Gangaikonda Cholapuram – Gangaikondacholan Lake
The great lake, lying about two miles to the west of the
temple and now called Ponneri (golden lake) is of historic interest. It is
intimately connected with the history of the capital. Its existence prior to
the advent of Rajendra-I is not known. According to Thiruvalangadu plates the tank
was the liquid pillar of victory that Rajendra established to celebrate his
conquest of Gangetic plains. If so, this is the biggest manmade lake known to
exist in this country.
It is about sixteen miles in length and about three
miles in breadth. At its extreme ends it has inlet and outlet channels that
have gone out of use now. The lake itself has now been divided into two parts
by a road running across, connecting Gangaikonda Cholapuram with Jayankonda Cholapuram
in the west. The lake supplied water to the most running around the old
fortification.
Rajendra I cherished the conquest of Gangai as the
greatest event in his life and rightly assumed the title Gangaikonda chola. His
capital was also named Gangaikonda Cholapuram. According to Thiruvalangadu
plates, the generals who headed the Chola army on its Gangetic expedition
brought the holy water of Ganges in golden vessels carried on the heads of
vanquished rulers.
Rajendra himself went up to the banks of the Godavari River
to receive his generals. The holy water was poured into the lake (a small part
of it was also poured into the lion-well inside the temple) and the lake itself
was named Cholaganga, a liquid pillar of victory.
