Pandyas - class-VI

Silappadikaram is one of Five Great Epics according to later Tamil literary tradition. Ascetic-prince Ilango Adigal is credited with this work, who was the younger brother of reputed warrior-king Senguttuvan of the Chera dynasty. As a literary work, Silappadikaram is held in high regard by the Tamil people.  

Muziris (often spelled Muziris or Muchiri) was the primary port city of the Chera kingdom, serving as a major hub for trade with the Roman Empire.

The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram was established in the ninth century in the south-western part of the peninsula, part of present-day Kerala. It is likely that Malayalam was spoken in this area. The rulers introduced the Malayalam language and script in their inscriptions.

The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram was established in the ninth century in the south-western part of the peninsula, part of present-day Kerala. It is likely that Malayalam was spoken in this area.

The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram was established in the ninth century in the south-western part of the peninsula, part of present-day Kerala. It is likely that Malayalam was spoken in this area.

The Cheras drew upon Sanskritic traditions. The first literary works in Malayalam, dated to about the twelfth century, are directly indebted to Sanskrit. Interestingly enough, a fourteenth-century text, the Lilatilakam, dealing with grammar and poetics, was composed in Manipravalam literally, diamonds and corals referring to the two languages, Sanskrit, and the regional language.

The
Cheras drew upon Sanskritic traditions. The first literary works
in Malayalam, dated to about the twelfth century, are directly indebted
to Sanskrit.

The
rulers of Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram introduced the Malayalam
language and script in their inscriptions. In fact, this is one of the
earliest examples of the use of a regional language in official records
in the subcontinent.

The famous and important ruler of Cheras was Senguttuvan, who is the hero of a famous Tamil Epic Silapathikaram. Senguttuvan is best known for sending the first embassy to China from South India.

Senguttuvan, also known as Cheran Senguttuvan, is widely celebrated in Sangam literature as the most powerful and illustrious ruler of the Chera dynasty.

After Vijayalaya Chola conquered Thanjavur by defeating the Muttarayar chieftains who were part of Pandya family tree around 850, the Pandyas went into a period of decline. 
They were constantly harassing their Chola overlords by occupying their territories. Parantaka I invaded the Pandya territories and defeated Rajasimha III. However, the Pandyas did not wholly submit to the Cholas despite the loss of power, territory and prestige. They tried to forge various alliances with the Cheras and the Kings of Lanka and tried to engage the Cholas in war to free themselves from Chola supremacy. But right from the times of Parantaka I to the early 12th century up to the times of Kulottunga Chola I the Pandyas could not overpower the Cholas who right from 880-1215 remained the most powerful empire spread over South India, Deccan and the Eastern and Western Coast of India during this period.

After the death of the king Maravarman Kulashekhara, his sons Vira and Sundara fought a war of succession for control of the kingdom. Malik Kafur marched to the Pandya territory in March 1311. His army raided a number of places in the kingdom, massacring people and destroying temples. The Pandya brothers fled their headquarters, and Kafur pursued them unsuccessfully, hoping to make one of them a tributary to the Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khalji. Nevertheless, the invaders obtained a large number of treasures, elephants and horses. After Kafur's departure, Vira and Sundara resumed their conflict. Sundara Pandya was defeated and sought help from the Delhi Sultanate. With their help, he regained control of the South Arcot region by 1314. 
Subsequently, this there were two other expeditions from the Khalji Sultanate in 1314 led by Khusro Khan and in 1323 by Ulugh Khan under Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. These invasions shattered the Pandyan empire beyond revival. While the previous invasions were content with plunder, Ulugh Khan annexed the former Pandyan dominions to the Delhi Sultanate.

Kayalpatnam (aka Kayalpattinam), or Korkai is a town in the Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, India. Kayal is referred to in Marco Polo's travel diaries dating to 1250 AD. Kayal was an ancient port dating to the 1st centuries of the Christian era and was contemporaneous to the existence of Kollam, another Pandyan port.

There were three separate invasions in a span of 15 years. The first was led by Malik Kafur, under orders from the Sultan Alauddin Khilji, in 1311 CE where he sacked the city of Madurai. The second invasion of Madurai was led by Khusrau Khan and the third, by Ulugh Khan; both under Ghiyasuddin Tughluq.

It is known that the Pandya rulers initially followed Jainism for a short period of time in history. After the decline of the Kalabhra rule, Hinduism was once again revived and Buddhism and Jainism began to decline. The Pandyan kings had patronized Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Jainism.

Kayalpatnam (aka Kayalpattinam), or Korkai is a town in the Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, India. Kayal is referred to in Marco Polo's travel diaries dating to 1250 AD. Kayal was an ancient port dating to the 1st centuries of the Christian era and was contemporaneous to the existence of Kollam, another Pandyan port.

The early Pandyan dynasty went into obscurity during the invasion of the Kalabhras. The dynasty revived under Kadungon in the early sixth century.
The Early Pandyas of the Sangam period were one of the four main kingdoms of the ancient Tamil country, the other three being the Cholas, the Cheras and Athiyamaan Dynasty.

The land assigned to ironsmiths was called tattarkani; for carpenters, it was known as taccu-maniyam.

The first capital of Pandyas was Madurai. Their symbol was fish. The Pandyan kings earned their name and fame for their patronage to Tamil Sangam. 

Historical records, including those referenced by Strabo, indicate that a Pandya king sent an embassy to the Roman Emperor Augustus around 20 BC.

Arikamedu is an archaeological site in Southern India, in Kakkayanthope, Ariyankuppam Commune, Puducherry. 

It was a coastal settlement.

The Tiruppavai is a collection of thirty stanzas written in Tamil by Andal (also known as Nachiyar), in praise of the Lord Perumal, (Vishnu). It is part of Divya Prabandha, a work of the twelve Alvars, and is important part of Tamil literature. Andal is the only female Alvar among the 12 Alvar saints of South India. The Alvar saints are known for their affiliation to the Srivaishnava tradition of Hinduism. Andal is credited with the great Tamil works, Thiruppavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi, which are still recited by devotees during the winter festival season of Margazhi.

Agriculture and trade were the main occupations of the people in the Pandya kingdom.The agriculturists were called as Boomiputirar. The Pandyas were famous for pearl diving. The pearls of the Pandya empire were famous all over the world. The famous ports of the Pandyas were Korkai and Thondi.

The agriculturists were called as Boomiputirar. 
Agriculture and trade were the main occupations of the people in the Pandya kingdom. The Pandyas were also world famous for pearl diving. The pearls of the Pandya empire were famous all over the world. 

Madurai served as the historic capital of the Pandya kingdom throughout much of its existence, known as a center of Tamil culture and literature.

Thiruvasagam is a volume of Tamil hymns composed by the ninth century Shaivite bhakti poet Manikkavasagar. It contains 51 compositions and constitutes the eighth volume of the Tirumurai, the sacred anthology of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta.
Most of the portions in Thiruvasagam were first sung in Thillai Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram. It is considered one of the profound works of Tamil literature and it discusses every phase of spiritual path from doubt and anguish to perfect understanding in Shiva, from earthly experience to teacher-disciple relationship and ultimately freedom from rebirth.

The famous ports of the Pandyas were Korkai and Thondi. Pearl fishing was another industry that flourished during the Sangam age. The Pandyan port city of Korkai was the centre of pearl trade. The most expensive animal product that was imported from India by the Roman Empire was the pearl from the Gulf of Mannar.

Expeditions from the Khalji Sultanate in 1314 led by Khusro Khan and in 1323 by Ulugh Khan under Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq shattered the Pandyan empire beyond revival. While the previous invasions were content with plunder, Ulugh Khan annexed the former Pandyan dominions to the Delhi Sultanate .

The Greek historian Megasthenes, in his work Indica, mentions the Pandyan kingdom and includes legends linking its origin to the daughter of Heracles.

Madurai served as the capital of the Pandya dynasty, the southernmost of the three ancient Tamil kingdoms. It was a major cultural and political center in Tamilakam during the Sangam period.