Ariyalur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday offered prayers at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple on the occasion of the Chola emperor's birth anniversary, Rajendra Chola I.

The Prime Minister wore traditional attire and was welcomed by the local pandits in the temple. He was wearing a white veshti (dhoti), a white shirt, and an angavasthram worn around the neck while attending the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, held a roadshow in the Tiruchirappalli district.

His convoy received a warm welcome from the commoners gathered to witness his arrival.

The police made security arrangements and other preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple in Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur.

On the final day of his two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in the commemoration of 1,000 years since the maritime expedition of Rajendra Chola I to Southeast Asia, as well as to mark the commencement of construction on the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple.

BJP and AIADMK flags have been placed on either side of the road, while flex boards and banners bearing images of Raja Raja Chozhan and messages welcoming the Prime Minister are seen along the route.

According to an official press release, Prime Minister Modi will release a commemorative coin honouring one of India's greatest emperors, Rajendra Chola I, during a public event at the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple to celebrate the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival.

Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation development projects worth over Rs 4,800 crore in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi.

A series of landmark projects across multiple sectors that will significantly enhance regional connectivity, boost logistics efficiency, strengthen clean energy infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for citizens across Tamil Nadu, as per a release.

On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, PM Modi paid tributes to the brave soldiers of Kargil and saluted the valiant warriors and offered heartfelt homage to the martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation.

Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044 CE) was one of the most powerful and visionary rulers in Indian history. Under his leadership, the Chola Empire expanded its influence across South and Southeast Asia. He established Gangaikonda Cholapuram as the imperial capital after his victorious campaigns, and the temple he built there served as a beacon of Shaiva devotion, monumental architecture, and administrative prowess for over 250 years.

Today, the temple stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its intricate sculptures, Chola bronzes, and ancient inscriptions.

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The Aadi Thiruvathirai festival also celebrates the rich Tamil Shaiva Bhakti tradition, fervently supported by the Cholas and immortalised by the 63 Nayanmars--the saint-poets of Tamil Shaivism. Notably, Rajendra Chola's birth star, Thiruvathirai (Ardra), begins on July 23, making this year's festival all the more significant.