Chera
The Chera dynasty was one of the great Tamil ruling families that controlled the southwest coast of India and parts of what is now Tamil Nadu from ancient times to the 15th century. The other two were the Cholas and the Pandyas . These three dynasties began their rule before the third Sangam period (300 BC) and ruled independently of one another until the Indian Middle Ages, and sometimes beyond.
The early Cheras
There is an inscription on the Ashoka Edicts that there is an independent area in the south called Ceraputta. The country Cerobothra is mentioned in the Periplus Maris Erythraei . Pliny the Elder called it Caelobothras. It is believed that the Cheras were followers of Shaivism . The early Cholas ruled a large area in southwest India, including today's Kerala, through vassals. They maintained relations with the Satavahanas as well as flourishing trade relations with the Romans and Greeks across the sea. Foreign gold was mainly exchanged for pepper. Archaeologists also found coins from the Romans. The capital of the Cheras was Karur .
There are several names for the Cheras in early Sangam literature: Cheral, Kuttuvan, Irumporai, Kollipurai, and Athan. They were titled as Kothai or Makothai. They called themselves Vanavar. The entire Cheras nobility were called Cheraman.
The following rulers are named in the Paditruppattu :
- Nedum Cheralathan
- Palyane Chel Kezhu Kuttuvan
- Kalankaikanni Narmudi Cheral
- Kadal Pirakottiya Velkezhu Kuttuvan
- Attu Kottu Pattu Cheralathan
- Chelva Kadunko Azhi Athan
- Thakadur Erintha Perum Cheral Irumporai
- Kudako Ilam Cheral Irumporai
The first two kings were sons of Uthiyan Cheralathan and Veliyan Nallini, while the third, fourth, and fifth kings were each a son of Nedum Cheralathan. Chola princess Manikilli was the mother of the fourth king, who was also called Chenkuttuvan. The sixth king was the son of Anthuvan Cheral Irumporai and Porayan Perumthevi. The seventh was the son of the sixth king. The eighth king was the son of the Chola ruler Kuttuvan Irumporai, son of Mantharan Cheral Irumporai.
The following three generations can be found in the Pagalur inscription: Adam Cheral Irrumporai, his son Perumkadungo, and his son Ilamkadungo.
In Purananuru there is the king Udiyan Cheral, who probably lived in the 1st to 2nd century. Imayavaramban Nedum Cheralathan, another ruler of the Sangam period, claims to have extended his dominion to the Himalayas . Meanwhile, the Buddhist Mahavamsa reports that one of their Ceylon rulers was visiting Chenkuttuvan, a Chera king.
The cheras of the bhakti era
Little is known about the Cheras from the 5th to 8th centuries. An unknown power, the Kalabhras , invaded the Tamil area and ruled for about three centuries. The Kalabhras were then expelled by the Pallavas and Pandyas in the 6th century . Arikesari Parankusa Maravarman (730-765), Pallava ruler, reports on a copper plate that he is said to have defeated a Chera king. The name of this Chera king is not known, but one can deduce from the copper plate how big this Chera empire was, which still encompassed the southwest coast and the extreme south of India.
Pulakesin II, a Chalukya ruler, wrote about his campaign to the south: "Pulikesin II, who drove the Pallava back behind the walls of Kanchi, came south to the river Kaveri and led the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas to prosperity."
During the reign of the Pandya king Parantaka Nedumjadaiyan (765-790), the Cheras were still in Karur and were closely allied allies of the Pallavas . Pallavamalla Nadivarman defeated the Pandya Varaguna with the help of the Chera king. Cultural exchange also flourished. The Chera kings adopted the title "Perumal" and promoted Vishnuism . Kulasekkara Alvar, Chera king in the 8th century, devoted himself to devout Vishnu poetry. The Shaivait Cheraman Perumal and the Vishnuit Kulasekkara were important figures in the Hinduism movement. Kulasekkara later became a celebrated Bhakti - Alvar (apostle). His work became known as Perumal Thirumozhi . He was a contemporary of Adi Shankara .
The end of the Cheras
Rajaraja I. invaded the heartland of the Chera in 994 and destroyed the ships of Bhaskara Ravi Varman Thiruvadi (978-1036) in the battle of Kandalur Salai. This severely weakened the Cheras. They were able to successfully defend themselves against the Chola for a few more decades, but the death of the last Chera king Rama Varma Kulasekhara ended their ruling dynasty. The lands of Venad and Travancore came to heyday after Rama Varma's death under his independent rulers Udaya Marthanda Varma (1175–1195) and Ravi Varma Kulasekkara (1299–1314), who was a descendant of the Cheras. Under Ravi Varma Kulasekkara there was a previously unattained cultural development and learning. He was also able to earn much fame for his diplomatic skills. So he was able to pacify the Pandya Empire after the Delhi Sultanate devastated the country. After the death of Ravi Varma Kulasekkara, there were no more Cheras worth mentioning.
List of Chera kings
- Udiyan Cheral
- Antuvan Cheral
- Imayavaramban Nedum Cheralathan (56-115)
- Cheran Chenkuttuvan (from 115)
- Palyani Chel Kezhu Kuttuvan (115-130)
- Poraiyan Kadungo (from 115)
- Kalankaikanni Narmudi Cheral (115–140)
- Velkezhu Kuttuvan (130-185)
- Selvak Kadungo (131–155)
- Adukotpattu Cheralatan (140-178)
- Kuttuvan Irumporai (178-185)
- Tagadur Erinda Perumcheral (185-201)
- Yanaikat-sey Mantaran Cheral (201–241)
- Ilamcheral Irumporai (241-257)
- Perumkadungo (257-287)
- Ilamkadungo (287-317)
- Kanaikal Irumporai (367-397)
- Cheruman Perumal (8th century)
- Kulasekkara Alvar (8th-9th centuries)
- Bhaskara Ravi Varman Thiruvadi (978-1036)
- Rama Varma Kulasekkara (1020–1102)
- Ravi Varma Kulasekkara (around 1250-1314)
