Poging GOUD - Vrij
Cholas Not New to Contemporary TN Politics
The New Indian Express Madurai
|August 11, 2025
Parties and movements in TN have lavishly praised and sharply criticised the Cholas. The DMK and its parent organisation DK themselves differed
The images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, clad in typical Tamil attire, walking with a small pot filled with water from the Ganges inside the Brihadeeswarar temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram in Ariyalur district on July 27, went viral on social media.
The BJP and its supporters hailed it as yet another instance of the PM honouring "hitherto unacknowledged" glories of ancient Tamils. Former Telangana Governor and senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan, writing for this paper, even drew a parallel between the PM and Rajendra Chola himself, who founded Gangaikonda Cholapuram, with both bringing water from the Ganges.
Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam accused the ruling DMK of not doing enough to honour the glory of the Chola dynasty and thereby ceding space to the BJP to claim credit.
It would be a disservice to a nuanced understanding of contemporary Tamil politics if one were to believe that Cholas became popular only after the release of Ponniyin Selvan I (2022), the movie based on the eponymous historical fiction written by Kalki, or to believe in the allegations of the BJP and the TVK that Cholas have not been honoured enough.
The Chola dynasty has not only been part of the Tamil psyche, as evidenced by 'Rajendran' being a common Tamil name even today, but the Cholas have been an integral part of the shaping of a distinct Tamil identity for the past many decades by political forces, albeit in a complex manner.
Parties and movements in TN have both lavishly praised and sharply criticised the Cholas. To begin with, the DMK and its parent organisation the Dravidar Kazhagam themselves differed.
Dit verhaal komt uit de August 11, 2025-editie van The New Indian Express Madurai.
Abonneer u op Magzter GOLD voor toegang tot duizenden zorgvuldig samengestelde premiumverhalen en meer dan 9000 tijdschriften en kranten.
Bent u al abonnee? Aanmelden
MEER VERHALEN VAN The New Indian Express Madurai
The New Indian Express Madurai
Leaders extend Deepavali wishes to people of TN
GOVERNOR RN Ravi and leaders of various political parties have extended Deepavali wishes to the people of Tamil Nadu.
1 min
October 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Madurai
Eatery owner shot dead for serving non-veg
A 47-year-old restaurant owner in Ranchi was shot dead after a customer was allegedly served non-veg biryani instead of the vegetarian he had ordered.
1 min
October 20, 2025

The New Indian Express Madurai
WHY YOU NEED TO BUILD A WAR CHEST NOW
HERE are warning signs all around. Despite trade wars and geopolitical tensions, the relative calm in asset prices is disturbing. Equity assets and gold prices do not rally or fall in tandem. The dramatic surge in gold prices over the past year indicates a risk in financial markets. It is not just gold.
2 mins
October 20, 2025

The New Indian Express Madurai
No festival celebrations this year, TVK tells cadre
TAMILAGA Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay has urged party members to refrain from celebrating Deepavali this year as a mark of respect for the 41 people who lost their lives in the stampede during the recent political rally in Karur.
1 min
October 20, 2025

The New Indian Express Madurai
Bhagwat calls for freeing minds from influence of Macaulay edu system
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, speaking on Sunday in Mumbai at the launch event of the volume Arya Yug, highlighted the significance of the Arya era and asserted that Indians (Aryans) had historically travelled across the world, maintaining good communication channels.
1 mins
October 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Madurai
Zomato parent co Eternal gets ₹128 cr GST demand
ETERNAL Limited, the company formerly known as Zomato Limited, disclosed in a regulatory filing on Saturday that it has received a significant goods and services tax (GST) demand order totalling about ₹128.35 crore from tax authorities in Uttar Pradesh.
1 min
October 20, 2025

The New Indian Express Madurai
CHILDREN OF WOMAN PRISONERS IN TN TURN ‘INVISIBLE’ AFTER TURNING SIX
FOR children growing up with their mothers behind Tamil Nadu’s prison walls, life is carefully counted until they turn six. After that, the system stops counting.
2 mins
October 20, 2025

The New Indian Express Madurai
Emirates NBD to buy 60% in RBL Bank for $3 bn
IN one of the largest-ever FDI in Indian financial services sector, UAE-based Emirates NBD Bank and RBL Bank Limited has announced that their respective Boards have approved definitive agreements for ENBD to acquire a controlling stake in RBL Bank through a primary capital infusion of about $3 billion (26,850 cr).
2 mins
October 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Madurai
Co-op dept to set up call centre to serve its banking customers 24x7
THE Cooperative Department has decided to establish a call centre for TNSC Bank and 24 Central Cooperative Banks to offer round-the-clock banking services, 365 days a year.
1 min
October 20, 2025

The New Indian Express Madurai
Op Sindoor on till objectives achieved, says Army Chief
ARMY Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has announced that the ongoing military action, dubbed ‘Operation Sindoor 1.0,’ has not ceased, although the firing has paused temporarily.
1 mins
October 20, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size