Latest / The Chola Empire: How South India Dominated the Indian Ocean — Fexingo History
The Chola Navy's Secret Weapon: Coastal Surveying and Pilots
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the unsung hero behind the Chola Empire's naval dominance: the maritime pilots and surveyors who mapped the Bay of Bengal. From the ancient port of Nagapattinam to the monsoon routes that carried ships to Srivijaya, we uncover how generations of navigational knowledge were passed down, why the Cholas invested in harbors like Kaveripattinam, and how Rajendra Chola I's 1025 raid on Kadaram depended on pilots who knew the Malacca Strait like the back of their hands. We also examine the role of the Ayyavole merchant guilds in funding these…
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