PM Modi attends Chola Emperor’s birth anniversary event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday offered prayers at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple on the occasion of the Chola emperor's birth anniversary, Rajendra Chola I. The Prime Minister wore traditional attire and was welcomed by the local pandits in the temple. He was wearing a white veshti (dhoti), a white shirt, and an angavasthram worn around the neck while attending the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival. Later, PM Modi participated in the celebration of the birth anniversary of the great Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I with the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple. Prime Minister Modi released a commemorative coin honouring one of India's greatest emperors, Rajendra Chola I. Addressing the gathering PM Modi said, "The Chola kings significantly enhanced their diplomatic and trade relations with regions such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Southeast Asia. It is just a coincidence that I returned from the Maldives yesterday, and today I am fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in this programme."" The Chola Empire also carried forward the tradition of India as the Mother of Democracy. Historians talk about Britain's Magna Carta in the name of democracy. But many centuries ago, elections were held in the Chola Empire through a democratic method," Modi said.

#WATCH | Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu: PM Narendra Modi says, "Historians believe that the Chola Empire was one of the golden eras of India. The Chola Empire also carried forward the tradition of India as the Mother of Democracy. Historians talk about Britain's Magna Carta in the name of… pic.twitter.com/evVK4wznuT

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2025

Rajendra Chola 1 (1014-1044 CE) was one of the most powerful and visionary rulers in Indian history. Under his leadership, the Chola Empire expanded its influence across South and Southeast Asia. He established Gangaikonda Cholapuram as the imperial capital after his victorious campaigns, and the temple he built there served as a beacon of Shaiva devotion, monumental architecture, and administrative prowess for over 250 years. Today, the temple stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its intricate sculptures, Chola bronzes, and ancient inscriptions.
The Aadi Thiruvathirai festival also celebrates the rich Tamil Shaiva Bhakti tradition, fervently supported by the Cholas and immortalised by the 63 Nayanmars--the saintpoets of Tamil Shaivism. Notably, Rajendra Chola's birth star, Thiruvathirai (Ardra), begins on July 23, making this year's festival all the more significant.