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 theCholas 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 Tamil language, arts and literature flourished.
The Sangam Chera capital was Vanchi Muthur (otherwise called Karuvur, modern Karur).[1]. Chera territory included western and south area of Tamilnadu and also areas close to 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 to form political alliances.
Throughout the reign of the Cheras, trade continued to bring prosperity to the 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 in Karur, Erode andCoimbatore 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.
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, does not appear in Sangam Literature. Ashoka's edictsmention 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.[2]The kings of the dynasty referred to themselves as Vanavar.[3]
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.[4] 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.[5] 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. Senguttuvanwas another famous Chera, whose contemporary Gajabahu II of Lanka according to Mahavamsa visited the Chera country.[6]
The early Cheras controlled a large territory of Kongu Nadu. They also ruled the kodunthamizh regions ofTravancore (Venadu) and the Malabar (Kuttanadu) west coast through vassals. They were in contact with theSatavahanas in the north and with the Romans and Greeks.[7] 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. [2]
Little is known about the Cheras between c. third century CE and the eight century CE. An obscure dynasty, theKalabhras, 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 is not 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".[8]
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.[9]
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 thePerumal 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.
- ^ Nagaswami, R. (1995). Roman Karur: A peep into Tamil's past. Brahad Prakashan, Madras.
- ^ P. 104 Indian Anthropologist: Journal of the Indian Anthropological Association By Indian Anthropological Association
- ^ P. 15 The Ācārya, Śakara of Kāladī: A Story By Savita R. Bhave, M. G. Gyaltsan, Muafá Amīn, 1933- Madugula, I S Madugula
- ^ The age of Sangam is established through the correlation between the evidence on foreign trade found in the poems and the writings by ancient Greek and Romans such as Periplus of the Erythrian Sea. See Nilakanta Sastri, K.A., History of South India, pp 106
- ^ See report in Frontline, June/July 2003 [1]
- ^ See Mahavamsa. Since Senguttuvan (Kadal pirakottiya Vel Kezhu Kuttuvan) was a contemporary of Gajabahu II he was the Chera King during 170-185 CE.
- ^ These foreigners were called Yavana in the ancient times
- ^ See Verse 31 Aihole Inscription of Pulakesi II
- ^ See A History of South India – pp 146 – 147
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