Table of Contents
Introduction: Pandyan Dynasty
The Pandyan dynasty was one of the four ancient Tamil dynasties, alongside the Pallava, the Chola, and Chera dynasties, that ruled parts of South India and Sri Lanka.
The Pandya dynasty is believed to have originated around the 4th century BCE and lasted until the 14th century CE. They primarily ruled the southern regions of present-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Important Points: Pandyan Dynasty
- The Pandyan dynasty was an ancient dynasty of South India. The Pandyas were among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam (The whole Tamil-speaking area of ancient times), alongside the Pallavas, the Cholas, and the Cheras.
- According to tradition, the Sangams were held in Madurai under the patronage of the Pandyan rulers.
- The dynasty existed since at least the 4th to 3rd centuries BCE and went through two periods of imperial dominance: the 6th to 10th centuries CE, and under the ‘Later Pandyas’ (13th to 14th centuries CE).
Sources
- Sangam literature: Sangam literature depicts the Pandyas as one of the “three crowned rulers (the Muvendar) of the Tamil country,” alongside the Cholas and Cheras, underscoring their importance in Tamilakam.
- Graeco-Roman accounts –
- Periplus of the Erythraean Sea,
- Accounts of Pliny,
- Accounts of Megasthenes.
- Maurya emperor Ashoka’s edicts.
Early Pandyan Kingdom
- The early Pandyan kingdom extended between Travancore in the west, Vellaru river in the north, and all the way to the ocean in the east and the south.
- Information about the Early Pandyas mainly comes from literary sources, epigraphic findings, archaeological evidence, and numismatic evidence.
- The capital of the Early Pandyan kingdom was Korkai (Thoothukudi District). Korkai was the principal center of the pearl fishery trade.
- During the reign of Nedunjeliyan I, the capital was moved to Koodal (now Madurai).
- The kingdom lay to the south of the Maurya Empire of India.
- The kings of the Pandyan Dynasty are frequently mentioned in Sangam literature from the third century BCE onwards. Literary works such as the Mathuraikkanci and Cilapatikaram provide insights into their names and genealogy.
- Nedunjeliyan II is highlighted as a prominent warrior, known for winning battles against coalition forces from Cholas, Cheras, and other kingdoms.
- The Early Pandyas had active maritime trade relationships with the West, as attested by Western classical writers such as Pliny the Elder, Strabo, Ptolemy, and the author of the Periplus.
- The Pandyan country was renowned for pearl fishery.
Notable Ruler
Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I
- Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I was a notable ruler of the Pandya dynasty who reigned during the 13th century CE.
Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I
- Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I, also known as Kulasekara Pandyan I, was a notable ruler of the Pandya dynasty who reigned during the 13th century CE.
- He is often celebrated as one of the most influential kings of the Pandya dynasty.