new capital Gangaikonda cholapuram in Tamilnadu.
• He built the famous Shiva temple at gangaikonda.
• He also had links to the Southeast Asian Shailendra dynasty.
• He sent diplomatic missions to China for political as well as commercial purposes.
• He possessed a very powerful Navy.

The correct answer is Rajendra Chola I.

• Rajendra Chola I was popularly called ‘Victor of the Ganges’.

Key Points

• Rajendra I (1014 AD-1044 AD):
  • He conquered Orissa, Bengal, Burma and Andaman and Nicobar islands.
  • The Chola dynasty was at its zenith during his reign.
  • Rajendra I also assumed the title of ‘Gangaikonda Cholam’ and built a city called Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
  • Rajendra I conquered complete Sri Lanka and made Anuradhapura his capital.
  • He defeated the Pala king Mahipala and took the title of Gangaikonda Cholam.
  • He also built the Cholamandalam Lake and the city of Gangikonda Cholapuram.
  • He won the Java, Sumatra and Malaya areas from the Shailendra king.

Additional Information

• The Chola Empire (850 AD-1279 AD):
  • Capital: Tanjore, Gangaikonda Cholapuram.
  • The founder of the Chola dynasty was Vijayalaya, who was at first a feudatory of the Pallavas.
  • He captured Tanjore in 850 AD.
  • The ancient capital of Cholas was Palyarai.
  • Vijayalaya revived the Chola Empire in the 9th century AD.
    • He took the title of ‘Narkesari’.

The correct answer is Chola.

Key Points

• The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocracy empire of southern India, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the world's history.
• The earliest datable references to the Chola are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE left by Ashoka, of the Maurya Empire.
• The Chola Navy comprised the naval forces of the Chola Empire (4th Century BCE – 1279 CE), a Tamil thalassocracy empire of southern India, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the world.
• The Chola Navy grew in size and status during the Medieval Cholas reign.
• Between 900 and 1100 CE, the navy grew from a smaller entity to a potent maritime and diplomatic force across Asia, with maritime trade links extending from Arabia to China.
• The Cholas were at the height of their power from the latter half of the 9th century CE through the early 13th century CE.
• Under Rajaraja Chola I (reign c.  985 – c. 1014), Chola territories in South Asia stretched from the Maldives to the banks of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh.
• Between 1010 and 1153 CE, Rajaraja's successors continued the expansion, making the Chola Empire a military, economic and cultural power in South and South-East Asia.
• During this period, the Chola Navy helped expand the empire with Naval expeditions to the Pala of Pataliputra, along the Ganges and the Chola invasion of Srivijaya (present-day Indonesia) in 1025 CE, as well as repeated embassies to China.
• The Chola Navy declined in the 13th century when the Cholas fought land battles with the Chalukyas of the Andhra-Kannada area in South India, and with the rise of the Pandyan dynasty.

The correct answer is option 3.
Key Points

• Pallavas became a major power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (571–630 CE).
• Gopala Founded the Pala dynasty in CE 750 and ruled till 770s CE.
• King Bhoja of Pratihara ruled during  836-885 CE.
• Parantaka I of the Chola dynasty ruled during 907-953 CE.

Additional Information

• Nayanar saints like Appar and Tirugnanasambandar lived during the reign of Narsimhvarman I. 
• Huen Tsang visited the Pallava kingdom during the reign of Narsimhavarman I.
• Ashoka inscriptions note Cholas as a southern neighbor of the Maurya Empire.
• The only notable early Chola king is Karikala Chola, who ruled around 170 AD.

The Correct Answer is Rajendra Chola I.
Key Points

• Rajaraja Chola I (985 - 1014 AD):
  • He was one of the greatest emperors of the Chola empire.
  • In his reign, the Cholas expanded beyond South India stretching from Kalinga in the north to Sri Lanka in the south.
  • He fought many battles with the Chalukyas in the north and the Pandyas in the south.
  • He built the Brihadishwara temple in Thanjavur dedicated to Lord Shiva.
  • He also helped in the construction of a Buddhist monastery at Nagapattinam.
  • He was succeeded by his son Rajendra Chola I in 1014 AD.
• Rajendra Chola I (1014-44 AD):
  • He is considered one of the greatest rulers and military generals of south India.
  • He continued his father's policy of aggressive conquests and expansion.
  • Apart from reaching northwards to river Ganga and moving overseas to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, he also invaded the Southeast Asian territories.
  • He conquered the whole of Ceylon or Sri Lanka.
  • He defeated the kings of Sumatra in a naval campaign and annexed a part of Sumatra's kingdom to his kingdom.
  • He defeated Jayasimha II of the western Chalukyas and consequently, the river Tungabhadra was recognized as the boundary between the Cholas and Chalukyas.
  • He conquered several trans-Ganga Kingdoms and assumed the title of Gangaikonda Chola.
  • He founded the city Gangaikondacholapuram and constructed the famous Rameshwaram temple in the city.
  • He also excavated a large irrigation tank called Cholagangam on the western side of the city.
  • He assumed many titles, the most important ones being Mudikondan, Gangaikondan, Kadaram Kondan and Pandita Cholan.
  • He built a shiva temple at Gangaikondacholapuram.
  • The Chola dynasty reached its zenith during his reign.

Additional Information

• Sundara Chola (857-970 AD):
  • He was also known as Parantaka Chola II.
  • He was crowned as the Chola King despite the presence of Uttama Chola, the son of Gandaraditya.
  • He also encouraged Tamil and Sanskrit literature.​

The correct answer is land gifted to temples.

Key Points

• Devadana, Tirunamattukkani was called the land gifted to temples.
• Chola inscriptions mention several categories of land:
  • Vellanvagai- the land of non-Brahmana peasant proprietors
  • Brahmadeya- land gifted to Brahmanas.
  • Shalabhoga- land for the maintenance of a school.
  • Pallichchhandam- land donated to Jaina institutions.

The correct answer is Vijayalaya.

Key Points

• The founder of the medieval Chola empire, Vijayalaya Chola, provided the Chola empire with a strong base.
  • He was one of those rulers who, from nothing, greatly formed an empire and then conquered powerful neighboring empires such as Pandyas and Pallavas, and became a powerful force in all of ancient South India.
  • The early Cholas were very powerful, but they lost their authority to other kingdoms and became feudal princes.
  • Around 300 A.D., they went into darkness. Cholas have completely disappeared from their native land since this time.
  • A hero, with Chola blood, re-established Chola rule around 848 A.D, whom we now refer to as the great Vijayalaya Chola.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Cholas.

Key Points

• The reign of Cholas is regarded as the 'golden age' of south India.
• The golden age of Tamil culture, characterised by the significance of literature, was the Imperial Chola period. 
• In the Chola records, several works, including Rajarajesvara Natakam, Viranukkaviyam and Kannivana Puranam, are cited.

Important Points

• The Chola dynasty was Southern India's Tamil Thalassocratic monarchy, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world.
• In inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE left by Ashoka, of the Maurya Kingdom, the earliest dateable references to the Chola are.
• As one among the Three Tamil Kings of Tamil Nadu, that is together with the Chera and Pandya, the Chola dynasty continued to rule over various regions until the 13th century CE.
• Despite these ancient beginnings, in the mid-9th century CE, the time when it is reasonable to talk of a "Chola Kingdom" only starts with the mediaeval Cholas.