Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under Cholas

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala – Under Cholas

The Cholas were the successors of the Pallavas in South India. Aditya Chola I (880- 907 AD) defeated and killed the last Pallava ruler Aparajitha Pallava. After the defeat of Pallavas, Thondaimandalam, the areas around Vengadam passed under the control of the Cholas. Aditya’s son Parantaka (907-953 AD) defeated the Eastern Chalukyas, the Pandyas of Madura invaded Srilanka and established the Chola Empire in South India. The temple administration during the Chola period was run by managers as in the time of Pallavas.

Their work was however, supervised and controlled by the officer of the king. It would also appear that the temple servants were called Kaikkolas as in the case of the temple servants of Tiruchanur, the view that the control of the temple was firmly with the king’s local officers can be inferred from the inscriptions which is actually an inscription Judgement on the temple affairs of Tirumala in those days passed by Chola Adhikari or provincial governor.