Empire of the Cholas  (Paperback, Siddharth N. Vijayaraghavan)

South India. 11th Century. In the middle of an undulating piece of land, a colossal structure emerges. It unites a land, creates harmony among a diverse population and even brings together lovers. This Big Temple breaks through the upper layers of the atmosphere in Thanjavur and transfixes the Chola Empire and its people. An ambitious man who comes adrift on a piece of wood; an Emperor who comes into his own greatness; the strong women of the court and beyond who assert their presence and authority—they all surround the construction of this Temple while facing the threat of a renegade foreign nation, which tries to take them all down. Empire of the Cholas narrates the legend of the construction of the Big Temple in Thanjavur and the Chola Empire. Weaving together the fictional and the factual, it creates a tapestry that promises to captivate and enthrall.