Correct Option
The correct option is (b) 2 and 3 only.
Explanation
In the Chola period, temples were not merely religious structures but functioned as comprehensive social, economic, and cultural institutions. They played a central role in the agrarian economy and urbanisation of medieval South India.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Incorrect. Chola temples were not solely places of worship; they were significant economic entities. They functioned as banks, lending money to village assemblies for development, organized agricultural activities, and served as consumers of goods and services, thereby stimulating local trade and craft production.
- Statement 2 is Correct. Temples were wealthy institutions endowed with vast tracts of land, known as Devadana (land gifted to gods). These endowments came from rulers, merchants, and wealthy individuals to ensure the temple's maintenance and the sustenance of those working for it.
- Statement 3 is Correct. Temples often became the nuclei of settlements. As centers of economic redistribution and social gathering, they attracted artisans, traders, and service providers, leading to the growth of towns and urban centers around the temple premises.
- Statement 4 is Incorrect. Specialists required for temple maintenance and rituals-such as priests, garland makers, cooks, sweepers, musicians, and dancers-lived near the temple. The temple provided them with livelihood, often through land grants or shares in the temple produce, necessitating their residence in the vicinity.
Key Takeaway:
Chola temples acted as the pivot of socio-economic life, managing land resources, functioning as financial institutions, and fostering settlement growth, far exceeding a purely religious mandate.