U.P.P.C.S. Pre 1991

Historical Geography of the Cholas

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

In which region, the Chola empire was expanded?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: D

Concept The Chola heartland was the fertile Kaveri Delta. From there, they expanded along the eastern coast and into the central Deccan to dominate the southern peninsula.

Explanation The Chola empire (at its peak under Rajendra I) encompassed the entire Coromandel Coast, and extended into parts of the Deccan (modern-day Karnataka and Andhra). Their influence also reached across the seas.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Option D is correct. They dominated the eastern coast and pushed into the southern Deccan to challenge the Western Chalukyas.
Logic 2: While they fought in the Malabar area and against the Hoysalas, their core territorial expansion remained focused on the eastern seaboard and the southern peninsula.

Active Recall

Question

Where was the traditional capital of the Cholas located?

Answer

The heart of Chola power was Thanjavur, located in the prosperous Kaveri river basin.

Core Insight

The Chola expansion was fundamentally coastal, designed to control the maritime ports and the rich agricultural delta.