Chola, Chera and Pandya Dynasties

The Chera, Chola, Pandya, rulers of Tamil Nadu are together known as the “Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam”. For centuries, they ruled and fought over the Indian subcontinent's southern region. Southern India and Sri Lanka were home to three Tamil dynastic chiefdoms or kingdoms at the beginning of the common era, each ruled by kings known collectively as "muvendar." During ancient and mediaeval India, the Pandya, Chera, and Chola dynasties ruled over the Tamil people, fighting among themselves and other forces for dominance of the region. Despite the upheaval, they were instrumental in the advancement of south Indian art, architecture, and literature.

The Tamils are a linguistic group with roots in modern-day south India and Sri Lanka, though many have emigrated. Tamilakam, or Tamil Nadu, is the Tamil people's traditional homeland. Tamil is one of the Indian subcontinent's oldest languages. Archaeological and written evidence indicates that Tamilakam had strong trade and economic ties with Mediterranean powers such as Rome. 

Tamilakam is a significant historical region for early Hinduism, and Shiva worship was especially prevalent during the reign of the Three Crowned Kings. Shiva, also known as the destroyer of the universe, is a Hindu god and one of the three Hindu pantheon gods, along with Brahma and Vishnu. Many ancient Tamils belonged to the Hindu Shaivism sect, which worshipped Shiva as their main deity.

About Chera Chola Pandya

The triumvirate of Chola Chera and Pandya dynasties dominated the politics of the ancient Tamil country, Tamilakam, from its three Nadu (countries) of Chola Nadu, Pandya Nadu (present-day Madurai and Tirunelveli), and Chera Nadu (present-day Karur in Tamil Nadu and Kerala) in the south. Let us know about the Chera Chola Pandya kingdom in detail:

The Chola Dynasty

One of India's longest-ruling dynasties, the Cholas is famous for its long reign in the south of the country. Art blooms like never before during this period in the chronology. There are still temples and literary works from this wonderful time in history. After defeating the Pallavas to gain dominance, the Cholas began their rule in the 9th century. From the 5th century through the 13th century, this rule was in place. Andhra, on the other hand, had a Chola monarchy that flourished in the 2nd century. 

It was during the Chola period that the Sangam literature began to emerge. During this time period, Kantaman was a famous ruler in India. For the Cholas, the Middle Ages were a time of absolute dominance and progress. During this period, kings like Aditya I and Parantaka I ruled the land. Rajaraj Chola and Rajendra Chola expanded the monarchy into the Tamil area from this point onwards. Later, Kulothunga Chola seized control of Kalinga and established a powerful rule over the region. Pandyas arrived in the early 13th century and ended the splendour.

During the reign of the Cholas, the society and its culture underwent significant changes. There were many social and religious gatherings held in temples during this time. Holy Scriptures and ancient Vedas were taught to pupils in this region. This was also a safe haven during wartime and political turmoil. Brahmins and non-Brahmins were the two main groups in society at the time. In Sri Venkateshwara temple, there are ties to the Chola Empire and the Thirumala deity. That's how far back the Chola Empire's spiritual origins reach. The Srirangam temple is a relic from this era that should not be missed. It was immersed in water for hundreds of years before being restored to its original beauty after being submerged.

During this time, the arts, religion, and literature flourished. Kaveri river has a number of Shiva temples along its banks. Among all the temples in India at the time, Thanjavur remains the largest and tallest. Despite its age, the Tajore Brihadeeswara temple is embellished with natural colour paintings that are a feast for the eyes. Unesco has categorised several of these sites as World Heritage Sites, and the list continues to grow. As an example, there is the Brihadisvara temple, the Gangaikondacholisvaram, and the Airavatesvara temples. Art and sculpture were likewise at an all-time high during the reign of this king. 

Bronze sculptures of gods and goddesses like Shiva, Vishnu, and Lakshmi serve as a golden remembrance of this period in history. During this time, literature played a major role. Aside from the development of devotional literature, Jain and Buddhist texts also gained recognition during this period. Nalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4000 Tamil poetry from this period, is still highly regarded by literary academics today.

It was under the Cholas' rule that the entire southern region was unified. During their reign, the Cholas reigned in a monarchy that lasted for generations. Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirapalli, Tiruvarur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Vridhachalam, Pichvaram, and Thanjavur districts were all part of the Chola Empire's territory. Mandalas were the provinces that made up the vast kingdom. Each mandala was governed by a different governor. Tehsils were divided into districts called Nadus. Cholas ruled with a system that let each village function as a self-governing unit. The king continued to be the central power, making significant decisions and overseeing governance.

The Chera Dynasty

The Cheras were a Tamil royal dynasty with ancient Dravidian roots. They were the first to create a historical ruling dynasty in the region, ruling over vast swaths of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in south-eastern and south-western India, respectively, places that had been inhabited since at least 5000 BC, when Neolithic engravings were discovered in Edakkal Caves. Venad, Kuttanad, Kudanad, Pazhinad, and other Chera districts were included in the Chera territory, which stretched from Kanya Kumari in the south to Kasargod in the north (now in the far north of Kerala).

Palghat, Coimbatore, Salem, and Kollimalai are also included in this list, however, they did not control all of these territories at the same time, as ancient borders were often fluid. Their major dominion was in Kerala, and they were forced out of Tamil Nadu by the Pallavas later on. They did, however, create capital at Vanchi, which the Romans called Muzris after a thriving sea-borne trade between the two empires arose.

Prior to the arrival of Brahmanism, Vedic influence appeared to be minimum. The Cheras had no religion, and there was no caste system in their culture, yet ancestral worship was widespread. Kottavai was the name of the battle goddess, although there were no temples built to honour her. Instead, deity pictures were kept outside, most likely under a tree (which echoes Indo-European practise in Europe, notably amongst the Celts and Germanics, so it has to be wondered whether the Dravidians copied the practice from similar Indo-European arrivals in northern India or if the practice predated the rise of either group).

In contrast to the later La Tène Celts, the Chera civilization lacked an institutionalised priesthood. Only after the entrance of the Brahmins did structural temples emerge.

For the vast majority of the population, agriculture was the primary source of income. Foreign trade grew as well, as noted in the Roman link. Iron was used for tools and tackle, and fishing, hunting, spinning, weaving, carpentry, and salt production were all essential. Kerala was known for its precious stones, pearls, and spices. Muzris, Tyndes, Barace, and Nelaynda were among the ports visited. The ruler's income was determined by the amount of war loot he gathered, as well as land revenue and taxes. This person was known as 'kon' or 'kadumko' (meaning 'great king'), and these monarchs were known by their titles, which were based on personal oddity, a singular habit, or a significant accomplishment.

The Pandya Dynasty

The Pandyan empire was an ancient Tamil kingdom in South India that dates back to unknown times. They first reigned from Korkai, a seaport on the Indian peninsula's southernmost tip, and eventually migrated to Madurai. Under Jayavarman Sundara Pandyan (c. 1251), the Pandyas reached their golden period, expanding their dominion into the Telugu nation and invading Sri Lanka to take the northern part of the island. The present-day Kerela was part of their domain. They also had substantial trading ties with the Srivijaya and its descendants' Southeast Asian maritime empires. Both trade and literature were Pandya strongholds.

They were in charge of the pearl fishery along the South Indian coast, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the world's finest pearls. The renowned Sangam, according to legend, was held in Madurai under their patronage. Some of the Sangam poets went on to become Pandya rulers. During the invasion of the Kalabhras, the early Pandyan kingdom faded into obscurity. In the early sixth century, the dynasty was reestablished by Kadungon. They drove the Kalabhras out of Tamil territory and established a rule in Madurai. With the advent of the Cholas in the ninth century, they fell into decline once more and were constantly at odds with them. The Pandyas joined forces with the Sinhalese and Cheras to harass the Chola empire until they discovered a way to revive their fortunes in the late thirteenth century. 

The Pallavas, Cholas, Hoysalas, and lastly Muslim invaders from the Delhi Sultanate all fought the Pandyas at some point in their history. They did, however, provide peace and stability to India's southern plains for many centuries. They were unable to cope with the Muslim Delhi Sultanate as it expanded south, and they eventually fell out of power in the sixteenth century. The British East India Company began operations within a century, and by the end of the eighteenth century, this region of India had become part of British India. 

Pandyan splendour was temporarily resurrected by the greatly celebrated Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan in 1251, after being overshadowed by the Pallavas and Cholas for decades, and Pandyan dominance reached from the Telugu kingdoms on the banks of the Godavari River to the northern half of Sri Lanka. Following the death of Maaravaramban Kulasekara Pandyan I in 1308, a fight occurred among his sons over succession issues. For the throne, Sundara Pandya and Vira Pandya battled it out. Madurai soon fell into the clutches of the Delhi Sultanate's invading army. 

For a few more years, the Pandyas and their descendants were confined to a tiny area surrounding Thirunelveli, and little else is known about them after the seventeenth century C.E. The Pandyas requested support from the Vijayanagar Empire after Madurai fell into the hands of the Delhi Sultanate's invading army. The Vijayanagar Empire took over Madurai from the Delhi Sultanate and appointed Nayaks as governors. The tighter ties with the Pandyan kingdom of Madurai and the Paravas group have several historical grounds. The Paravas were the leaders of the coastal region, and they ruled their domains as Pandya subjects during the Sangam period.

During the reign of the Pandyan kingdom, the Paravas' headquarters were in Korkai Harbor, and they were divided into 22 fishing hamlets: Rajackal Mangalam, Kovalam, Kanyakumari, Kumari muttam, Kootapuli, Perumanal, Idinthakarai, Kuthenkuly, Uvari, Periathalai, Pudukarai, Manapad, Alanthalai, Thiruchendur, Virapandian Tuticorin, the Pandyan kingdom's harbour city, has traditionally been a Parava stronghold. They had a line of kings, each of whom was given the title Adiarasen. Some of these chiefs appear to have lived in Uttara Kosmangay, a small village near Ramnad. The history of this city bears witness to this truth. Thalaivan, Pattankattiyars, and Adappannars were the names given to the leaders later. Kumarimuttom can be regarded as the community's western boundary because its residents also live in Muttom and Pillaithoppu.