Rajendra Chola I inherited a vast empire from his father Rajaraja Chola I. Between 1019 and 1025 CE, he led a military expedition to the Gangetic plains, defeating the Pala king Mahipala, the Kalinga ruler, and several other kings and chieftains along the eastern coast. This campaign is recorded in the Tiruvalangadu copper plates, the Esalam plates, and inscriptions at the temple itself. After his victory, Rajendra assumed the title Gangaikonda Cholan (the one who conquered the Ganges).
He brought pots of Ganges water back to his kingdom and poured them into a massive artificial lake called Chola Gangam, built as part of the new capital. The earliest inscription mentioning the city of Gangaikonda Cholapuram is dated 1029 CE, while the first gift to the temple is recorded in 1035 CE.
The city was planned according to the principles of Tamil Vastu and Agama Sastra texts, with a royal palace, several temples (including shrines to Vishnu and Dharma Sasta), and fortified walls. Most of these structures were destroyed in the late 13th and 14th centuries following the decline of the Chola Empire. Only the main Shiva temple survives intact.
Excavations have revealed the outlines of the ancient city, with mounds marking the locations of collapsed structures, broken pillar stumps, and brick walls spread over a large area.
