A History of the Chola Empire of India

A History of the Chola Empire of India Nobody knows exactly when the first Chola kings took power in the southern point of India, but certainly, the Chola Dynasty was established by the third century BCE, because they are mentioned in one of Ashoka the Greats stelae.  Not only did the Cholas outlast Ashokas Mauryan Empire, they continued to rule until 1279 CE- more than 1,500 years.   Fun Fact The Cholas ruled for more than 1,500 years, making them one of the longest-ruling families in human history, if not the longest. The Chola Empire was based in the Kaveri River Valley, which runs southeast through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the southern Deccan Plateau to the Bay of Bengal.  At its height, the Chola Empire controlled not only southern India and Sri Lanka, but also the Maldives.  It took key maritime trading posts from the Srivijaya Empire in what is now Indonesia, enabling a rich cultural transfusion in both directions, and sent diplomatic and trading missions to Chinas Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 CE). Chola History The origins of the Chola Dynasty are lost to history.  The kingdom is mentioned, however, in early Tamil literature, and on one of the Pillars of Ashoka (273 - 232 BCE).  It also appears in the Greco-Roman Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 40 - 60 CE), and in Ptolemys Geography (c. 150 CE).  The ruling family came from the Tamil ethnic group. Around the year 300 CE, the Pallava and Pandya Kingdoms spread their influence over most of the Tamil heartlands of southern India, and the Cholas went into a decline.  They likely served as sub-rulers under the new powers, yet they retained  enough prestige that their daughters often married in to the Pallava and Pandya families. When war broke out between the Pallava and Pandya kingdoms in about 850 CE, the Cholas seized their chance.  King Vijayalaya renounced his Pallava overlord and captured the city of Thanjavur (Tanjore), making it his new capital.  This marked the start of the Medieval Chola period  and the peak of Chola power. Vijayalayas son, Aditya I, went on to defeat  the Pandyan Kingdom in 885 and the  Pallava Kingdom in 897 CE.  His son followed up with the conquest of Sri Lanka in 925; by 985, the Chola Dynasty ruled all of the Tamil-speaking regions of southern India.  The next two kings, Rajaraja Chola I (r. 985 - 1014 CE) and Rajendra Chola I (r. 1012 - 1044 CE) extended the empire still further.   Rajaraja Cholas reign marked the emergence of the Chola Empire as a multi-ethnic trading colossus.  He pushed the empires northern boundary out of Tamil lands to Kalinga in the northeast of India  and sent his navy to capture the Maldives and the rich Malabar Coast along the subcontinents southwestern shore.  These territories were key points along the  Indian Ocean trade routes.   By 1044, Rajendra Chola had pushed the borders north to the Ganges River (Ganga), conquering the rulers of Bihar and Bengal, and he had also taken coastal Myanmar (Burma), the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and key ports in the Indonesian archipelago and Malay Peninsula.  It was the first true maritime empire based in India.  The Chola Empire under Rajendra even exacted tribute from Siam (Thailand) and Cambodia.  Cultural and artistic influences flowed in both directions between Indochina and the Indian mainland.   Throughout the medieval period, however, the Cholas had one major thorn in their side.  The Chalukya Empire, in the  western Deccan Plateau,  rose up periodically and tried to throw off Chola control.  After decades of intermittent warfare, the Chalukya kingdom collapsed in 1190.  The Chola Empire, however, did not long outlast its gadfly. It was an ancient rival that finally did in the Cholas for good.  Between 1150 and 1279, the Pandya family gathered its armies and launched a number of bids for independence in their traditional lands.  The Cholas under Rajendra III  fell to the Pandyan Empire  in 1279  and ceased to exist. The Chola Empire left a rich legacy in the Tamil country.  It saw majestic architectural accomplishments such as the Thanjavur Temple, amazing artwork including particularly graceful  bronze sculpture, and a golden age of Tamil literature and poetry.  All of these cultural properties also found their way into the Southeast Asian artistic lexicon, influencing religious art and literature from Cambodia to Java.

The Top 5 Major Industry Jobs in the Southeast

The Top 5 Major Industry Jobs in the Southeast If you’re looking for a career change (or a change of scenery!), here are some of the fastest-growing jobs for 2016 in the southeastern part of the United States. This includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The southeast is poised for booming job growth in 2016, buoyed by industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and construction, as many Americans flee rough winters for warm southern charm and legendary food.1. Tech Job Outlook: Computer Systems AnalystMove over, Silicon Valley: the fastest-growing tech hubs are mid-sized cities which are capitalizing on nearby universities and large companies to attract talent. Cities like Nashville, TN, and Raleigh, NC, are leading the way here. Computer systems analysts will be a high-demand position as this industry grows.Systems analysts take current computer systems and processes and design solutions to make them run more effectively. This role, which typically requires a bachelor’s degree, has a median salary of $82,710 per year, and is expected to grow like gangbusters- 21% per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.2. Administrative Job Outlook: Market Research AnalystWith the population getting more diverse all the time, identifying trends and helping companies refine their outreach and branding is a key role. This is where market research analysts come in. They take consumer data and turn it into sales leads, marketing promotions, or market forecasts for companies. The field is expected to grown approximately 19%, and offers a median salary of $61,290.3. Logistics Job Outlook: MachinistsMany companies are relocating their manufacturing plants to the southeast. For example, Mercedes-Benz USA announced in 2015 that it would be moving its headquarters to Atlanta, GA, and bringing with it more than 1,000 jobs. Machinists are a large part of this industrial workforce, operating tools to produce and modify parts. The median salary for machinist s is $41,510, and the field is open to those with a high school diploma- or equivalent vocational training or experience.4. Healthcare Job Outlook: Home Health AideThe southeast has always been a popular retirement spot for Americans, and that trend is not slowing anytime soon. With an aging population comes very specific healthcare needs- many of which are addressed by home health aides. These aides provide in-home care for clients who have disabilities, chronic illnesses, or other impairments that interfere with the ability to carry out with daily tasks. In addition to helping with chores around the home, aides may also be responsible for monitoring vital signs and ensuring that clients take medication.There is no formal education requirement for home health aides, but some states may require additional certification. The median salary for this job is $21,380, and the field is expected to grow by 38%- much faster than average.5. Service Job Outlook: Medical Equipment RepairersGoin g hand in hand with the extreme growth in healthcare needs, professionals who maintain and repair medical equipment will also be in high demand. Medical equipment repairers install, maintain, and repair equipment used in diagnosis and patient care.The median salary for this job is $45,660, and employers generally prefer candidates with an Associate’s degree in engineering or biomedical technology.The southeast is on the upswing- and not just because you can sit  on a beach in December without freezing. People of all demographics are seeking opportunities in the region, and many industries are gearing up to accommodate that growth.