Table of Contents
Introduction: Chera Dynasty
The Chera dynasty was one of the ancient south Indian dynasties that ruled parts of present-day southern India, primarily Kerala and Tamil Nadu, during the early centuries of the Common Era.
The dynasty is believed to have existed from around the 4th century BCE to the 12th century CE. The Sangam literature, composed during the early centuries of the Common Era, contains references to the Chera kings.
Important Points: Chera Dynasty
- Overview of the Chera Dynasty: The Chera dynasty was an ancient Tamil dynasty that ruled various regions of the western coast and western ghats in the Malabar region.
- Geographic Extent: They ruled the area of Malabar Coast between Alappuzha in the south to Kasaragod in the north.
- Southern Malabar Region and the Ay Dynasty: The southern part of the Malabar region (The coastal belt between Thiruvananthapuram and southern Alappuzha) was under the Ay dynasty, who was more related to the Pandya dynasty of Madurai.
- Literary Sources: The most important sources for the Cheras are the Pathitrupattu, the Akananuru, and the Purananuru. The Pathitrupattu, the fourth book in the Ettuthokai, mentions a number of rulers of the Chera dynasty.
- Notable Rulers: Uthiyan Cheral Athan is generally considered the earliest known ruler of the Chera family from the Sangam texts. His ruled his kingdom from Kuzhumur near Kuttanad in central Kerala.
- Historical References: The Cheras are referred to as “Kerala Putra” in Emperor Ashoka’s edicts (3rd century BCE).
- Graeco-Roman Accounts: The Graeco-Roman sources referring to the Cheras are by Pliny the Elder, in the Periplus of the 1st century CE, and by Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE.
- Archaeological Evidence: A Brahmi inscription, containing the word Chera (“Kadummi Pudha Chera“) was found at Edakkal in the Western Ghats.
- Economic Prosperity: The Cheras became prosperous from South Asian maritime trade as well as agriculture.
- Trade Relations:
- They had trade relations with Middle Eastern and Graeco-Roman empires.
- The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during the Sangam period between the 1st century CE and the 4th century CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap, the principal trade route between the Malabar Coast and Tamil Nadu.
- Cheranad Province:
- Cheranad was also the name of an erstwhile province in the kingdom of Zamorin of Calicut.
- In the modern period, the rulers of Cochin and Travancore also claimed the title “Chera”.
Cheras of Kongu
- Kongu Chera dynasty, or Cheras of Kongu or Karur, were a medieval era dynasty in south India, ruling over western Tamil Nadu and central Kerala.
- The headquarters of the Kongu Cheras was located at Karur in central Tamil Nadu.