The Chola Empire: South India's Indian Ocean Dynasty

The Chola Empire: How South India Dominated the Indian Ocean — Fexingo History · Apr 23, 2026 · 6m

In the 11th century, a Tamil king named Rajendra Chola I launched a naval expedition across the Bay of Bengal, conquering the Srivijaya Empire in modern-day Indonesia. This episode opens with that moment and pulls back to explore the Chola Empire—a South Indian dynasty that dominated the Indian Ocean for over four centuries. We meet Rajaraja Chola I, who built the Brihadeeswarar Temple and transformed naval warfare; we trace the origins of the Cholas in the fertile Kaveri River delta; and we see how they linked trade routes from Arabia to China. This is an empire that left its mark in bronze…