THREE EARLY KINGDOMS

THREE EARLY KINGDOMS

The Pandyas are first mentioned by Megasthenese, wI says that their kingdom was celebrated for pearls and w ruled by a woman. The Pandyan territory occupied tl southernmost and south-eastern portion of the Indi, peninsula, and it roughly included the modern districts I TIrunelveli, Ramnad and Madurai in Tamil Nadu;' its capit was at Madurai. The Sangam literature refers to the Pandya rulers, but it does not give any continuous account.

The kingdom profited from trade with the Roman empire an sent embassies to the Roman emperor, Augustus. Th brahrnans enjoyed considerable influence, and the Pandya king performed Vedic sacrifices.

ThE! Chola kingdom was situated to the north-east the territory of the pandyas, between the Pennar and th Velar rivers. The chief centre of power lay at Uraiyur, a plac famous for cotton trade. It seems that in the middle of th, second century Be, a Chola king named Elara conquere( Sri Lanka and ruled over it for about 50 years.

The Chola were expelled with great difficulty by the Sinhalese nationa hero, King Dutugamunu (161-137 BC). A definite history 0 the Cholas begins in the second century AD with theh famous king Karikala, who founded Puhar (Kaveripattanam: and constructed 160 krn of embankment along the rive) Kaveri. Puhar, the Chola capital, was a great centre of trade and commerce, and excavations show it had a large dock.
Under Karikala~s successors, Chola power rapidly declined. Their capital, Kaveripattanam, was overwhelmed and destroyed. The Cheras and the Pandyas extended at the cost of the Cholas. The last remnants of Chola power were wiped out by the attacks of the Pallavas from north (the Pallava capital was Kanchi). From the fourth to the ninth century AD the Cholas played only a marginal part in South Indian history.

The Chera or the Kerala country was situated to the west and north of the land of the Pandyas. It had flourishing trade with the Romans. The Romans set up two regiments at Muziris (identical with modern Cranganore) in the Chera country to protect their interests. It is also said that they built a temple of Augustus there. The greatest Chera king was Senguttu\ an, the Red or L,ond Chua He routed his rivals and established his COUSIn secure" lm the throne He is credited with having il1\ aded till' "'-'nrth anLl crossed the' Ganga. After the second century \[J the Clwrd power declined, and we hear no more of It untll the eIghth century AD.

The political historv of these three kingdoms is re­flected in the continuous wars thev fought amongst them­selves and also with Sri Lanka These I' l[S certaml) weakened them and caused trouble tn the people Very little IS known about what happenpu ,t the tip of the peninsuld aflL'r thl' pclipse of H'l .arl C!wras, Cholas and Pandyas Jhe only important event IS a n Vl)1t led hI the Kalabhras in the sixth Cl'ntUf\ It affected the Pallava~ as well as their neighbouring contemporary kIngdoms Thl Kalabhras overthrew innumerable kings and estabhshed their hold on the Tamil land They put an end to 1l1f BrahmedeYIl rights granted to the brahmans in numerous villages. Probably, the Kalabhras held Buddhist persuasIOns as they patrol1lsl'd Buddhist monastenes The Kalabhras revolt was so widespread that it could bl put down only through the joint efforts of the PanLi s 11ll' l'a]lavls a'ILi the Chera kings. This mdicaks that their rt~\ l,It had as­sumed wide proportions, and prod deed reperl:usslons outside the Tamil land Pl'rllaps tIll' re\'olt Ivas directed against the then existing social and puhtll.al order Ll 'South India.