Karikala often referred to as Karikala the Great was a Tamil Emperor of the Early Cholas of the Chola dynasty who ruled ancient Tamilakam from Uraiyur. He is credited with the construction of the flood banks of the river Kaveri. He is recognised as the greatest of the Early Cholas. In Thiruvalangadu plates of Rajendra Chola I, Medieval Tamil Cholas listed Karikala Chola as one of their ancestors.
Bronze statue of Karikāla Chōḻaṉ
Kallanai built by Karikala Chola on river Kaveri
Perur Patteeswarar Temple
Karikala Cholan Manimandapam
The Early Cholas were a Tamil kingdom of the Chola Dynasty - pre and post Sangam period. It was one of the three main kingdoms of Tamilakam. Their early capitals were Urayur or Tiruchirapalli and Kaveripattinam. Along with Pandyas and Cheras, Chola history goes back to the period when written records were scarce.
Karikala Chola
Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple is the largest functioning religious complex in the world and mentioned in the Sangam literature of the Sangam era (500 BCE - 300 CE), there are mentions in many books like Akanaṉūṟu, Purananuru, Paripāṭal and Silapadikaram. The temple was first built by the Chola ruler, Dharmavarma. The Kaveri river flood destroyed the temple, and later, the early Cholas King Killivalavan rebuilt the temple complex after seeing the
Kallanai / Grand Anicut built by Karikala Cholan, on the River Kaveri, near Tiruchirappalli
