Rajaraja I, like other rulers, conducted diplomacy through temple patronage. He believed that the best way to solidify ties with allies was to allow them to construct temples in his territory, and he demonstrated his support by making contributions to the temples his allies paid for. In 1005 the ruler of Srivijaya established a Buddhist monastery and financed a Hindu temple on its grounds in Nagapattinam, the most important port in the Chola realm. Both Rajaraja I and his son Rajendra dedicated the tax income from neighboring villages to support these structures, which were still standing in
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