Chola Military

Chola Military
Note: The flag is designed without reference for illustrating the Chola Flag
Founded	B.C. 300
Disbanded	A.D. 1279
Service branches	Chola military Chariot Corps Elephant Corps Cavalry Corps Infantry Corps Auxiliary Forces Other Archers Swordsman Velaikkarappadaigal (Guards regiment) Strike Corps Medical Corps Chola Navy Kanni (tactical formation) Thalam (self-sustained unit) Mandalam (Task force) Ganam (Fleet-Squadron) Ani (battle group) Pirivu (Fleet)
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	King/Emperor
Related articles
History	Invasions Invasion of Anuradhapura Invasion of Kadaram, 1068 Invasion of Kalinga, 1097 Invasion of Kalinga, 1110 South-East Asia campaign Battles Battle of Kandalur Salai Battle of Kudal-Sangamam Battle of Koppam Battle of Takkolam Battle of Donur Battle of Nettur Battle of Vijayawada
Ranks	Senathipathi (Marshal of the Army) Thalapathi (General) Anipathi (Colonel)

Chola military

Chola Navy

Invasions

Battles

Senathipathi (Marshal of the Army)
Thalapathi (General)

The Chola military (Tamil: சோழர் படை) was a well-organised and effective fighting force during medieval times. The imperial Cholas of the Vijayalaya dynasty who ruled parts of South India and Lanka between the tenth and the thirteenth centuries CE were dependent on their army and the navy to expand and maintain order in their vast empire.

The King & in later days Emperor was the head of the army and the navy.

Chola inscriptions mention numerous regiments by specific names. Rajaraja Chola I created a powerful standing army and a considerable navy, which achieved even greater success under his son Rajendra Chola I than under himself. The army consisted of the Infantry, Cavalry and Elephant corps. There is no evidence for the traditional Chariot corps found in ancient Hindu literature. There were other specialist infantry such as bowmen (villaligal). At its peak Cholan army is said to have two million soldiers fighting for their Kingdom at many fronts simultaneously.

Chinese geographer Chau Ju-kua, writing in about 1225, gives the following account of the Chola army:

The Army of the Cholas Followed the ancient Indian Tradition of Chaturangabala for organisation and Sadangabala for Administration, the fourfold force and sixfold control. In its shortened form it is called RathaGajaTuraPadai. In it, Ratha is the Chariot, Gajais the Elephant, Tura is the Horses And finally Padai is the Infantry. It is said that an army with a growing proportionate of the said forces y is a balanced and well composed one.
In Addition to the Divisions, there were other attached units in the Chola Army. Those are Nadapu – The Commissariat and Payanam – The Admiralty & Logistics. The addition of these new bureaucratic organisation inside the Army is What revolutionised the Chola Army resulting in victories of such a huge scale.

The regiments of the Chola Army had a corporate life of its own and was free to endow benefactions and build temples in its own name. To some of these regiments, the management of certain minor shrines of the temple was entrusted and they were expected to provide for the requirements of the shrine. Others among them took money from the temple on interest, which they agreed to pay in cash. We are not, however, told to what productive purpose they applied this money. At any rate all these transactions show that the king created in them an interest in the temples he built.