The Chola dynasty of centuries-old saw the rise of popular and determined kings that consolidated lands in southern and eastern India, the Indian Ocean, and even as far as south-east Asia. Their influence was unparalleled at the time, with King Rajaraja Chola I setting up a political, social, cultural, and economic landscape that took the empire through almost a dozen centuries.  But before Rajaraja Chola, there was an internal war for power and control -- and two of its central characters may have been -- Nandini, a mysterious woman that made it to the top of the Chola food chain, and Kundavai, who was the sister of Rajaraja Chola. History, legend, myth, and fiction make the stories around Nandini and Kundavai a bit blurry -- who were they and how did they rise to power? Did they even hold real power, during a time when being born male was paramount to all else? And more importantly… did they even exist?  We bring on board guest Anirudh Kanisetti to help us navigate through the murky waters of Chola history. Anirudh is an Indian historian, author of 'Lords of the Deccan: Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas', and host of 'Echoes of India: A History Podcast', right here on IVM Podcasts network.