Once again, public discourse is abuzz with the legacies of the Cholas — thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Gangaikonda Cholapuram, their erstwhile capital.

The Cholas occupy a hallowed space in Indian imagination for their pioneering experiments in democracy, but one needs to look beyond their basilica-like monuments, gilded Natarajas and temple vimanas (the towering structure above the inner sanctum) piercing the skylines of Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, and Darasuram.