Latest / The Chola Empire: How South India Dominated the Indian Ocean — Fexingo History
Chola Bureaucracy and the Kudavolai Lottery System
We’ve talked about Chola temples, navies, and trade before, but today we’re looking at how they actually ran the state. In the 10th and 11th centuries, the Chola administration in the Kaveri Delta used a system called Kudavolai to select local officials. This wasn't a hereditary monarchy in miniature; it was a competitive election for village council posts. We explore how names were drawn from golden pots, who was eligible to vote, and why this democratic impulse collapsed when the empire expanded into Bengal. The story of the Thiruvalangadu Plates reveals the tension between local…
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