Chola Navy's Forgotten Admirals and the Battle of Kandalur Salai

The Chola Empire: How South India Dominated the Indian Ocean — Fexingo History · Aug 12, 2026 · 7m · transcript

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the Chola naval tradition from a new angle: the men and women who made it work. We look at the shadowy figure of the Chola 'admirals' — known as the 'Lord of the Sea' in inscriptions — and their role in projecting power across the Bay of Bengal. The spotlight falls on the Battle of Kandalur Salai in 988 CE, where Rajaraja I crushed a Chera naval base, a clash that some scholars read as a response to Chera piracy in the Malabar spice trade. We also explore the Chola practice of 'naval diplomacy' — sending fleets to protect…