Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India

encyclopedia

LURE- THRU THE AGES

THE

Overview

A dynasty located in Southern India and

controlling a small strip of territories

along the coast of Malabar. Their origin

can be traced to at least 3rd C. B.C. (Ker-

ala).

The earliest king was Udayan Cheraladan

followed by Nedum Cheraladan.

The greatest king was Kadalpirakottiya

Chenkuttuvan (Sangama age).

The earliest reference is provided by the

edicts of Asoka entitled

Keralaputra;

Chera kingdom comprised 5

Nadus

districts.

Their ancient capital was Vanji, Vanen

or Karur; later capital was Tiru-Vanji-

Kalam.

Their heyday seemed to have been the

early centuries of the Christian era.

Advent

There is no definite information regard-

ing the advent of Cheras; it has been gener-

ally agreed that Chera and Kerala are only

variant forms of the same word; Kerala

means the rugged region of the western

ghat, south of the Chandragiri river.

Chronology

Adan.

Senguttuvan.

Yjanaikkan.

Ravivarman Kulashekara (1299).

Overview

Dominated North India after the fall of

Harsha.

They claimed to be lineal descendants of

the Kshatriyas of the Vedic period.

The Rajput families traced their descent

from Ram of

Suryavamsi

or solar clan and

Krishna of

Chandravamsi

or lunar race

(inscriptions of the 9th and 10th C.).

Known for their bravery and war was their

ruling passion.

Raja Bhoja was the famous king and au-

thor of the period; Hemachandra Suri, a

great Jain saint lived during this period.

They were great builders - fort of Chittor-

garh, Ranthambhor, Kumbhalgarh (Ra-

jasthan); Palaces of Mansingh at Gwalior;

the Khajuraho group of temples etc.

CHERA KINGDOM 12th- 13 th

Wars

Battle between the Cheras and Cholas

2ndC. A.D.

The battle of Vennil and the defeat of

Cheras.

Conquest of southern Chera kingdom

(783 A.D.) by Jatila Parakrama of Pan-

dyan dynasty.

'j'he conquest of Chola and Pandyan ter-

ritories by Ravivarman of Kulashekara

in 1315.

General

Very little is known about the history of

dheras and their territories; during the

Christian era it ranked with the two other

southern kingdoms of the period; they had

two strong ports-Muziris (Periyar) and

Bakasei (Kottam) through which pepper

trade was carried on; with the cessation of

trade between West and its ports, its wealth

and power declined; a great battle was fought

in the middle of the 2nd C. A.D. between the

Cheras and the Cholas, in which the Chera

king Adan lost his life; again at the battle of

Vennil, the Chola king was victorious;

another ruler Senguttuvan was powerful, Ch-

era poets claim many success for him; he was

succeeded by Yanaikkan who fought with the

Cholas and Pandyas. At the beginning of the

8th century a Chera king was defeated by the

Paramesvara (Pallava king) in 783; Jatila

Parakrama of Pandya dynasty claims the

conquest of southern part of Chera kingdom;

RAJPUTS

Advent

The Rajputs were the descendants of the

Shakas, Hunas, Kushanas, Gujaras, etc.,

who came to India, merged into Indian

society, married Indian women and made

India their home (Tod). Perhaps they were

a mixed race(Hunas, Shakas, old Ksha-

triya tribes) and adopted Hindu ritual

(V.A. Smith).

Culture

Rajputs were proud of themselves, devel-

oped into a proud and haughty aristoc-

racy; cultivated the spirit of chivalry; had

high sense of honour and respect for truth;

their ideal was Rama and every Rajput

was devoted to war; their loyalty to their

chief and clan was very great.

"High

courage, patriotism, loyalty, honour, hos-

pitality and simplicity are qualities which

must at once be connected to them

(Tod)

C.A.D.

towards the end of the 8th century the

harmonious relations between Chola and

Chera kingdoms ended; Rajaraja I and Ra-

jadhiraja of Chola dynasty claim the destruc-

tion of Chera fleet and the conquest of the

Chera lords; Cholas held the southern territory

of the Chera kingdom until the beginning of

their decline in the 12th century A.D.; Ravivar-

man Kulasekhara came to Chera throne in

1299 and conquered Chola and Pandya king-

doms in 1315; but later he was driven out from

these regions and the history of Chera dynasty

after him is obscure.

Decline

The decline of the Chera kingdom

started after the death of Cheran Sengut-

tuvan of Sangama age, various petty kings

ruled; slowly and steadily the kingdom of

Chera disappeared.

Government

Their government had feudal character.

The Rajput kingdoms of north India were

divided into a large number of estates

(Jagirs

) under

Jagirdars;

the official was

called as

Kayastha

headed by Brahmanas;

the chief source of income was from the

land, supplemented by taxes on trade and

commerce; at village level panchayats ad-

ministered civil and criminal justice and

collected taxes.

Society

Caste

system

was

dominant

(Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and

Shudras); Brahmanas occupied a place

of respect and command, monopolised

spiritual and other knowledge; soldiers

were mainly Kshatriyas, business was done

by Vaishyas and Shudras were confined

to agriculture. Caste system later became