Fact Check

Is this the gateway built by Rajaraja Chola in Indonesia?

Claim

Entrance gate built by the Tamil Rajaraja Chola 1000 years ago in Indonesia.

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For the Tamil people, it has always been an immense experience while speaking and reading about the rule, achievement and war of the Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola. Meanwhile, YouTube channels making a lot of posts on social networking sites about Tamil kings are very surprising and that post also becomes viral too. However, some of their posts are shared without knowing the authenticity of that post. 

The photo above shared as it was a 1000-year-old gateway built in Indonesia during the reign of Thanjavur King Rajaraja Chola and it has been widely shared by the Tamil community on social media for the past few years. We are also being asked about its authenticity by our followers.

Rajendra Chola I, son of Rajaraja Chola, was a co-king during his father’s reign and was involved in many wars. Historical records state that Eelam was conquered during the reign of Rajaraja Chola. Rajendra Chola crossed the sea and invaded East Asian countries.  During the reign of Rajendra Chola, he conquered many parts of Srivijayam (present-day Indonesia), Kadaram (a part of Malaysia) with his forces. It was during the reign of Rajendra Chola that the Chola forces faced a large number of wars across the sea.

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In the year 2017, the photo above as the gateway built by Rajaraja Chola in Indonesia went viral on Tamil social media sites. In a tweet of such viral posts, archaeologist Thanjai A. Madhavan had commented that misinformation is being shared more on the internet. 

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The gateway spread as built-in Indonesia 1000 years ago is the gateway known as the Triumphal Arch of the Gods or Arco de Gilimanuk, located in the western Bali region near Java, Indonesia. Gilimanuk is located in the port area.

Detailed data on the period of the gateway was built are not available.  Many of the oldest architectures are found in Indonesia.  Archaeological evidence suggests that ancient humans lived in the Bali area.

Many parts of India outside Tamil Nadu were ruled by the Chola Empire.  However, many historical landmarks have been destroyed in the last 1000 years. 1000-year-old Hindu temples have been found in the excavations of Indonesia.  But that has nothing to do with that viral arch. No historical evidence is relevant. Archaeologists also deny the statement that it was built during the Rajaraja Chola period.

Earlier, it was rumoured that the oldest well-structured architecture in Gujarat was built by Rajaraja Chola for his wife. There is nothing wrong with sharing the pride and heroism of the Tamil kings, but it is not appropriate to spread exaggeration and misinformation.

Explanation

In our search, we came to know that the information spread as a gateway built by the Tamil Rajaraja Chola in Indonesia 1000 years ago is false.

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