Gangaikonda Cholapuram – Maalikai Medu (Ruins of Rajendra Chola Palace)

Gangaikonda Cholapuram – Maalikai Medu (Ruins of Rajendra Chola Palace)

The emperor Rajendra Chola (1012 A.D - 1044 A.D) built a big palace in the place of Utkottai, where a mound even now called Maalikai Medu (Palace mound) in Gangaikondacholapuram - the capital of chola dynasty. The base of the palace is found in Maalikai Medu which is 1.5km away from the Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram. The breadth of the palace wall is 1m and built by using only the bricks.

Now the palace is maintained as a protected monument by the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Survey (State ASI), telling that the palace had two floors including some sculptures, paintings on the wall. Some of the beautiful handicrafts made up of elephant ivory, bones and Chinese style painted things were also found in the palace, proves that the Chinese accompanied with Tamil people in the period of Chola. The things used in the palace by the period of chola are kept in the museum of Gangaikondacholapuram.

Maalikai Medu Sculptures:

Damaged statues were collected from various place and located in the Maalikai Medu. Now it is protected by the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Survey.

Excavated Palace

Local farmers, when trying to dig wells, found ancient structures like palace buildings and other dwellings at about 50 to 80 feet depth. Emperor Rajendra Chola had built a big palace in Utkottai. A mound called Maaligai Medu (palace mound) with the base of the palace exists 1.5 km away from the Brihadisvara Temple in Gangaikondacholapuram. 

The royal palace also was built of burnt brick. The ceilings were covered with flat tiles of small size, laid in a number of courses, in fine lime mortar. The pillars were probably made of polished wood, supported on granite bases; a few pillar bases have survived to this day. Iron nails and clamps have been recovered from this palace site. There is an underground tunnel that links the palace and the temple inner 1st prakara (north).

The two-storied palace’s brick wall is 1m in breadth and contains some sculptures and paintings. The ceilings were covered with small flat tiles laid with fine lime mortar. The pillars were probably made of polished wood, supported on granite bases. A few of these pillar bases have been unearthed. Iron nails and clamps have also been recovered from this palace site. There is an underground tunnel that links the palace and the temple’s northern inner parakaram.

In the reign of Virarajendra Chola, Rajendra's third son, the palace at Gangaikondacholapuram is referred to as Chola-Keralan Thirumaligai (Chola Keralan palace) a reference to one of the titles of Rajendra I. In the same inscription, there is mention of parts of the palace as ‘adibhumi’ (ground floor), ‘kilaisopana’ (the eastern portico), and a seat named ‘Mavali Vanadhirajan’.

In an inscription dated to the 49th year of Kulothunga I (1119 CE), references can be seen to ‘Gangaikonda Cholamaligai’ (the Gangaikonda Chola palace). It is likely that there were many more royal buildings with different names for each of them.

This structure is maintained as a protected monument by the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Survey (State ASI).  Archeological Survey of India has renovated the vimana and painted it beautifully after chemically cleaning the structure. The Gangaikondacholapuram Temple has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Rajendracholan Site Museum, Gangaikondacholapuram is 45 kms from Chidambaram and, was created in 1980. It exhibits bronzes of the Chola age, beautiful handicrafts made from elephant ivory and bones and objects painted in the Chinese style that were found in the palace. This proves that the Chinese had some interaction with Tamil people at the time of the Cholas. 
Other exhibits include bangle and glass pieces, decorated stone medallions, war weapons, stone sculptures, coins and coin moulds, bricks and palm leaf manuscripts. These have been collected from exploration and excavation conducted at Maaligai Medu site.