Analyze the structural characteristics of the Chola administrative and naval supremacy: 1. The Chola empire was divided into provinces called Valanadus, which comprised districts called Nadus and local assemblies called Urs and Sabhas. 2. The village administration was characterized by a sophisticated democratic election system documented in the Uttaramerur inscriptions. 3. Their naval expeditions were confined exclusively to the Coromandel coast without venturing across the Bay of Bengal or subduing Southeast Asian kingdoms.

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statements one and two are correct. Chola administrative geography utilized Valanadus and Nadus, and the Uttaramerur inscriptions provide invaluable details on the Kudavolai system of local self-government elections. Statement three is patently incorrect because Chola naval power under Rajaraja I and Rajendra I extended across the Indian Ocean, subduing the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the Srivijaya empire in Southeast Asia to secure overseas trade routes. Chola naval supremacy remains a pinnacle of ancient and medieval Indian maritime history.