Context: Recently, a rare inscription dating back to the Renati Chola era has been unearthed in a remote village of Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

• In July 2020, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had found the exact location of Renati Cholas’ capital in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.
• ASI deciphered two inscriptions of Renati Cholas belonging to the 7th century. 

Key Findings

• The first inscription speaks of their capital Erikal in Kamalapuram region in Kadapa, while the other speaks about the battle of Renati Cholas and Banas.
• The inscription is found engraved on a dolomite slab and shale, which are part of a fragmentary pillar.
• The inscription was written in archaic Telugu which was readable in 25 lines.
• It was assigned to 8th Century A.D., when the region was under the rule of Chola Maharaja of Renadu.
• The inscription throws light on the record of a gift of six Marttus (a measuring unit) of land gifted to one of the Brahmins serving the temple at Pidukula village.

Renati Cholas

• The Telugu Cholas of Renadu or Renati Cholas ruled over Renadu region, present day Cuddapah district, Andhra Pradesh.
• The dynasty ruled Rayalaseema from fifth to the eleventh centuries from Cuddapa.
• They were originally independent, later forced to the suzerainty of the Eastern Chalukyas.
• They were the first to use Telugu language in their administration and inscriptions belonging to the 7th and 8th centuries.
• The earliest of this family was Nandivarman (500 AD) who claimed descent from the family of Karikala and Kasyapa gotra.

About Chola Dynasty

• The Cholas controlled the central and northern parts of Tamil Nadu from around the 8th-12th century AD.
• Their core area of the rule was the Kaveri delta, later known as Cholamandalam. Their capital was Uraiyur (near Tiruchirapalli town) and Puhar or Kaviripattinam was an alternative royal residence and chief port town.
• Tiger was their emblem.
• The Cholas also maintained an efficient navy.
• King Karikala was a famous king of the Sangam Cholas.
• Many Sangam poems mention the Battle of Venni where he defeated the confederacy of Cheras, Pandyas and eleven minor chieftains.
• Trade and commerce flourished during his reign.
• He founded the port city of Puhar (identical with Kaveripattinam) and constructed 160 km of an embankment along the Kaveri River.

Additional Information

• Recently, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has launched ‘Project Digital Poompuhar’ to recreate the Chola Dynasty port city (Poompuhar) in Tamil Nadu.
• Recently, the consecration (Kumbhabhishekam) ceremony was held at the Brihadisvara Temple after 23 years in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The temple was built by Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I (985-1014 AD) between 1003 AD and 1010 AD.