The Cheras and the Pānḍyas

The Cheras, also called Keralaputra ('sons of Kerala'), ruled western Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Their capital was Vanji, today's Karur in Tamil Nadu.

They helped shape the region's culture and economy, encouraged Tamil literature and supported Sangam poets.

They traded a lot with the Roman Empire and West Asia. Their kingdom was a hub for exporting spices, timber, ivory and pearls. Chera kings issued many coins with their royal emblem.

How do historians find out about trade between faraway kingdoms, centuries ago? Very often through coins: Roman coins found in India, Indian coins found abroad.

The Pāṇḍyas ruled parts of Tamil Nadu and nearby, from their capital at today's Madurai, going back several centuries BCE. Later kings made the kingdom bigger.

Two clues about the Pāṇḍyas, from opposite ends of India:

• Megasthenes, the Greek at Chandragupta's court far in the north, called their kingdom prosperous, well run, and trading with Greeks and Romans and within India
• Khāravela of Kalinga writes that he gets hundreds of pearls brought from the Pāṇḍya kingdom

Two separate sources pointing the same way: strong evidence of real trade!

The Pāṇḍyas were also an important naval power (strong at sea). Later Pāṇḍyas added a lot to the region's art, architecture and wealth. Their many inscriptions say their kings cared about their people's welfare and encouraged all schools of thought and belief.