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The emperor Rajendra Chola (1012 A.D - 1044 A.D) built a big palace in the place of Utkottai, where a mound even now called Maalikai Medu (Palace mound) in Gangaikondacholapuram - the capital of chola dynasty. The base of the palace is found in Maalikai Medu which is 1.5km away from the Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram. The breadth of the palace wall is 1m and built by using only the bricks. Now the palace is maintained as a protected monument by the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Survey (State ASI), telling that the palace had two floors including some sculptures, paintings on the wall. Some of the beautiful handicrafts made up of elephant ivory , bones and Chinese style painted things were also found in the palace, proves that the Chinese accompanied with Tamil people in the period of Chola. The things used in the palace by the period of chola is kept in the museum of Gangaikondacholapuram.
Damaged statues were collected from various place and located in the Maalikai Medu. Now it is protected by the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Survey.
Damaged statues in the Maalikai Medu
Jeshta Devi
Lakshmi - Varagi - Dhakshinamoorthy
Samunda - Gowmari -Vinayagar
