Pandya Kingdom

The Pandyan kingdom was an ancient Tamil state in South India of unknown antiquity. Pandyas were one of the three ancient Tamil kingdoms (Chola and Chera being the other two) that ruled the Tamil country from pre-historic times until end of the fifteenth century. They ruled initially from Korkai, a seaport on the southern-most tip of the Indian peninsula, and in later times moved to Madurai. Pandyas entered their golden age under Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (c. 1251) who expanded their empire into Telugu country and invadedSri Lanka to conquer the northern half of the island. Their territory included present-day Kerela. They also had extensive trade links with the Southeast Asian maritime empires ofSrivijaya and their successors. The Pandyas excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the South Indian coast, between Sri Lanka and India, which produced some of the finest pearls known in the ancient world. Tradition holds that the legendary Sangam were held in Madurai under their patronage. Some of the Sangam poets became kings of Pandya.

Rajaraja Chola I

                                                                         Mummdi Cholan
                                                                                                ராஜ ராஜ சோழன்

The early Pandyan dynasty went into obscurity during the invasion of the Kalabhras. The dynasty revived under Kadungon in the early sixth century. They pushed the Kalabhras out of the Tamil country and ruled from Madurai. They again went into decline with the rise of the Cholas in the ninth century and were in constant conflict with them. Pandyas allied themselves with the Sinhalese and the Cheras in harassing the Chola empire until they found an opportunity for reviving their fortunes during the late thirteenth century. During their history the Pandyas were repeatedly in conflict with the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Hoysalas, and finally the Muslim invaders from the Delhi Sultanate. Nonetheless, they also gave peace and stability to the southern plains of India for many centuries. In the end, they could not compete with the Muslim Delhi Sultanate as it pushed south, and lost power in the sixteenth century. Within a century, the British East India Company had started its operations and by the end of the eighteenth century this part of India was part of British India.