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Temple-Cities of the Chola World: Devotion, Craft & Maritime Exchange

Temple-Cities of the Chola World: Devotion, Craft & Maritime Exchange

Overview

In the Chola period, temples were not merely sacred sites; they were economic hubs, artistic laboratories, and maritime connectors. Through immersion in the Thanjavur belt, students explore inscriptional governance, ritual economies, and coastal trade networks that linked South India to Southeast Asia.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will:

  • Read temple architecture as multi-layered institutional systems.
  • Interpret inscriptions as evidence of administrative complexity.
  • Ask: How do devotion and economy reinforce one another?
  • Explore maritime exchange as cultural transmission.
  • Produce a structured “Temple as City” analytical dossier.
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IDEAL DISCIPLINES

History

Architecture

Art History

Religious Studies

Maritime Studies

Economics

Heritage Studies

Cultural Anthropology

South Asian Studies

Global Trade Studies

Urban History

Development Studies

Key Locations

Chennai
Thanjavur Belt (Great Living Chola Temples)

Itinerary Table

Day Location Academic Focus & Activities Learning Emphasis
1
 Chennai Arrival and framing Setting architectural inquiry tone
2–3
 Chennai Temple as an institution seminar; field sketch methods Learning to read built form carefully
4–7
 Thanjavur Belt Temple immersion; inscription interpretation; craft economy observation Understanding how devotion structures social and economic life
8–10
 Chennai Comparative studio; living heritage dialogue Reflecting on continuity and transformation
11–12
 Chennai Documentation lab; coastal trade lens Integrating field insight into cohesive synthesis
13
 Chennai Departure Closure