INDIA , THAT IS BHARAT -A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, #BHARAT[PART-67][EP-296]

CHERA DYNASTY

The CHERA DYNASTY was one of the three crowned kings of TAMILAKAM alongside the CHOLA and PANDYA as early as 4th to 3rd century BC .The CHERAS ruled upto 12th century AD .Their governance extended over diverse territories in the western coast and western Ghats of the south INDIA . Capitals of Early CHERAS were VANCHI and MUZIRIS ; KURUR of KONGU CHERAS ; and MAHODAYAPURAM of CHERA PERUMALS . Common languages of the people were OLD TAMIL , MIDDLE TAMIL and KIRINTAMIL .They followed HINDUISM , BUDDHISM and JAINISM .The Kingdom of CHERA was established in about 200 BC and was disestablished in about 1100 AD . Established in the region of modern KERALA and KONGU region of TAMIL NADU , CHERA Kingdom was preceded by VILLAVAR tribes and succeeded by the Kingdom of TRAVANCORE & Kingdom of COCHIN . Etymologically speaking , the word CHERA is derived from CHERAL , which means “declivity of a mountain” in TAMIL language . Another theory argues that the CHERALAM has been derived from two words — 1. CHER (sand) ; and 2. ALAM (region) . So it literally means the slushy land . In the ASHOKA’S PALI edicts , the CHERAS has been referred as KEDALAPUTO , which in SANSKRIT means KERALA PUTRA , while PLINY the Elder and CLAUDIUS PTOLEMY refer the CHERAS as KAELOBORTROS and KEROBOTTROS respectively .The GRAECO-ROMAN trade map PERIPLUS MARIS ERYTHRAEI refers the CHERAS as KEPROBOTRAS .Thus , all these GRAECO-ROMAN names simply indicate towards KERLA PUTRA .

CHERA— GEOGRAPHICALLY A PROFITABLE KINGDOM

The CHERA Kingdom was geopolitically well placed to profit from maritime trade . Through extensive INDIAN OCEAN networks , traders from the CHERA Kingdom used to exchange spices (especially black pepper) with MIDDLE EASTERN and GRAECO-ROMAN merchants . Early CHERAS (2nd century BC to 3rd century AD) were known to have their original centre at KUTTANAD in KERALA .They used harbours at MUCHIRI and THONDI on the INDIAN OCEAN Coast of KERALA and KONGU NADU .They ruled the area of MALABAR Coast between KASARAGOD in the north to ALAPPUZHA in the south . During SANGAM PERIOD (1st century to 4th century AD) , region around COIMBATORE was ruled by the CHERAS . It also served as the eastern entrance to the PALAKKAD GAP. It was the principal route between the MALABAR Coast and TAMIL NADU . Old TAMIL BRAMHI cave level inscriptions give a number of CHERA names with CHERA symbols of the bow and the arrow depicted in the reverse . SANGAM TEXTS are major source of information about the early CHERAS . CENGUTTUVAN , literally means good CHERA , was the most celebrated CHERA DYNASTY ruler of the early period who was famous for the traditions surrounding KANNAKI . However, around the 3rd-5th century AD , there seems to be a period where the CHERA’S power declined considerably .

KONGU CHERA DYNASTY OR CHERAS OF MEDIEVAL PERIOD

CHERAS of KONGU Country initially appeared as the rulers of Western TAMIL NADU and Central KERALA .The family claimed that they were descended from the CHERAS who flourished in pre-PALLAVA South INDIA . Initially ruling over Western TAMIL NADU and Central KERALA , their headquarters was located at KURUR in Central TAMIL NADU .The CHERA rulers of KONGU were somehow related to PULLAVAS , CHOLAS and PANDYAS at different time periods .The Central KERALA and KONGU CHERA Kingdom was detached from the CHERA PERUMAL Kingdom which ruled from 9th to 12th century AD . KONGU CHERAS are often described as the member of CHANDRA-ADITYA KULA (from lunar- solar clan) . Later on , KONGU CHERAS appear to have been absorbed into the PANDYA kingdom by 10th and 11th century AD and known as KONGU-CHOLAS , who ruled the KONGU Kingdom under the CHOLAS .The two branches of the CHERA family : 1. The KONGU CHERAS ; and 2. The  CHERA PERUMALS , supported by PANDYAS and CHOLAS , were rival in this period . CHERA PERUMAL king STHANU RAVI VARMA was a junior partner in the KONGU Kingdom in a CHOLA campaign . Similarly, PANDYA kingdom PARANTAKA VIRA NARAYAN (880-900 AD) is known to have married a KONGU CHERA princess VANAVAN MAHA DEVI .

NOTE : THE SOURCES OF THE BLOG ARE TEXT BOOKS AND OTHER WRITTEN MATERIALS ON THE SUBJECT .

TO BE CONTINUED ……………….