When any country has proper Law and Justice (Judicial) System, the Country would acquire wealth, prosperity and peace and would attract foreign trade and, economically powerful nation, obliviously control over the continent and being the world power. There are countries like United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany who ruled the modern era and where as Indian Kingdom ruled by Chola dynasty has such legacy for 1500 years (BCE 205 - 1279 CE), for only reason that Chola Kingdom known for JUSTICE SYSTEM, and hence obtained the political and economical power and regime their army from India to South east Asia.

The article revolves how JUSTICE SYSTEM helps Chola to obtain the economic power, political power and ruled the ancient India and such justice system was the base of their government, organize their military and develop the literacy, cultural art, economy, foreign trade. When many countries in middle ages suffering in poverty and civil wars, Ancient India has sound government and such government has systematic trade system and established civil society with sound knowledge of Art and Architect.

Culture, through Ancient Literacy and Poetry and everyone is protect by “LAW & SYSTEM” for over 15 centuries and still could not be forgotten even today and why? Do you hear, any one of king sentenced his own Crown for Justice in the history anywhere in the world? A Chola king does this in Ancient India? This articles revolves around how Chola dynasty has ruled South India including Sri Lanka and regime till Southeast Asia without any bias statement to catch hold the audience, jurist and encourage them how the Justice system being the resource for obtaining political and economic powers.

Justice was Foundation of Chola Kingdom (205 BCE- 161 BEC)
Today, we study in Law and Justice as “Government has major organs such as Legislative, Executive and finally Judicial” and where the importance of justice system kept on the last priority by today’s Modern governments. In such scenario, a TAMIL KING ELLALAN from CHOLA DYNASTY has implemented a JUSTICE SYSTEM where “JUSTICE IS FIRST PRIORITY THAN ANY” by sentencing his son VEEDHIVIDANGAN to death penalty. In ancient India there was system, where the public can plead by RINGING BELL which placed in the Public court, and king has to immediately call the his court for hearing the petition. The prince has driven his chariot in Commercial Street where he killed a calf of cow and where the cow pulled the rope of bell for getting Justice.

The king Ellalan has sentence his son to death penalty in the same way, where he has been drove by chariot and suffered same as the calf of the Cow. The Chola king who has killed his own son, has known to the early chola king and his descents has followed the justice system and earned the political and military powers to rule the ancient India and regime his military from South India towards Malaysia and then Indonesia.

The Ellalan, also known as MANU NEETHI CHOLAN was one, who founded the Chola dynasty with JUSTICE as FOUNDATION for Government, and his descents has followed the principles and ruled Southern India from BCE 205 to 1279 CE. Government of India has honored the Chola’s Justice system by keeping his Statue in the Hon’ble Madras High Court at Chennai and the same has provided in the below link.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MadrasHighCourtManuNeedhiCholanStatue.jpg

Chola Justice System that Obtained Political Powers and Empowers:
The early chola king Ellalan (BCE 205- BCE 161) has ruled only a small part of India but his legacy spoke over centuries and his descents has followed the Justice System, has spread over countries and where the Chola’s Dynasty has earned trust for Justice and people lived in peace and prosperity and has secured by law and this economy has developed and increased trade with other countries, earned political and military powers.

The young king KARIKALA obtained his political powers from his rivals after a life and death combat and take over his crown through the legacy of Manu Neethi Chola and has supported by the people and where every citizen of the kingdom believe the chola’s justice. Poombukar and Urayur were the capital cities of the early Cholas and which those capital cities has found with cultural developments and also known for international trade.

The Chola King KARIKALA, who defeated the Pandiya and Cheran and has built the BIGGEST DAM (KALLANAI in Tamil) at Trichy in the century in 100 BC -100AD and that was the biggest water diversion in the world then.
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallanai_Dam.

The Legacy of Chola to built a Dam in 100BC with world’s most ancient technology and till day with excellent condition and used for water diversion to the far cultivation lands irrigated over 69,000 acres in ancient days, increased irrigation up about 1000000 acres (one million acres) in modern era. The King Karikala’s built the biggest dam that irrigated over such vast area in in stone age, has even stand strong today and speaks about the legacy of Chola and his ancestors for generations.

Chola’s Justice- A platform to Literacy, Architect and Arts:
The Chola dynasty has achieved it’s peak of power in the medieval period. Arul Mozhi Varman known as RAJA RAJA CHOLAN (985 C.E to 1014 C.E) is the greatest ruler of Chola kingdom and has known for his TAMIL POETRY & LITERACY, ART, ARCHITECT AND MILITRAY STRETAGY and has established his empire and has built the world’s biggest temple in Tanjore, PERIYA KOVIL (TANJORE TEMPLE) and the temple and marvelous wonders of the ancient worlds, a untold story of the India’s Architect and even impossible for today’s technology to create such structure and fine arts in stone inscription.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8az3S3o1xwk

The ancient Tamil Kings Chera, Chola and Pandiyas ruled South India for over 1500 years and they have given most priority to Cultural and economic establishment trough Literacy, Arts and Justice System. The Tamil kings keep LAW & THEIR LANGUAGE as their two eyes and ruled their region with Integrity and Justice. There are inscriptions around the south India where South India has developed economy and trade with countries around the world, including Roman and Arabian countries.

The Chola King Rajendra Chola I, has regime his army towards north east countries including Malaysia and Indonesia. The Chola coins has been found in copper, silver and gold by the Archaeologist around the world, where are significant proofs that the Tamils has well developed trade across the world. The legacy of Chola empire has reached peak in the CE 1000- 1100, which was obtained not only through the Strategy by war alone, but through their Legal system which was greatly priced by even the opposition countries in the region.

First Law Books written in Tamil Language (300 BCE- 5th CENTURY)
The early chola period known as SANGAM period in South India, where the South India has very civilized society than any other culture in this world and where Laws were written by the Poets through Tamil Literacy, such Poetry and Literacy has been examined by the TAMIL SANGAM (Courts) with their Council Ministers along with kings and testified with lot of debates by several interpretation, then it would be finally approved with rewards or simply rejected for further modification, where the approved law literacy has been published in Public Stage by TAMIL SANGAM, that is known as ARANGATRAM.

You may be surprised the system of Law and Justice in Tamilnadu, which was truly remarkable and very similar to the systems today presents, the bills, then Acts by Parliament, then Ascent by Presidency and Published. When around the world then called STONE AGE, South Indian kingdom has extraordinary legal systems, rules and laws has filed as bills in the appropriate TAMIL SAGAM, and where SANGAM has debate the bill and pass the bill as acts after the debate and approval of the council ministers along with their kings and it came as existence as LAW.

The first law book in ancient times known to us, the great TIRUKKURAL is written around 300 BCE in Stone Age and even today the LAW POETRY is competent to Modern era to every people, every state and reached all over the world. TIRUKKURAL has major three major divisions as:

1. Arathupal (Justice),
2. Porutpal (Socio-economic and government), and
3. Inbathupal (Sexual Life) which consist of 133 sub divisions, each sub divisions consist of just two sentence Law Proverb of 10 each (Total of 1330 proverbs).

Those Law proverb has written in time period of establishment of many religions but it was not found of any religious base and has promote ONLY the LAW & SOCIAL SCIENCE and therefore accepted by everyone around the world as ULAGA POTHUMARAI (WORL LAW).

The Thirukkural has covered en number subjects that fits to any time including Domestic Virtue, Ascetic Virtue, Royalty, the qualities of human, The Ruler, Ministry and Government, Parts of Government and shrewdness, Social & Economic Life, Concealed Life and Sexual Life. The legendary ancient book Tirukkural has been taught to public in their child hood education by Government and The author of Thirukkural, THIRUVALLUVAR has been seen as LEGEND than KINGS & QUEEN in Tamilnadu and where the Government of Tamilnadu has installed 133 feet (133 feet sub-divisions) meters tall, THIRUVALLUVAR STATUTE at Kanyakumari in year 2000. TIRUKKURAL has been translated to English Language by George Uglow Pope, a anglian in 19th centuary and has alone 100 over English versions of interpretation by various authors.

The TIRUKKURAL is one of the books which was translated in many languages (approximately in 100 languages), which has been considered the more number of translated books after the BIBLE & KURAN & MAHABRATHA. The English version of the first law book TIRUKURAL has produced with this article in the following link https://thirukkural133.wordpress.com/contents/

There were several law books has been released in the post sangam (100 CE to 5the Century) period and those were, Nalatiyar (Life, Management and Wealth), Iniyavai Narpatu (Forty things should follow), Inna Narpatu (Fourty Things should avoid), Tirikatukam (Rules for Medicine), Palamoli Nanuru (400 Proverbs), Elati (composition of medicine and life), Cirupancamulam (Anthology) and Mutumolikkanci (Heritage rules). These ancient books written with various aspects of common men life and their social life incorporated with ethics, morals and natural justice.

There were several law books has been released in the Middle ages and those were, Arunkalaceppu, Aranericcaram (Good Ethics), Naruttokai (Anthology), Nirinerivilakka (Brief of Law & Morals), Nanneri (Good Ethics), Ulakanithi (Universal Law), Mutumoli Venpa (Heritage Principle), Aticuti (Classic Law), Konrai Ventan, Muturai (Counsel), Nalavali (Good Path) and those were Tamils Law Books foresighted the future Laws and has taught people about the social life, moral, ministry and government, law and justice.

LAW & JUSTICE IN TAMILNADU
The Ancient Tamil Kingdoms to Modern State Tamilnadu always known for Law & Justice and hence, the state has always in better economic center and peaceful place, compare to the any other states in Union of India. The Tamilnadu state has rulers always proud on their heritage culture and “Tamil” has classified as Classical World Language that has heritage literacy, poetry and architecture and those were crafted from the very base concept of law “MORAL & ETHICS”.

Tamilnadu is one of the best places in India, where the Law and Order always kept on the very most priority and known for trade and commerce. The Tamilnadu State Police has been always compared with the standards of Scotland Yard Police for their intelligence, honesty and bravery. Though the Courts in India were very busy due to the population, they are absolutely systematic, well organized, well maintained and well government, which has been ebullient to courts in developed countries.

Though there were several criticism about the delay in court cases for various reasons, the Law and Justice is preserved by the Hon’ble Judges in this country. The Manu Neethi Chola and his legacy stands tall in Madras High Court and remains every one that Law is not just a part of Life and Law Is Life, Justice Is The Path For Peace And Wealth.

Conclusion
The Chola kingdom has fallen after 1500 years of ruling but their legal system stand tall even today and the legacy of ancient book THIRUKKURAL is one of the master piece of all time Law Books in today world, preserve the Humanity and Equity and Principle of Justice. The Country which has not followed, not implemented proper Law & Justice System, they will fall under Civil wars and victim of uncertainty government, and subsequently, the people of the country became poor, unstable and victims of war. Law is prime base for every country; In which country where law and justice stands tall, trade & commerce falls on their hand subsequently, obliviously they country become rich, people became wealthy and safe and they will live there in peace and harmony.

Award Winning Article Is Written By: Mr.Ravikumar Vellingiri, B.A.LL.B (Hons) - Social worker
Can be Reached at: [email protected]

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