Everything about Chera Dynasty totally explained
The
Chera dynasty was one of the ancient
Tamil dynasties that ruled
southern India from ancient times until around the fifteenth century CE. The Early Cheras ruled over the
Coimbatore,
Karur and
Salem Districts in South India, which now forms part of the modern day
Tamil Nadu (
Kongu Nadu). The other two major Tamil dynasties were the
Cholas in the eastern
Coromandel Coast and
Pandyas in the south central peninsula. These dynasties began ruling before the
Sangam era (300 BCE - 200 CE) during which the
Tamil language, arts and
literature flourished.
The Sangam Chera capital was
Vanchi Muthur (otherwise called Karuvur, modern
Karur)., their area included western and south area of Tamilnadu and also controlling areas closer to the region from
Malai Nadu or hill country (modern
Kerala). Chera rulers warred frequently with their neighbouring kingdoms. They sometimes inter-married with the families of the rival kings as a means of political alliances. Throughout the reign of the Cheras, trade continued to bring prosperity to Tamil Country (part of which is modern north Kerala), with spices, ivory, timber, pearls and gems being exported to Egypt, Rome, Greece, Phoenicia, Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia.Evidence for extensive foreign trade from ancient times is available throughout the Malabar coast, from the Roman, Greek and Arabic coins unearthed from Kollam, Kodungallur, Eyyal (near Trissur) in Northern Kerala . Muziris, has been referenced by ancient writers, such as the author of the
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea to be an inland port probably near Kodungallur. Sangam Cheran coins and inscriptions are found only in
Karur,
Erode and
Coimbatore region of modern
Tamil Nadu (
Kongu Nadu).
While Cheras had their own religion (
Hinduism), other religious traditions came to this area during the period of the Chera kings.
Jainism came to
Kongu Nadu by the second century BCE.
History
In early Chenthamizh literature the Chera rulers are referred to as Cheral, Kuttuvan, Irumporai, Kollipurai and Athan. Chera rulers were also called Kothai or Makothai. The nobility among the Cheras were called Cheraman in general. The word Kerala, of possible Prakrit origins, doesn't appear in
Sangam Literature.
Ashoka's edicts mention an independent dynasty known by the name
Ceraputta, who were outside Ashoka's empire. The unknown author of
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mentions Chera as
Cerobothra whose capital is Karur, while
Pliny, the Roman historian of the first century, calls it
Caelobothras. It is believed that religiously the Cheras were Shaivites. The kings of the dynasty referred to themselves as Vanavar.
The only source available for us regarding the early Chera Kings is the anthologies of the
Sangam literature. Scholars now generally agree that this literature belongs to the first few centuries CE. The internal chronology of this literature is still far from settled. The Sangam literature is full of names of the kings and the princes, and of the poets who extolled them. Despite a rich literature that depicts the life and work of these people, these are not worked into connected history so far. Their capital is stated to be modern
Karur in Tamilnadu and were also called Kongars.
Pathirruppaththu, the fourth book in the
Ettuthokai anthology mentions a number of Chera Kings of the Chera dynasty. Each King is praised in ten songs sung by the Court Poet and the Kings are in the following order:
- Nedum Cheralathan,
- Palyane Chel Kezhu Kuttuvan,
- Kalankai Kanni Narmudi Cheral,
- Kadal Pirakottiya Vel Kezhu Kuttuvan,
- Attu Kottu Pattu Cheralathan,
- Chelva Kadunko Azhi Athan,
- Thakadur Erintha Perum Cheral Irumporai,
- Kudako Ilam Cheral Irumporai.
The first two kings were the sons of Uthiyan Cheralathan and Veliyan Nallini. The third, fourth and fifth kings were sons of Nedum Cheralathan, while the mother of fourth King (also known as Chenkuttuvan) was Chola Princess Manikilli. Chelva Kadunko Vazhiyathan was the son of Anthuvan Cheral Irumporai and Porayan Perumthevi. Perum Cheral Irumporai was the son of Vazhiyathan and Ilam Cheral Irumporai was the son of a Chera ruler Kuttuvan Irumporai (son of Mantharan Cheral Irumporai).
Archaeology has also found epigraphic evidence regarding these early Cheras. The most important of these is the Pugalur (Aranattarmalai) inscription. This inscription refers to three generations of Chera rulers Adam Cheral Irrumporai, his son Perumkadungo, and his son Ilamkadungo. The charter was issued when Perum Kadungo was the ruler monarch and Ilam Kadungo was appointed prince. Athan refers only to a crowned King of Chera dynasty who accepted this title at the time of coronation. Athan Cheral Irumporai was the son of Perum Cheral Irumporai. It therefore follows that Perumkadungo was the son of a crowned King of the Chera Dynasty. Perum Kadunko means that he was the Senior Ko (Senior ruler) of Kadunadu, located in the Tamilnadu side of the Sahya Mountains.
'Purananuru' refers to Udiyan Cheral, who probably ruled in the first – second centuries CE. It is said that he fed the rival armies during the war of
Mahabharata.
Imayavaramban Neduncheralathan, another Sangam age king claimed to have conquered up to the
Himalayas and to have inscribed his emblem in the face of the mountains.
Senguttuvan was another famous Chera, whose contemporary
Gajabahu II of
Lanka according to
Mahavamsa visited the Chera country.
The early Cheras controlled a large territory of
Kongu Nadu. The also ruled the kodunthamizh regions of
Travancore (Venadu) and the
Malabar (Kuttanadu) west coast through vassals. They were in contact with the
Satavahanas in the north and with the
Romans and
Greeks. Trade flourished overseas and there was a considerable exchange of gold and coins, as seen by archaeological evidence and literature. The Romans brought vast amounts of gold in exchange of 'Kari' (Pepper) from Malainadu.
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Bhakti era Cheras
Little is known about the Cheras between c. third century CE and the eight century CE. An obscure dynasty, the
Kalabhras, invaded the Tamil country, displaced the existing kingdoms and ruled for around three centuries. They were displaced by the Pallavas and the Pandyas in the sixth century CE. A
Pandya ruler, Arikesari Parankusa Maravarman (c.730 – 765CE), mentioned in a number of Pandya
copper-plate inscriptions, was a prominent ruler during this period. He claims to have defeated a prominent Chera king. The name of the Chera king isn't known, however from the details of the battles between the Pandya and the Chera, the Chera territory ceded seems to have included the entire Malabar and Travancore (Kuttanadu and Venadu) and the southern Pandya country from
Kanyakumari to
Thirunelveli the seat of the Cheras being in Karur
Kongu Nadu. The Chera kings took the title of
Perumal during this period and patronised the
Vaishnavite sect. Kulasekara Alwar who ruled in the 8th century became a devotional Vaishnavite poet. Pallavas also mention in their inscriptions about their battles with the Cheras.
Pulakesin II, in his
Aihole inscription mentioned "
Pulikesin II, driving the Pallava behind the forts of Kanchi, reached as far south as the Kaveri river, and there caused prosperity to the Chola, Chera and Pandya".
In the reign of Pandya Parantaka Nedumjadaiyan (765 – 790), the Cheras were still in Karur and were a close ally of the
Pallavas. Pallavamalla Nadivarman defeated the Pandya Varaguna with the help of a Chera king. Cultural contacts between the Pallava court and the Chera country were common. The
Saivite saint
Cheraman Perumal and the other is the Vaishnavite saint
Kulasekhara, were famous in the Hindu religious movements. Kulasekhara became one of the celebrated
Alvars and his poems came to be called the
Perumal Thirumozhi.
Cheraman Perumal ruled around the eighth and the ninth centuries. In this Kulasekhara calls himself
Kongar Kon (the king of the Kongu people) hailing from Kollinagar (
Karur).
Adi Shankara was his contemporary.
Kongumandala Satakam also says that Cheraman Perumal went to Kayilai with Sundarar from Kongu Nadu.
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