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Rajaraja

Rajaraja, literally meaning "king of kings" in Tamil, is a title used by several rulers in South Asia. The most famous bearer is Rajaraja Chola I, a Chola emperor who reigned circa 985–1014 CE and presided over a high point of Chola power in southern India.

During his reign, Rajaraja expanded and reorganized the empire, pursuing military campaigns in the Tamil heartland

Rajaraja also promoted culture, language, and temple building. He commissioned the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur, one

Legacy of Rajaraja I extends beyond his own reign; the Chola empire reached its height in the

Other uses of the name Rajaraja appear in various South Asian dynasties, but Rajaraja Chola I is

and
neighboring
regions,
and
asserting
Chola
supremacy
over
parts
of
the
Deccan
coast
and
over
Sri
Lanka
through
naval
expeditions
and
alliances
with
local
rulers.
His
efforts
reinforced
a
centralized
form
of
administration
with
the
king
at
the
apex
and
cultivated
a
strong
imperial
identity
for
the
Chola
state.
of
the
great
monuments
of
South
Indian
architecture,
which
remains
a
key
example
of
Dravidian
temple
design.
Inscriptions
from
his
reign
are
among
the
earliest
extensive
royal
Tamil
records
and
also
include
Sanskrit
materials,
reflecting
a
bilingual
administrative
tradition.
decades
that
followed,
with
successors
such
as
Rajendra
Chola
I
expanding
influence
overseas
to
parts
of
Southeast
Asia.
The
Brihadisvara
Temple
is
part
of
the
Great
Living
Chola
Temples
World
Heritage
Site,
highlighting
the
enduring
cultural
imprint
of
his
era.
the
most
widely
known
reference.