Rajaraja Chola, an extraordinary king of the sun-born Chola dynasty that ruled in southern India over a thousand years ago, was brilliant, ambitious, ruthless, a visionary, and so much more. He made his mark in grand fashion, and his kingdom was a powerhouse of military, economic, administrative, artistic and religious accomplishment. At our Online Talk #KingOfKings, author Kamini Dandapani will talk about his history, the complexities of the circumstances that led to his becoming king, his life and times, the geopolitics, the military victories, the Bhakti movement that inspired the religious life of the Cholas, the monumental Brihadeeshwara temple, the stunning Chola bronzes, the trade wars, the administration and organization, the life of women, and a whole lot more, so that we can understand and appreciate Rajaraja Chola better.

About the speaker

Kamini Dandapani was born and raised in (once) sleepy Chennai, and now lives in the city that never sleeps, New York. She has had extensive training in Carnatic music, Bharata Natyam and Pianoforte and has performed and taught all three. She moved to the US to study and work, and endured a long spell in the corporate world. Through it all, she kept her interest in her true loves - music, dance and writing - alive. She started a blog, Tales of South India, over a decade ago, and it was while researching and writing for this blog that her love of history came alive. Her book, Rajaraja Chola: King of Kings, has been recently published by Aleph.