Video: Explaining Chola Maritime Ambitions - The Srivijayan Invasion

Beginning a new video series on famous battles and military manoeuvres in Indian history. The first episode is on the Chola invasion of the Srivijayan kingdom across the Bay of Bengal.

The Chola empire, which lasted for nearly three centuries, had very vibrant trade links with the Chinese and South East Asian regions. But suddenly in the year 1025 AD, Rajendra Chola, one of the Chola empire’s most powerful emperor’s sent a massive fleet to invade the Srivijayan kingdom. It counts as one of India’s rare maritime military maneveurs.

Why did the Cholas have to attack a country on the other side of Bay of Bengal? The video looks at the geopolitical situation in the 10th and 11th centuries, and attempts to answer this question.

Video adapted from op-ed by Sanjeev Sanyal.